Pfister says the discourse was more one-sided.
"A large majority was in favor of randomizationor it wouldn't have happened--certainly," Pfistersays.
Yet, according to Dowling, the degree to whichmasters reached a consensus was inconsequential.
"Let's face it. When [the masters] make adecision, it's really advisory to the Dean,"Dowling says.
Mitchell says there may have been a majority ofmasters in favor of the policy, but ultimately thedetermination was made independently--by the Dean.
Though it was then-Dean of the College L. FredJewett '57 who made the decision on randomization,Lewis says he agrees the Dean makes final policychoices.
"We don't operate by either consensus ormajority," Lewis says. "I ultimately make adecision with lots of consultation from themasters."
With the debate to reemerge after a full cycleof random assignment, some masters sayrandomization has not accomplished all it wasexpected to do.
The next step then, masters say, is toreevaluate blocking group size.
Sixteen's A Crowd
Randomization may try to diversify the Housesystem, but often-homogenous blocking groups canprevent the realization of this goal, masters say.
Hanson says the status quo is not perfect.
"[The current system] has not led to thecross-section model," Hanson says, citing thelarge number of athletes who entered WinthropHouse this fall. "We