"We haven't been randomized for years--not since we became beautiful," says Hanna Hastings.

Secretary of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences John B. Fox Jr. '59, the former dean of the College who chose to renovate and to move off the list-of-12 system, says he made that decision with an eye towards evening out the popularity of the houses.

"The system...had always, in my view, had a weakness because it created such a distinctive pecking order among the houses and I thought that was really unfortunate," Fox says.

"I thought we ought to get to a much more level playing field," he says.

In addition to the change in how students were assigned to houses, Fox's decision meant that North would no longer house first-years. The conversion to a student community that all lived in the house for three years provided stability and greater house spirit, according to Hastings.

Since that time, Woody Hastings credits his tutorial staff and the house governance system for creating a strong sense of community among residents.

That community, however, is lacking some elements it had when it was more random.

One area in which randomization will almost certainly affect the house is in the number of athletes living there, says Hanna Hastings.

"We used to have half the football team and half the hockey team when we were random," Hastings recalls, noting that only a handful of athletes currently live in the house.

But like his wife, Woody Hastings is very optimistic about the future of Pforzheimer.

"[The new masters are] not coming with the students having an attitude about the house," he says.