The Office of Residential Life and Learning (ORLL) has made significant progress in alleviating the housing shortage and announced that no freshmen were placed in forced triples this year, resulting in a "very easy and happy move in for our new students," according to ORLL Director Yolanda King.
In previous years, up to 50 new students were assigned to forced triples. Although this year's improvement can be partially attributed to a slightly smaller class size, King also said that many rooms slated for upperclassmen were left open, allowing ORLL to reassign them to freshmen.
About one third of seniors opted for on-campus housing this year, a drop from over 70 percent last year. This change, said King, results from a "softening" housing rental market, which has yielded lower rates on more apartments.
One unintended consequence of the elimination of forced triples is that some juniors who wanted to live on campus found themselves rebuffed. Most junior males were given rooms on campus, said King, but about 40 females remained on the waiting list, a situation due to the greater demand by female students. "We did not have enough singles to offer the juniors, and this is their only choice," said King. "For the juniors who really wanted to be on campus, however, we were able to provide housing by the end of July."
Junior Jacqueline Silva is one of the dissatisfied students living off campus because her lottery number did not qualify her for on-campus housing. "Everyone thinks of the glamour of living off-campus, but really you have to deal with landlords and old, dingy houses," she said. "Living on campus is just easier because classes are closer and you don't have to worry about paying bills."
A solution, however, is in the works with the long-awaited Sophia Gordon Hall. Ground was broken for Gordon Hall in the summer of 2003, but the construction process has been stalled by conflict with the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission (SHPC).
The original plans for Gordon Hall involved the destruction of 20 Professor's Row, the home of Tufts' first president. The SHPC was able to review the construction plans and designated 20 Professor's Row "preferably preserved," said SHPC member John Buznick. The city then delayed issuing the building permit to Tufts.
After months of negotiation, the SHPC and Tufts have come to an agreement, said Mitch Bodnarchuk, Director of Construction Management. "The issues we had have been resolved and we're moving forward, but with a different footprint," he said.
Where the original plans called for the Hall to face both Talbot Avenue and Professor's Row, Tufts is now working on plans that have the building facing only Talbot Ave. This avoids the destruction of 20 Professor's Row.
Still, Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said that the agreement on Gordon Hall is not yet final. Tufts and the SHPC expect to settle the issue at a meeting scheduled for two weeks from now.
Even if the agreement is made official, Bodnarchuk said that it will take until next summer to complete the new design. The building, therefore, will not be ready for use until September 2006. The new design will also most likely reduce the amount of beds in Gordon Hall from 150 to 132.
King, however, says she is "excited that the plans to start Gordon Hall are now underway." The building will be used for housing both freshmen and upperclassmen, she said.
