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Student Leaders Take Sides

WHAT SHOULD HARVARD do about the House assignment system?

Keep it as it is, some student leaders say: Make it totally random, others say. Make it a little of both, still others say.

In interviews last week, House committee chairmen, heads of student activities, and Council representatives expressed a range of opinions on the 12-year-old system.

"It's inexcusable that in a college that claims diversity as its greatest strength people should be denied the possibilty of experiencing it," says Jeffrey M. Rosen '86, Adams House representative to the Undergraduate Council.

Adam J. Augustynski '86, a Lowell House council member who serves on the Residential Committee and co-authored the lottery report, agrees with Rosen. But he adds that he is also in favor of the "modified random" proposal, where students get to select their rooming groups but are to Houses. With the modified system, Augustynski says, "House streotypes will disappea and freshmen will be less anxious about the lottery.

There are too many freshmen coming up to me and How many spots are there in is the chance of a person in" Augustynski adds.

committee chairman Benjamin R. that although that House is

campus, adding that he feels "there has to be a medium like a House to bring people together".

In addition, Bail is concerned that the undergraduate Black community may be "spreading thin. Under a random system there might be 20 Blacks per House at the most, and it's unfortunate the number can't be higher. Over the years, you've seen Leverett. Adams, Quincy, Currier serve as Houses where you'd go to get a sense of the Black community. Under a random system, people coming to Harvard looking for a Black community might not see much of one."

John Klaaren '86, Dunster House committee co-chairman: says he doesn't think that a random lottery will be detrimental to House activities. Dunster has always attracted musician applicants, but much of the strength of the music society stems from the tutors and facilities, Klaaren explains.

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"I think the drama, and music societies will to under a random system because they strong history," Klaaren add.

chairman Adam Gerber random, a lot of people Gerber says he thinks House characters" for the .

Kirkland House against the random to make a uniform make up than disunity. You'd have athlete out he explains "I interact with other people other zations and asses I think is positive, but at the back to people who I

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