Vacation Watch: Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 has been at the center of the long-standing controversy over the housing lottery system. This year, he finally worked out a compromise: a system of non-ordered choice which he hoped would maximize both choice and diversity in the houses. Jewett, however, hasn't been around lately. while first-year students nervously turned in their forms, Jewett was basking in the sun and fun of Singapore. He'll be back just in time, though, for the results.

"It don't think it will to be fun at all. Pretty painful, probably."

--James M. Harmon '93, chair of the Committee Against Randomization, who will be watching the computer print out the results of the non-ordered choice housing lottery on Wednesday.

"Harvard Square often seems unkempt and dirty--garbage, papers."

--Geyser University Professor Henry Rosovsky, whose new book, The University: An Owner's Manual, described Harvard Yard as an "oasis" in the midst of "ever-changing urban squalor."

"If he feels that way, then [Harvard] should donate more money to the city."

--City Councillor William H. Walsh, discussing a resolution he introduced criticizing Rosovsky's book.

The nine all-male final clubs in Harvard Square had reason to celebrate Friday, when the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination ruled that the Fly Club could not be sued for gender discrimination, because of its status as a private club. Members of the Porcellian Club, however, were apparently in no mood to share their good cheer. When a Crimson reporter called for comment, the Porcellian member who answered the phone uttered "no comment" before any questions could be asked. He then promptly hung up the phone.

"If all five [professors] take jobs somewhere else, that means that about 20 courses won't be offered. That's going to be a problem--I don't think anyone's going to step in and do these courses."

Suzanne P. Keen, an English graduate student, commenting on the possible flight of five junior professors from the department.

A Little Spice Is Nice: Orlando Patterson, who is acting chair of the Sociology Department, has taken a bit of heat since a memo he wrote in December was made public this week. The memo criticized sociology graduate students who were "disloyally" teaching courses in the Social Studies Concentration. Specifically, he referred to the "antiquarian exegesis" used in Social Studies, and discussed how Sociology was involved in a battle "to squash the competition." In a subsequent interview, however, Patterson said he had not meant any insult. "Look what has happened to prose," Patterson complained, saying that his words had been misinterpreted. He said the problem with American writers is that their prose is too "bland," and he was just trying to spice it up a little.

"The results are clearly silly. The survey is imperfect."

--Law School Dean Robert C. Clark, commenting on a survey in U.S. News and World Report which concluded that four other law schools--Yale, Chicago, Stanford and Columbia--were better than Harvard.

"If the objective were simply commercial, there clearly are far less costly and labor-intensive ways to use valuable magazine space."

U.S. News, responding to a petition signed by a group of legal professionals criticizing the magazine's study.