Interrogating the House System

It’s the first day of class after spring break. First-years are still giddy about their housing assignments; sophomores and juniors have started scoping out desirable suites for this spring’s room lottery. House pride at Harvard is real and strong. But what are the limitations of the House system—and what would happen if more students were to move off-campus?

As every Harvard undergraduate was reminded this month, all Houses were not created equal. Physical structures determine many of the differences between houses: Mather guarantees sophomore singles; Adams, Lowell, and Quincy are close to the Yard; Eliot and Winthrop boast back gates onto the River. These are not simply aesthetic matters. Only a few houses include the option of living in the DeWolfe apartments, which boast kitchens and air-conditioning. Even fewer houses are wheelchair accessible.

But much more of the difference between houses is due to house culture—and culture is largely shaped by Masters. In 1929, President Lowell wrote about the importance of House Masters, noting, “The atmosphere, the aspirations, the enjoyment of the Houses, will take their tone from them.” House masters decide what events to host, which speakers to invite, and what tutors to hire. They also decide whether to implement gender-neutral housing. This affects the quality of life of the sophomores, juniors, and seniors in each House—and can reinforce inequalities that fall hardest on students of color, queer students, and working-class students.

Harvard emphasizes how integral the houses are to the undergraduate experience. Indeed, those who see their friends weekly at Stein Clubs and babysit tutors’ kids undoubtedly get a lot out of their House life. But for others, living in a dorm with hundreds of other undergraduates, tutors, and house masters who may not share their interests or values can be unpleasant, stressful, and anxiety-producing.

What would happen if students who dislike their House simply moved out?

Leaving your House is not nearly as easy as it sounds. The difficulty of transferring has frustrated undergraduates for years—as the Crimson explored last week, many students who apply for house transfers are denied. But transferring is not the only way to leave your house: after their first year, undergraduates also have the option of moving off-campus.

Living in an apartment or multi-story home near Harvard Square may seem a daunting prospect for some—and indeed, if you hate cooking and enjoy having clean laundry delivered to your door weekly by HSA, off-campus life is not for you. For me, though, despite my tutor’s repeated discouragement, moving to an apartment near Inman Square has been vital to my senior year wellness and happiness. Off-campus life has not only let me experience the vibrancy of the Cambridge community, it also makes me feel calmer and more centered.

Even those who move off-campus officially belong to a House, so more students living off-campus would not upset the administrative structures that currently depend on the Houses—from the resident deans and tutors to UC representation to intramurals. I’ve encouraged my friends to move off-campus, too—but I’ve begun to wonder whether my decision to live in an apartment is truly scalable.

Living in an apartment walking distance from Harvard Yard is not nearly as expensive as it’s made out to be. If you’re willing to share common spaces and cook your meals instead of going out, it’s very easy to survive on much less than the $14,100 per semester that Harvard’s room and board costs. Nonetheless, financial considerations confine many to the Houses.

Perhaps Harvard’s existing model for alternative housing could be scaled-up. The Dudley Cooperative House, which is owned by Harvard, actually costs about $3000 less per year than traditional housing. The Co-op caters to those who desire a culture of co-habitation, complete with vegetarian dinners and collective decision-making. Harvard could hypothetically buy up more property to create more co-ops and similar living situations. Yet previous expansions of Harvard-held housing options have displaced long-time Cambridge residents from their homes, reduced the amount of mixed-income housing in our city, and driven market rent rates upwards.

Neither would it be ideal for Harvard undergraduates to move en masse to off-campus apartments. Across the river, long-term Allston residents are plagued by transient Boston University students who host loud parties and have little commitment to neighborhood development or community.

The House system is wonderful for many reasons. The fact that all students live in the same housing and eat from the same meal plan, regardless of class background, certainly fosters the image of an inclusive and diverse campus. Yet the Houses are not right for everyone. Undergraduates who are less than pleased with their randomly-assigned House assignment should not silence their discontent in the name of House pride.

Whether it’s implementing a more streamlined and sympathetic transfer system, exploring allocations of financial aid that can make living off-campus affordable, or encouraging unhappy students to move off-campus, tutors and advisers can do a better job than they do today of addressing the problems of house life. It would be a shame if fear of missing out on an “important Harvard experience” led undergraduates to continue living in a place that made them unhappy.

Sandra Y.L. Korn ’14, a Crimson editorial writer, is a joint history of science and studies of women, gender, and sexuality concentrator in Eliot House. Her column appears on alternate Mondays.