The Housing Office this week began accepting names of Quad sophomores who want to move to River Houses.

In anticipation of the lift of the housing freeze imposed by the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life last April, names of students will be accepted until January 7, Eleanor Marshall, assistant to the deans of the College for Housing, said yesterday.

Marshall said that there is no way of estimating at this time the exact number of vacancies in River Houses, since many students taking leaves of absence have not notified their House secretaries.

A tentative figure of 56 has been selected as the number of individuals and rooming groups choosing to participate, Marshall said.

Suzanne Nelson, Currier House secretary said yesterday that so far no Currier House residents have expressed an interest in moving. Edith Phillips, North House secretary, said that 12 North House students submitted their names to move.

Priority lists for moving are based upon CHUL's recommendations from last April 10, when CHUL decided first priority will be given to sophomores who lived at the Quad as freshmen and were reassigned to Quad Houses which were their tenth, eleventh or twelfth choice.

Sophomores who lived in the Yard last year get preference next with twelfth choice students first. South House is the only House which was assigned 12th choice students. Shirley Brener, South House secretary, yesterday said the exact number of twelfth choice students is "highly confidential."

Within each priority group, students draw lottery numbers to determine the order by which they can move. Rooming groups select one number as do individuals.

Students entering their name in the lottery are asked to submit a list of Houses in which they would accept a room. In the event groups would be split up, groups are being asked to provide possible combinations of individuals if there are three or more in the group.

Earlier this fall, 12 students from South House and six from Currier House were allowed to move to River Houses. In South House this process was determined by a lottery restricted to twelfth choice sophomores.

Satoru Mutase '79 said yesterday many students didn't participate in the lottery last fall because they felt there was a good chance that their rooming groups would be split up and assigned to different Houses.

Said Lot Unto the Mob

The increase in the number of students in South House who wish to move is in part a result of the decision to open the lottery to eleventh and tenth choice students, but also determination by several students to leave the Quad.

Jon Starr '79 said he will stay in South House because "it is a hassle to move." He also felt that the probability of a poor room at a River House is a factor in deciding not to move until next year.

There is a similar lottery being held for the juniors and transfer students included in the freeze.