Page 179 - ThePhoenix1993-94

News Room Draw Lottery Problems Blamed On Computer Error By AN/I.'ELISE SULLIVAN SJojJw,j", and who had not received anum- coordinator. For some reason Some students were disap- ber. He did this for the 1O-15ri5- the computer eliminated some pointed when they looked into ing seniors first and then for the students who were going to be their mail boxes and didn't find rising sophomores andjuniors on fifth year seniors in particular any lottery numbers three weeks the Wednesday before the num- and they were not assigned ago. bets had to be in for the apart- numbers. The rest were either There were approximately ments. people who hadn't paid their eighteen students total to whom The way room-draw is sup- room deposit on time or they fell this occurred, according to Dean posed to work is this: a student is into the other category of every- Lamas. And on Friday, AprilS, assigned a number (if helshe has one else. he too was upset. Why did this paid the room deposit on time) Dean Lamas gave numbers happen was the question on according to class rank (a rising out to the students who weren't everyone's lips. And more im- senior would get a low number assigned numbers but who paid portamly, why were some stu- and so on), Then each student on time from the original group dents assigned duplicate num- applies to live in the same room of numbers and then placed a bers? And others given num- (squatting) or in another room "B" beside the number to indi- bers when they weren't sup- (room draw) or the Garden catcthatitcameafterthatactual posed to get one (such as Affm- Apartments. Theoretically, the number, say 13, but before the Dean Lamas too was frustrated with tbe trouble witb ity Housing students and Greek lower the number a student has, other number, in this case, 14. room draw tbis spring students)? the better chance beJshe has of Lamas feels that he did what When Dean Lamas was getting to live where the student wasrightandfairindealingwith thought might have duplicate pated this and decided to go with asked these questions, he didn't wants to live, the small-sized problem, "If we numbers themselves as well a') what the computer print out says really have an answer for why it What went wrong, "was a were talking hundreds [of people coming in on their own to is that person's number. His had happened. He just knew it computcrproblem,"according to peoplel, we would have done a tell the office about what hap- frustration with the system was did and thai he had to correct it Dean Lamas. He said some of whole new sampling [of num- pened. evident when he said, "Some- by the beginning of room draw. the people he and his staff indi- bersl,' Lamas said. Lamas said that because they times I would rather use ping So, he and his secretary did what cated shouldn't get numbers, Yearwood said he and the figured there were some people pong balls in a lottery machine or any other person trying to stmu- such as those living in Affinity secretary from his office person- out there who didn't come in pieces of paper out of a hat" late the randomness of a com- housing and on Greek floors, did ally placed the room draw num- when they got duplicates and Yearwood said, "I'm going to thought they would get away sit down after all of this (room puler would oo-. be picked and doesn 'I know why. bers in the mail boxes that Fri- numbers out of a basket and as- "The dry run we did earlier day and they caught a lot of du- with murder by choosing the draw) and try and think up every signed them to the people who thai week went smoothly," said pllcates nghuhere. He said they lowest of their two numbers to conceivable source for the mix- up payed the room deposit on time Jude Yearwood, a residence life tried to track down people they show for room draw, he antici- The Phoenix would like to thank the following professors who will be retiring at the end of this year for all their years of dedication and service to the Western Maryland Community. Evelyn Winfrey '51 Keith Richwine '62 Ira Zepp '63 Bill Achor '65 Del Palmer '65 Charles Herrman '74 Helen Wolfe '80 Congratulations on Your Retirement!! May Western Maryland Always Remain In Your Hearts As YouWill In Ours.