Rotation Algorithm

The algorithm we are running is a convex penalty algorithm which works in the following manner:

Each first-year student submits an ordered ranking of residences (8 houses and Bechtel). They can only have one first choice, though they may tie subsequent residences. However, their ranking must always be ordinal. For example, a student may rank Booty House first and tie all of the other houses for second. They may not rank Booty House first and tie all of the other houses for ninth. First-year students may elect to receive a house membership for the event if their assigned first year residence is Bechtel.

Each house submits a house list using the guidelines above. The house list size will be half of the total number of beds reserved for first-years plus two.

The Rotation Concerns Committee (RCC, comprised of a dean, the ORE director, the director of Residential Experience, the ADA coordinator, the CCID director, and the IHC Chair) will go through all concerns (including ADA needs) and place students in rooms. The RCC will do the best it can to respect house wishes. The algorithm is run for the remaining students in two stages:

First is the house list matching process. If a prefrosh ranks a house 1 and they are on a house list, they will be automatically placed in the house.

Second, the rest of the students will be sorted using a convex penalty algorithm. The algorithm overall works to minimize the total penalty. The penalty is calculated by squaring the prefrosh ranking of the house they end up in. There are also some additional conditions the algorithm takes into consideration in producing a final solution

If the penalty in the algorithm will not change drastically, it will favor putting students on a house's house list into that house.

The algorithm also accounts for gender inclusivity, gender balance, maximizing the number of students each house gets on their house list, and maximizing the % each house fills.

The IHC and VPSA will choose between the remaining choices in a closed meeting.