Students have mixed reactions to the proposals in the Report to the Community on the Future Housing Needs of Dartmouth College, released last week by the Office of Residential Life.
While some like the prospect of having a new residence hall, others are concerned about prohibiting sophomores from living in Greek houses.
Associate Dean of Residential Life Bud Beatty and Dean of Residential Life Mary Turco prepared the report last term and recommended the College construct a new 125 to 225-bed residence hall.
The report also proposed that both freshmen and sophomores be required to live in on-campus housing, and that the 331 beds that exist in privately-owned coed and fraternity houses should no longer be considered part of the College's on-campus housing accommodations.
Addressing seniors' tendencies to venture off campus, the report recommends the College decompress some of its rooms to improve the standard of living in residence halls.
Building new dorms
Greg Tufaro '97 said he supports the College's plans to build a new residence hall in light of its recent housing crunch.
In the spring of 1994, 400 students were on the waitlist for on-campus housing. Last May, after prohibiting some sophomores from following their first choice D-Plans, 96 students were on the College's waitlist.
Mary Albert '98 said another dorm "would be great." Albert was one of the 400 students ORL placed on the waiting list for housing last spring.
She remained on the waiting list until about mid-July, when the College notified her that there was a room available for her.
"Last year was such a nightmare -- going away from school not knowing where I'd be in the fall," Albert said.
But Joe Millspaugh '96 said he did not think construction of a new residence hall is the answer to the College's housing problems.
"The College should work harder at restricting its numbers," he said. "As it stands now, the College has a shortage of beds in fall and too many the rest of the year. The College should work harder to correct the underlying problem."
Forced on-campus
While some sophomores voiced assent to the recommendations in the report, others said they were happy to live off campus.
Khalid Osbourne-Roberts '98, who lives on campus, said he does not mind the idea of requiring sophomores to live on campus.
"But the College can't do this the way it is now," he said. "If you want to have sophomores live on campus you can't have them like it is now -- in the three worst dorms on campus. In that case a new dorm must be built."
"You need continuity on campus. It would be advantageous to have sophomores more evenly distributed around campus if the College really wants to promote inter-class interaction," he added.
Other sophomores, already feeling forced off campus by the housing crunch last fall, said they did not believe sophomores should be required to live on campus and that they were actually happier living off-campus.
Sophomore Katey Ritrovato said she decided to move into an apartment during the fall with two of her friends because she did not want to deal with "random roommates."
"I knew who I wanted to live with, but I didn't think our housing numbers would place us together," Ritrovato said.
She said at first she was sad to miss out on dorm life, but after spending a term off campus, "I don't plan on moving back on campus. And I do not think sophomores should be required to live on campus."
Housing and the Greek system
Many students felt the plan would be detrimental to the Greek system. Since sophomores would be required to live on-campus, they would not be allowed to live in privately-owned fraternities and coed houses -- which would be considered off-campus accommodations.
Jeremy Stackawitz '97, president of Bones Gate fraternity, said he does not consider this a "proactive statement."
"I think it's there to try to appease the fraternities because they are making it even more difficult for people to live in the house," Stackawitz said.
"This doesn't help pay our bills," he said. "They are taking people away from us. There are a few sophomores in privately-owned houses. It may be a small number to the housing office, but it is a large number of people for the smaller houses."
Michael Armstrong '96, president of the Interfraternity Council, said fraternities that are in the middle and low end in manpower would "feel the crunch."
"Fraternities have their minimum standards requirement of how many brothers need to live in the house, which I think is a good policy," Armstrong said.
Drawing seniors back on campus
While some seniors said they might be inclined to move back on campus if presented with better accommodations, others said residence halls could not compete with off-campus housing.
Travis Haggard '96, who said he moved off campus for a kitchen, cable television and parking space, said he would definitely consider moving on campus if the dorm facilities were better.
"I think, though, that living in a dorm is generally more fun," Haggard said. "But there is not enough space in dorms."
For Michael Strahs '96, moving off campus was an issue of independence.
"I was [an undergraduate advisor] last year so I know what dorms are like," Strahs said. "But I just felt it was time to move on. If dorms facilities were bigger and nicer, though, I'd consider moving back on campus."
But Pam Esposito '96 said she would not consider moving back on campus as the dorms are now.
"The accommodations off campus are nicer," she said. "There's a lot more space off campus, and there is a kitchen and a parking space, which makes living here more convenient."
