West Virginia University is putting campus housing and roommate selection at studentsfingertips.

After three years of designing and testing, WVU s Housing and University Apartments online selection system was recently unveiled to students.

The system ultimately puts housing assignments and roommate selection directly in the hands of the students,said Corey Farris, director of Housing and University Apartments at WVU .

In the past, students would fill out paper forms indicating their first and second choice of housing, and if they had a roommate in mind, they would list the student on their application. They would also answer a few questions about neatness, sleeping habits and other personal preferences, and then housing officials would try to match up students.

With the new online system, students receive an e-mail shortly after paying their housing deposits indicating when they can log into the roommate-matching system. Once in the system, they can view housing options and select a room.

If a student has a roommate in mind, an e-mail is sent to the potential roommate for approval. If students do not know who they will room with, they are asked to complete a 15-question personality survey.

Students answer questions related to smoking, sleeping habits, music preference and study habits, among others. The system then matches student with similar responses. This allows students to choose roommates based on the features that matter most to them.

If a student is applying for a residential college or has special needs, the system will provide specific housing options.

It is a really exciting and very user-friendly system,Farris said.

The online system was designed by WVU s Student Systems Management and Student Affairs Administrative Technology Development offices.

More on the Net: http://housing.wvu.edu/apply/returningstudentroomprocess.htm