Tabak said the original impetus for a change ininter-house transfer policy came from Jewett twoyears ago when the house choice process forfirst-year students was revised. Jewett "thensuggested that was all do something to improve the[transfer] housing process as well", Tabak said.
In addition, Duncan said, "masters thought thatthe existence of an early date for transferdecisions would encourage transferees to detachthemselves from the residential life of the Housethey were leaving."
Reaction to Policy Change
So far, reaction to the policy change and thecap has received a generally positive receptionfrom house masters. "It makes a lot of sense,"said Leverett House Master John E. Dowling '57."The whole system will work better because of it."
Adams House Master Robert J. Kiely struck asimilar note, saying that he thought the measurewas "fine" and that it represented "an attempt atbalancing students' wishes with those of the housemasters wishing to prevent a drain of studentsfrom their houses."
Kiely also said the measure was a sign ofprogress, calling it a movement away from thetrend toward randomization that has characterizedrecent College housing policy