Rent Asunder

Men who have to leave the College during the school year are not particularly interested in subsidizing those who remain. But the present system of room contracts makes a full year's payment mandatory, come hell, high water, low water, ill health, family troubles, skiing mishaps, severance of connection, dismissal, or expulsion.

During the war, the College made room rents proportional to the length of time a student lived in a room, but went back to the pre-war contract system last year. This system contains the paradox that ex-students have to pay full rent but are not allowed to live in their College rooms for the balance of the year.

The University's reason for this policy is that the budget of the Houses is closely balanced, and the loss of revenue from cancellation of contracts would cause a deficit of force curtailment of maintenance services. A logical answer to this is a slight rent increase, enough to cover the losses from the small percentage of students who leave prematurely. This system, besides being more equitable, would help ease the sorrow of parting.