Housing Report Considers Abolishing Dudley House

A report released this week by Dean of the College John B. Fox JR '59 lists the abolition of Dudley House as one possible way to solve the "social isolation" of some non-resident students.

The report, issued Thursday in the wake of complaints by some undergraduates who live off campus, offers several solutions to the "isolation" problem allegedly suffered by some transfer, and first-year students attributed with Dudley House.

In addition to the absolution of Dudley with non-residents subsequently distributed among all the other Houses the report also suggests "a system to encourage or require" more students to live off-campus.

Such a system would make more space available on-campus for underclassmen, especially freshmen and transfer students, the report says.

Dudley House currently serves undergraduates preferring to live in apartments off-campus rather than the House system, but also includes transfer students denied housing by Harvard and a small number of local residents living with their families.

For stressed in the report that Dudley House efficiently provides [administrative] services. The area that must needs improvement is the non residents social interaction with the Harvard community, he wrote.

The current proposals are only for discussion said Thomas Dingman, assistant dean of the House system, adding people in Dudley House will be asked for suggestions too.

A subcommittee of the Faculty Council will study the report and make a decision after considering suggestions from faculty and students Fox said. No date for that meeting has yet been set, he added.

One option mentioned in the study would offer non residents the choice of a minimal administrative attribution with Dudley of a full administrative and should adulation with a residential House.

Students choosing the first option would be assigned special senior tutor for Dudley House, who would reverse their academic progress and career plans. Those choosing the second option would enter a lottery to determine their residential House affiliation, and be assigned to the senior tutor of that House.

For also proposed another solution along the same lines which would transform Dudley into a purely administrative unit for off campus students who could then affiliate themselves with a residential House to take advantage of the advantage of the social life.

Other alternatives stressed the importance of staying with the existing system but in proving the social unity of Dudley House in other ways such as a possible affiliation with Claverly Hall.