Watson Says University Will Refund $15 Weekly Room Rent to Floaters

Harvard will refund money to students who were left out in the cold at the beginning of this term because of the shortage of University housing.

Dean Watson announced last week that the Committee on Houses decided that it was "only fair that students put in temporary quarters during the beginning weeks of the semester should receive some sort of compensation."

Comptroller Carl W. Janke said the University will probably make the refund by either cash or check, as soon as paper work is completed. Janke has requested that House secretaries submit to him the names of floaters eligible for the refund.

His office will then probate the amount due each student on the basis of a room charge of $275 per semester; this equals about $15 per week. One House superintendent remarked, "It may not seem like much, but I'm sure it'll be appreciated."

This is the first time Harvard has returned any part of its room charge. Although there has always been some overcrowding during the first few weeks of school, never before have there been enough students inconvenienced to warrant a refund, Watson said.

This year, approximately 150 unexpected students showed up in September. Watson said that many of these students had probably left school in June intending to take a year off. Because of the stepped up draft call, they decided to return to Harvard.