Transfer Students Urge Housing Policy Change

Four transfer students will send a letter this week to University Hall official protesting the recently instituted College policy of accepting transfer students only as permanent off-campus residents.

The letter written by four student Undergraduate Council representatives of Dudley House, say living off-campus denies students "The full Harvard experience." It demands that Harvard provide on-campus, housing for transfer students or, failing that, asks that Harvard Real Estate set aside a section of Peabody Terrace or the Soldiers Field apartments for transfer students to give them more of a " community feeling."

Harvard last spring removed the names of transfer students from a priority list for on-campus housing, and accepted about 10 more transfer students than before, as part of an attempt to enlarge the College's nonresident community, College official said this week.

As part of the same initiative, the admissions office last spring accepted more freshman while denying them housing. Several of these "forced commuters" also complained about their off-campus status last week in a letter to the Freshman Dean's Office.

The annual report of John B. Fox Jr. '57 dean of the College, scheduled for release this week, also examines Harvard's non-resident policy, College officials said.

Control

"The number of residents that the College can accomodate should not control the size of the College." Fox said last week, adding, "I can understand that the transfer students may be unhappy where residents are such a dominant feature."

The council representatives, who ran on the platform that transfer students should be housed on campus, met last week with Marlyn M. Lewis '70, assistant dean of the Col- lege, to discuss options for improving the situation of transfer students.

They suggested that the University provide extra financial aid to those that must pay extra for off-campus housing, improve security escort service between campus and off-campus rooms, and affiliate transfer students with a residential House other than Dudley House, the center for all commuters.

The representatives said some Houses have spaces which transfer students could move into left by students who go on leave.

But Lowell House Master William H. Bossert '57 said yesterday that although "at any one time" several spaces are open. House residents coming back from leave have priority "You just can't pull transfer students into the system," Bossert said, adding, "Crowding has already affected the quality of life in the Houses."

Any spaces the Houses have are due to ongoing conversion. Thomas A. Dingman '67, assistant dean of housing, said this week.

Social Desert

"Dudley House was never really designed to provide a social atmosphere." Paul D. Palmer '84, one of the transfer students, said yesterday.

Another representative, Miriam Cordozo '84, yesterday called it ironic that "the administration says we are such wonderful people, but they won't let us interact with the rest of the Harvard community.