"We are quite intent upon having students learn from one another and making their rooming situation work," Sparagana says. "It's a good lesson about life because we don't all get to choose all of the things that have an impact upon us. People have to learn how to deal."

But despite these efforts, every year some students leave their original rooms. One Pennypacker room started with four students but now has only two. The answering machine list the names of the people who are "currently" living there.

One of the Pennypacker roommates left school and another,Brian S. Anderson'00, was asked by the administration to move to another room.

"It's caused great pain in me to have to move," says Anderson, who now lives in Greenough. "I'm alone. I'm away from my friends."

Anderson says the deans moved him because his religious practices (he is American Indian) involve burning sage. The sage, which is similar to incense, bothered his roommates, who complained to the administration, he says.

Although the rooming form sent to in-coming students last summer asks about smoking, Anderson didn't think the question applied to him.

"I'm not a smoker. I put no on that list," Anderson says. Anderson says he still feels the form is unclear. He says he has spoken to Dean Nathans about changing the form.

Anderson says he is unhappy that he was forced to transfer. Furthermore, he says, he was at first forbidden to burn his sage in his new room, until he threatened to sue for discrimination.

"I thought the university was accepting of different ways of life and religions, and it turned out that I guess they weren't," Anderson says. "I guess I just would have appreciated an understanding because this is something that is important to me."

The rooming form for the class of 2001 has been changed, but it still does not ask about sage burning or other religious practices that could cause conflict.

Since there will be no smoking in any first-year dorms next year, the new housing form does not ask anything about smoking. New problems may accompany the policy, as non-smokers who live with smokers may be bothered even if their roommate doesn't smoke in the room.