Seconds after the clock struck 5 last Thursday afternoon fourth-year Lawn Selection Committee Coordinator Trish Morrow found herself in the difficult position of turning down a number of disappointed students who had just missed the firm deadline to turn in their Lawn applications.
Of the 226 students who made the deadline only 47 will be offered the honor of living on the Lawn in their last year of undergraduate studies.
This week, 34 fourth-year volunteers will spend countless hours reading through each of the 226 applications, eight less than last year, and picking who will be a part of next year's Lawn community. Morrow said the committee hopes to finish reviewing applications by Saturday. After University Housing processes the recommendations, applicants will receive notification letters by Feb. 14.
"Reviewing applications is extremely rewarding because it reminds me why I love our school and students so much," said Portman Wills, Class of 2002 president and member of the selection committee.
Only fourth-year students may apply to be members of the selection committee. All fourth years are given applications, and an ad hoc "steering committee" of four faculty members and 10 students evaluate applicants' eligibility. This year, steering committee members chose some applicants by hand and others by random lottery.
Unless they chose to delegate the responsibility, students in select leadership positions automatically are assigned to the committee. Members of the steering committee - such as the Honor and Judiciary chairs and the presidents of the school councils - also must serve on the selection committee.
"The people who are automatically selected have been selected by the University and students have verified their faith in them through elections," said Abby Fifer, Student Council president and member of the steering committee.
The selection committee that was formed includes fourth years from all the schools in the University and includes students with a variety of racial and extracurricular backgrounds.
Once chosen, selection committee members have one week to read all applications and cast votes for the 47 candidates they feel are most deserving. This year the selection committee voted to bar all discussion of applications between members, and base the decision solely on individual votes.
"The applications stand for themselves," Morrow said. "Applicants explain their positions how they want and it is not for us to try to explain them."
Committee members also agreed not to divulge the identity of fellow members, though they are free to identify themselves.
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