To the Editor:
I am writing to clarify the article "Administration scraps housing plan" (Jan. 25). A more accurate headline would have been "Administration working with student leaders to amend housing proposal." The story said, "The College dropped a proposed housing plan intended to fill empty beds in Greek houses and undergraduate societies because it was discriminatory, Dean of the College Lee Pelton said."
I said one aspect of the plan would be dropped from further consideration because it appears to draw inappropriate distinctions between students based on their association with a social group. There's a big difference in the two statements.
My office and the Office of Residential Life will continue to insist that coed, fraternity and sorority (CFS) houses maintain maximum occupancy. The anticipated pressure on student housing, especially during the fall term, has been widely discussed and analyzed. It is important that CFS organizations contribute, as have others, to alleviating this problem.
The original draft proposal submitted to CFS leaders for consideration contained a provision that individual students, who belonged to CFS organizations that had not filled its houses by a pre-announced deadline, before the regular housing deadline, would not be granted the same access to the College housing lottery as other students until his/her house had filled its beds to the number stated in the Minimum Standards regulations. Such an approach could be interpreted to be a denial of certain College privileges to individual students based on their affiliation with a particular social group. Student leaders and administrators reviewing the proposals have been considering removing or changing this provision. Their discussions regarding revisions to the original draft proposals are expected to be completed by Jan. 31.
There are four housing "markets" for enrolled Dartmouth students: a 2800 bed housing system owned by the College, approximately 500 off-campus beds owned by local landlords, 100-plus FSP and LSA beds affiliated with private families or academic programs abroad, as well as 486 CFS-controlled beds (155 in College-owned physical plants and 331 in privately-owned plants.) Anticipated fall term 1995 housing pressures will be eased to the degree that each of these "markets" is filled to capacity. Already, the Off-Campus Programs Office has taken measures to ensure that undergraduates take full advantage of fall term study abroad programs, thus relieving some of the pressure on the other three "markets." Obviously, the College continues to fill its 2800 bed system to capacity. There is an equal obligation for CFS houses to maintain full capacity as well.
Students who belong to CFS organizations have a "privileged" status in the housing market because they have access not only to the College's on-campus beds, and the local off-campus beds, but also to the CFS beds. This privilege does not extend to those students who are not members of the CFS system unless a CFS organization agrees to take in "boarders," a practice that is not always preferable to students or permitted by national organizations. The failure of CFS organizations to meet their housing obligation forces non-affiliated students out of other "markets" and requires them to make very difficult educational choices. It is my understanding that CFS leaders are currently designing measures to fill CFS beds for the common good.
During the past few weeks some faculty departments have had discussions regarding the effect that the timing of certain course offerings may have on future fall term enrollments. Difficult choices are under review to help relieve enrollment and housing pressures. The recent Ad Hoc Enrollment Committee's report noted that, among many things, moving CFS rush to the fall may also have contributed to overcrowding. That Committee has requested that administrators and CFS leaders examine any changes that can be made in the fall term rush process in order to lessen the pressures on fall term enrollments and housing. It has also requested that all members of the rising classes, particularly juniors, be asked to consider how they, as individuals, may be able to help lessen the pressures. The College will continue to work with CFS leaders to develop measures that ensure that all CFS housing is fully utilized.
