Housing Crunch Overtakes Lounges All Over Campus

Author: Dan Polifka

On account of a high acceptance rate for the incoming class of 2006.5 and shifting housing trends for upperclassmen, there is an anticipated housing shortage for the spring semester of this year. In addition, because so many juniors were late in formulating their plans for the spring, housing assignments for mid-year graduates were not mailed out until Jan. 18.

Residential System Coordinator Mariah McKechnie maintains that "although the Febs will be more spread out than usual, the main impact will be on returning juniors," who will have a difficult time finding acceptable rooms.

The reason traces back to a high yield in the admissions process last year. Although the admissions department accepted the number of Febs in accordance with its projections, more students than anticipated matriculated, resulting in a yield of over 50%. Further exacerbating the problem, only one student changed plans before the year started, as opposed to the usual five.

In all, there are 129 incoming Febs, exceeding the goal of 115. Although the difference seems small, it is very difficult to find beds for 14 additional students in an already tight campus.

This is further complicated by what McKechnie called "changes in housing trends." Many seniors who had been living elsewhere moved to LaForce Hall, creating a ripple effect. Consequently there are currently more sophomores in Gifford and Hepburn Halls, traditionally junior halls. Few sophomores go abroad, so these halls which are usually hot-spots for Febs are not available this year.

Febs will be spread around 14 residence halls, encompassing almost all of the "appropriate" housing for them -- a group that excludes social houses, other houses, and some mostly senior halls like Forest and LaForce.

Many people are concerned that the Febs will not gel as a class as they normally do because they will be so spread out. Yet another issue concerns upperclassmen, particularly in Hepburn, Gifford and Hadley, who are losing their lounges to house Febs.

Michael Stahler '03, an Residential Assistant in Hepburn, adds, "Twenty-nine out of 30 responses from Hadley residents have been overwhelmingly against [converting lounges into rooms]... by doing so we are losing two-thirds of our public space." Stahler has been speaking to the administration about getting some common rooms back.

"There is a lot of uncertainty," McKechnie said of the up to 14 lounges set to be altered. "It will undoubtedly be touch and go until February starts. The goal above all is to have everyone in a bed for opening day," she continued

Dean of Enrollment Planning Mike Schoenfeld acknowledged the problems, but he does see a positive side to the housing crunch. "What is happening is in some ways a result of how popular Middlebury is becoming... We have a record number of applicants this year."

He went on to note, "We will be tight for one more year. This is because the expansion of Atwater Commons will be complete in 2004," adding over 200 new beds.