Two years ago I wrote an article on PATH points where I defended the system. While I still believe that the PATH point system is better than the lottery system at other schools, but after almost three years at UD I can recognize the many many faults with PATH points. It's nice to have the control over where you live, but what use is the control when the system is so flawed?
The PATH point system works like this: whenever you go to an event or do an online module you get a point. The more points you have the higher you and your roommates are placed on the list to be assigned housing. Sounds good right? Control over where you live? Who wouldn't want that? The problem is it's hard to get PATH points.
There are only so many events each week and each event has a limit to how many people can go to it. Events fill up so quickly that students have to arrive over an hour and in some case even two hours early. It means that it's not just a one-hour event anymore it's a three-hour event. It's ridiculous that students have to wait in a crowded hallway for over an hour just to be unsure if they will actually be able to get into the event or not.
What's worse is the times that PATH point events are held at. At least half of the events take place during class time. How can UD expect their students to get PATH points and go to class? It's like they are rewarding students who take fewer credits with better housing than students who take more credit hours. And like I mentioned earlier the events that are at night mean that students have to get there almost two hours early just to get in.
It's not just the fact that students have to go to hours early to an event. It's that students who have busy schedules can't make it to these events. PATH points should be awarded for reasons other than going to events. Students should get PATH points based on how many credit hours they are taking. Every three credits should be worth one PATH point. PATH points should be awarded based on how many activities a student is involved in. For each club or organization someone is involved in they should get a PATH point, and leaders should get an extra one. Even athletes, intramural, club, and school ones should get PATH points.
It makes sense that students who are more involved at UD won't have the time to get PATH points, so they should be getting PATH points based on the activities they are doing.
