BUNTING ON HOUSING

To the Editors of the Crimson:

I should like to propose that any student who spends his or her freshman year in a House and does not move to a different House at the end of that year, may have the option of doing so at a later time.

The later move might be made during an academic year with the approval of the Masters of the two Houses involved or it could be made by entering the freshman drawing in the spring of the student's sophomore or junior year.

Please note that this provision does not guarantee that a freshman can remain in his or her original House for the second year. I hope that in most cases this would be possible but can conceive of situations in which it might be important to make room for the next year's freshmen or to correct an existing imbalance of class or sex in a House. In cases where it was deemed necessary to force some rising sophomores to leave a House, they would. I should think, be selected by lot.

There are many reasons for proposing that freshmen do wish to change Houses at least once in their college in Houses be given the suggested option. Most students do wish to change Houses at least once in their college career and probably gain by doing so. The Harvard "separate freshman year" system provides for such a change at the end of that year for obvious reasons and the concept of the Houses as communities within the University means that too many subsequent changes defeat the system. There is, however, no pressing reason for a student who begins college in a House to have to move at the end of freshman year but the implied alternative now is not being able to move at all. Many students who would like to remain in their original House for one or two more years and would contribute to the House by doing so, now feel forced to leave. The proposed rule would provide the flexibility they need.

I shall make this proposal to the CHUL and hope that it may be adopted before March 24, when House applications are due. In order that members of the CHUL may have the benefit of broad general discussion before making a decision. I hope you will publish this letter as soon as possible. Mary I. Bunting   President, Radcliffe College