Difference: DeskAllocationPolicy (1 vs. 5)

• Tenure - better desks go to people who have been here the longest
• Seniority - PhD students get better spots than MSc students etc.
• Proximity - people who work very closely together may need to be near each other
• Efficiency - avoid people having to move often, or move again shortly after a move

• When a desk comes open, it is allocated by seniority, as determined by the number of months since joining the SPL.
• In the case of a tie, the winner is determined by a coin toss.
• Faculty members can override this policy for short-term uses (e.g. lab visitors).

FAQ

Shouldn't PhD students have precedence? They're here for longer.

As other students graduate, PhD students will eventually percolate upwards by attrition. During the first year, they're likely taking classes and so it shouldn't matter as much anyways.

Shouldn't we differentiate by whether the new occupants are doing research?

The use of seniority essentially provides this.

How long is a `short-term use'?

Left deliberately vague for flexibility. Generally an office can be found for longer-term visitors. And extremely short-term visitors generally won't need much space anyways.

When shouldn't I take a spot?

It's expected that people will use some common sense in following this policy: if you're unlikely to be here for much longer, save yourself the hassle of packing and moving and give up your place.