Dartmouth advertises itself as a "residential college." This statement means that the College should guarantee housing for all of its students who wish to be on campus at any given time.
Although the College does not guarantee housing anywhere in its rules and regulations, this fall, for the first time in its history, the College will deny housing to about 100 of its students.
Because of its housing crunch, the College caused unnecessary difficulties for more than 400 people by making them search for off-campus housing or change their Dartmouth Plans.
Dartmouth is located in a rural area, not a large city like Harvard University in Boston or Columbia University in New York City.
Because of the College's location, students really have no choice but to live on campus when they are in residence. Off-campus housing in Hanover is extremely limited and vastly over-priced.
The College has a duty to guarantee housing to all of its students who chose to be on in a given term.
When students choose to come to a college like Dartmouth, they naturally expect that they will be able to live on campus if they so desire.
If the College cannot guarantee these students housing, then it should either admit fewer students or build another residence hall.
For years the College has advertised itself as a residential college and been able to live up to that reputation.
But now the College can no longer house all of its students, so it should either change the way it promotes itself, or better yet, find a way to guarantee housing for all of its students.
