Reactions Vary Over Transfer Freeze

The new policy for fall housing transfers is drawing mixed reviews from freshmen who will be unable to apply to apply for transfer until February 1979.

Last year, students, including rising sophomores, could apply for housing transfers in early October.

The Committee on Housing and Undergraduate Life (CHUL) recommended earlier this year that students should apply for housing transfers in May. CHUL also recommended that rising sophomores should spend at least one semester in their assigned Houses, Barbara Klein '80, a CHUL representative, said yesterday. A similar freeze was enacted in 1976.

Freshmen who are dissatisfied with their housing assignments expressed concern yesterday over the transfer freeze.

"It's quite a pity because I want to get out of South House as fast as I can," John C. Dorgan '81, said yesterday.

Pulling Strings

"I don't appreciate the transfer system. Some people can get out and some can't," Dorgan added. "There's no standardization. It seems a matter of who pulls the strings the hardest."

Jane F. Ranzman '81 said yesterday she thought the policy was too restrictive--"if a person has valid reasons for transferring then he should be allowed to do so."

Klein said yesterday the reason for the freeze is that sophomores have not had a reasonable amount of time by October to assess House life.

Reaction to the freeze is not, however, entirely negative.

A Year at the Quad

"It doesn't make a difference, because I already decided to give South House a try," Don Rung '81 said. "February's probably the earliest I'd try to transfer anyway."

Alexander T. Bok '81, who will live in North House next year, said yesterday, "I was going to give it a try for a full year anyway--one year at the Quad can't be a disaster."

Under the new policy, the housing office should notify students about transfer decisions no later than the beginning of fall semester, although it can "make no promises," Ann B. Spence, associate dean of the College, said yesterday.

Spence said the date change was in response to student complaints about having to move twice--once into the assigned House and then to the new House.

"Under the new system, there's a better chance you can be settled sooner and that way there's increased continuity for the individual and the House," Klein said.