College to Cool Houses Over Vacation, Will Let Students Stay in Own Rooms

Students will be able to stay in their rooms over the winter vacation, although most University buildings will be cooled to less than 60 degrees during the recess.

A library or common room in each House will be kept warmer, and will be open to people who wish to study during the week between Christmas and New Year, when most University facilities will be closed.

Dean Fox said yesterday the College will encourage people not to stay in the dormitories because he said it will be rather uncomfortable at between 55 and 60 degrees, although the rooms will be warm enough to sleep in.

Over 300 students spent some time in the Houses last Christmas.

This year the cooling-down policy will be relatively uniform, in contrast to an attempt last year to save over $100,000 by turning down the heat almost completely in parts of some buildings.

Because the University could not fully control the heat in several of the older Houses, pipes froze and burst, causing over $50,000 worth of damage. Savings on fuel costs were almost completely offset by the costs of the repairs.

When he announced this year's policy last week, Francis A. Lawton, assistant dean of the Faculty for facilities, resources and planning, said he thinks it will save slightly less money, but avoid "all the trouble and inconvenience" caused by last year's complex plan.

Both Lawton and Robert E. Kaufman, associate dean of the Faculty for finances, said last week they cannot predict savings this year because they will depend on the weather.