Improving Dorm Room Assignments Using Simulated Annealing

B.A., Mathematics, University of Florida, 1977
M.B.A., Business Administration, Pepperdine University, 1987

Improving Dorm Room Assignments
Using Simulated Annealing

$\begin{dedication} \par To my husband for his support, encouragement and questions \ [12ex] \par\end{dedication}$

$\begin{acknowledgments} \vspace{1.1in} \par\noindent Both as a computer scienc... ... P. Crowley, for their time reviewing this manuscript. \par\end{acknowledgments}$

Abstract:

Assigning dorm rooms to 2,000 students with complex and interdependent preferences is a difficult problem. User dissatisfaction with an existing proprietary commercial matching system afforded an opportunity to consider fresh approaches. This project, begun August 1998, has focussed on using simulated annealing to optimize dorm room assignments. The project goals are to improve usability and resource utilization of the assignment process, offering better, faster matches for happier students and staff. Having completed its third semester of production use at UNM, results show that the Dorm Assignment Optimizer (DAO) works well producing assignments far superior to the previous system, in a fraction of the time.