Freshman Council Asks CHUL To Lift House Transfer Ban

The Freshman Council last night voted unanimously to ask the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life (CHUL) to allow freshmen to transfer out of their assigned Houses before the February 1977 deadline set by CHUL.

The council's recommendation was an endorsement of a plan currently under consideration by a CHUL subcommittee, Lee Bains '77, CHUL representative from Kirkland House and chairman of the subcommittee, said yesterday.

Bains said the plan would result in only a "partial and conditional lift of the transfer freeze." Only people who fall into certain categories would be allowed to transfer before the second semester of next year, he added.

Priority to Quad Freshmen

Highest priority among those allowed to transfer would be given to Quad freshmen assigned to the same Houses they are already living in, Bains said. Only after those students had received transfers would one-to-one switching between students in different Houses be allowed.

Eleanor C. Marshall, assistant dean of the College for housing, said yesterday that the housing office would try to help arrange one-to-one switches if CHUL lifts the transfer freeze.

She added, however, that last year it was not possible to arrange one-to-one switches and "most transfers were into vacant Houses.

"Mechanically, one-to-one switches are very difficult to arrange," because few people want to move into a House that was a lower choice than the one they were assigned to, Marshall said.

CHUL will hold a special meeting on April 28 to consider lifting the transfer freeze. CHUL voted, 19-5, on March 3 to freeze all transfers until the end of first semester next year.

Bains said that he believes the "current transfer system will be modified" despite the lopsidedness of the original vote. "Freshmen are vitally concerned about having the freeze lifted," he said.

John Crocker '77, CHUL representative from Eliot House, said yesterday, "CHUL has already set a firm policy on transfers" and should stand by that position, especially since "a complete freeze has yet to be tried out."

Jonathan Leape '79, a freshman CHUL representative, said yesterday he supports the Freshman Council's position because "freshmen should be allowed the opportunity to arrange switches" and to change a housing assignment that does not please them.