Official Notes Faults In Room Rent System

A single-rent system would help eliminate "social segregation" and a "terrible administrative snarl in the Houses," a high official in the Administration said yesterday. But such a plan, he added, would have to overcome "the wide spectrum of room desirability," a built-in feature of our housing."

Under the present system of 27 different rents, the Masters are operating "as hotel managers," trying to assign students with a given ability-to-pay into a "fantastically complicated" rent distribution pattern, the source explained. In addition, the resulting rent adjustment system forces the Masters to operate what is, in effect, "an extensive scholarship program," he maintained.

Another arguement against the present system concerns room assignments in the Yard, according to the administration official. The Freshman Dean has "a very difficult job" trying to preserve a "social balance" in each Yard dormitory, when the buildings vary so widely in their physical attractiveness.

Quincy House has often been cited as a challenge to the present rent system. Unless the identical suites in Quincy, the new House, are "artificially differentiated," said Dean Watson Tuesday, establishing a rent scale on the present model would be impossible.

But Rooms Vary in Quality

On the other hand, although a single-rent plan would have "many advantages," the official pointed to arguments against it. First, there is the range in room desirability. Whereas the proposed rent system would help eliminate "social segregation," it might bring forth "complaints of unfairness." If everybody pays the same price, they may feel a right to the same quality of rooms.

Secondly, some students who need financial aid, but do not hold scholarships, very often apply for inexpensive rooms in their Houses. In this way, they save perhaps $100 a term. Under a single-rent plan, this type of saving would be impossible.

Another reason given for keeping the present rent system is the ability and willingness of some students to pay high prices for their rooms. This considerable extra revenue would presumably be lost if the single-rent proposal were adopted.