Res Life tinkers with rooming

Division attempts to make up for loss of Barrows beds

The loss of a wing of Barrows doesn't seem to have too many people crying foul. Not, at least, if they are a few of the lucky ones who may get to live off-campus in college-owned houses.

When the Science Center architect did a campus-wide housing assessment a few years ago, he recommended the school build student apartments. Students, faculty and staff felt this was a terrible idea, insisting that housing as it now stands - with off-campus housing a popular choice, is functional for now. Housing issues remain, however, and residential life is still working out where to house students after the loss of 85 beds in Barrows.

On a small scale, the College will offer five to six off-campus houses next fall, housing about four students a piece. Three houses have been added to the college-owned and rented Blue House and Gibson House fleet. Two of these houses are across from Barrows on Woodland Street and one is on Union Street.

"The strategy is really to offer as many options to students as possible," Interim Dean of Students Deb McNish said.

Director of Housing Sandra Hougland said the College is employing a number of strategies to make up for lost beds in Barrows. She said the rising sophomore class is small, and coupled with a smaller-than average enrolling first-year class next year, the housing strain will be minimized.

This year, enrollment opened at 2858 students, but College officials have reported to Hougland that the expected enrollment in the fall is 2800.

"They could go over," Hougland said. "There are always unknowns such as students on leave. Last year the number of students who returned from leave was larger than usual."

Residential Life gained over 40 beds by reducing residential hall employee space. Resident computer coordinators will get singles rather than super-singles next year, as will dorm host coordinators.

Fourteen beds are being gained in Asia House because Shansi is moving off campus, leaving seven apartments for residential life. Two beds each will be gained in South, Burton, Fairchild and East, and graduate teaching assistants will be moved from super singles to singles, generating eight beds.

"The only people I've heard who are not happy were RCCs. Some got super-singles anyway, though, because they are seniors," Hougland said.

"It's a permanent fix until we create more options than we currently have available," McNish said.