Off-Campus Will Decrease

About the same number of seniors as this year, but fewer juniors, will live off campus in 1968-69.

Dean Watson said last night that about 180 to 185 undergraduates will live outside of the Houses next year. At present, approximately 215 students--including 50 or 60 of this year's juniors--live off-campus.

According to Watson's present plans, a maximum of 20 men per House will live off-campus next year, but he will re-examine this quota before the year ends. Watson said that most Houses would fill their quotas with seniors, leaving few spaces open for juniors.

Fewer undergraduates will move off-campus next year because the College will probably be slightly smaller, Watson said. He attributed the anticipated 30-45 man decrease in College size to:

* Fewer students returning from leaves of absence. Most of those formerly on leaves have already "come back under the umbrella" during the last three years to avoid the draft.

* Sixteen withdrawals--an unusually large number--during the Fall term. Watson could give no reason for the figure.

Beginning next year, the college will probably charge undergraduates living off-campus a fee for their use of House services, Watson said. He felt that next year's fee would cover only a part of the services, with the full charge levied when Mather House opens in Sept. 1969.

A spot check of the Houses yesterday revealed that most were able to allow all senior applicants to live off-campus, but that few Houses had any spaces on the off-campus quota for juniors.

Only Kirkland House--which had 11 seniors applying to move off--was able to allow many juniors to move off. Arthur Smithies, Master of Kirkland House, said he had "no idea at all" why so few seniors applied, but said "I hope it's because it's a nice place to live in here."

Zeph Stewart, Master of Lowell House, was "surprised" that only 18 or 19 seniors--fewer than last year--applied to live off-campus. He attributed the small number to hopes for deconversion in Lowell, currently the most crowded House. Rather than fill the quota with juniors, Stewart said, he would wait to see if seniors discontented with room assignments decided to move off at the last moment.