Students are becoming less likely to remain in College housing, a trend some administrators say is threatening the College's mission as a residential institution.
The number of students living off-campus has risen 57 percent since 1989, partly in response to students' perception of a shortage of beds on-campus. Fifteen percent of Dartmouth students now live in off-campus houses or apartments, up almost six percent since 1989.
"To have 15 percent off-campus is antithetical to the notion of a residential college," Associate Dean of Residential Life Bud Beatty said. Beatty said he wants to see the off-campus population reduced by one-third.
Dartmouth's residential tradition is an important aspect of its personality, he said.
"One of our strengths as a college is that we all live there. It's a community," Associate Director of Admissions Paul Killebrew said. Killebrew said the high percentage of students living on-campus is an important selling-point for high school students considering colleges.
He said students' departure from residence halls is not yet a drastic problem for admissions officers, but "could become problematic if the numbers build."
Although students cite diverse reasons for moving off-campus, dissatisfaction with on-campus conditions is the most popular.
In a 1994 ORL survey, 25 percent of students said fears they would be unable to get satisfactory on-campus housing contributed to their decision to move off-campus. Beatty said many students believe moving into apartments is their only residential option, because the Dartmouth Plan makes housing scarce during peak terms.
Beatty said the College needs to be able to accommodate all students seeking to live in residence halls.
"As an institution, we can't continue to hide behind the D-plan as an explanation," Beatty said. Building a new dormitory could alleviate the annual housing crunch, but would cost an estimated $13.5 million.
Adam Pearson '99 said he moved into an apartment on East Wheelock Street because he was displeased with his experience on campus.
"Basically I am a '99 and I had a crappy housing number," Pearson said. "I ended up living in North Hall [Fall term] and couldn't stand living there another term."
Not all students complained about conditions on campus in the survey.
Twenty-three percent of respondents said they moved off campus to be able to experience living on their own.
Seventeen percent of respondents indicated they wanted to live off-campus so they could be with friends.
Once students move off-campus, they are less likely to return to residence hall life.
Sixty-five percent of the students surveyed said they intend to remain in off-campus housing.
Zach Walz '98, who lives off campus, said he would never go back to living in a residence hall because he finds them too restricting.
Pearson agreed that off-campus life can be better, because students can escape "the stress that builds up in dorms when you pack so many people into a building that size."
But off-campus life has its disadvantages.
Twenty-seven percent of survey respondents cited the distance from campus as an inconvenience, and 24 percent complained about being separated from Dartmouth's computer network.
Kerry McCloskey '97 said although she would never move back on campus, it is difficult to live in an apartment because "the rest of the campus is centered around BlitzMail, and we don't have a modem."
