Rich House, Poor House

Several candidates in this year's Undergraduate Council presidential race called for diverting some of the council's revenue to House Committees, the College's other student government.

But some Houses might need that money more than others.

Due to laundry revenues and popular House events, a handful of Houses are awash in cash and are even considering lavish purchases like jacuzzi tubs.

Other Houses, however, are less well-endowed and fund a more modest slate of projects.

"We have small little things for Leverett House--a Christmas tree in the dining hall, music nights with beer and musicians. You'd be surprised how fast the money goes on little things like that," says Paul D. Di Capua '02, Leverett House Committee treasurer.

In the Money

The Pforzheimer House Committee, awash in money, recently decided it would stop charging students the $10 fee that had been used to fund House-wide activities in the past.

"It was a bit of a burden on students and on the hall treasurers who have to go around and collect money," says Pforzheimer House Treasurer Juan C. Nieto '01. "And we were under the impression that other Houses were getting rid of House dues."

The Pforzheimer House Committee--with "a lot" of money in the bank, and more coming in from washing machines and soda machines--is currently considering a number of projects that would leave other House Committees salivating.

"The jacuzzi idea was approved by most of the people it needed to be approved by, the House master, and the building maintenance people," Nieto says. "But the guy in charge of it hasn't looked into the health code issues yet. It's basically stalled right now."

Pforzheimer is one of the lucky Houses with a cash-crop--a popular dance or some other stream of revenue that can be counted on year after year to bring in the bucks.

In Pforzheimer's case, it's the revenue from laundry machines. Most Houses outsource the operation of washing machines and dryers to a company called MacGray, whose web site boasts that it "is the leading provider of academic laundry services in the country."

The House Committee then gets a percentage of laundry revenues--in Pforzheimer's case, 50 percent of the revenues.

In addition, masters often fund House Committee purchases that they feel benefit the whole House. In Pforzheimer, one of the co-masters is present at every House Committee meeting, and if they deem a purchase particularly worthwhile, they pay for half the cost.

This year, Eliot House's masters are paying $300 so the House Committee can build an ice-skating rink in the courtyard.

In Dunster House, the masters cover the cost of two sheep and a goat for the annual goat roast, but the House Committee is responsible for everything else--including cutting up the carcasses.

Pinching Pennies

Other House Committees, however, get less from the same sources.

Kirkland Treasurer Christopher W. Cox '02 says his House Committee makes about $5,000 every year--enough for their Holiday dinner and dance, and to fund their House formals (which are money-losers for Houses across the board), but the number is substantially less than some other Houses.

A number of House Committees would not say how much money they took in each year. But many, such as Eliot House Committee, said they brought in more than $10,000.

Some Houses take in considerably less revenue from House laundry machines--even though the machines are serviced by the same company.

Quincy House gets just 8.33 percent of laundry revenues each year, compared to Pforzheimer's 50 percent.

Many of the House Committee treasurers interviewed for this article were not sure exactly how they split laundry profits with the companies that ran the machines. Quincy House Treasurer Christopher P. Thornton '01 says that because House Committee members only hold office for one year, it's very difficult to make sure there is always someone who is on top of the finances.

Thornton knows that Quincy House gets a smaller cut of washing-machine revenue than other Houses, but says he doesn't know why.

"I just get these random checks from MacGray every two to three months, and then we throw a big party," he says.

"It's sort of magical check that appears out of nowhere every couple of weeks," says Jeanne M. Cawse '01, co-chair of the Cabot House Committee.

Di Capua says that where there's a will for funding House activities, there's a way.

Leverett House recently got rid of its House dues, after it became clear that laundry revenues and their popular '80s dances--both of which bring in about $3,000 each semester--could comfortably fund the House Committee by themselves.

"If people put the effort in, they can get the money they need," Di Capua says. "It's just a matter of the House Committee putting in effort to have a good dance. You have to advertise a lot, and have a cool idea, a different idea."

Di Capua says finances sometimes get a little tight at the end of the year, but that he doesn't need any more money from the council.

" All I want from my U.C. is a really good Springfest. If that meant not giving me $500, then go for it," he says. "But we'll always take money if it's offered."