At some point--perhaps a blocking group of one?--individual suffering would clearly outweigh whatever speculative benefits are achieved by forcing students to find new friends. Are blocking groups of 10 or 12 such great obstructions to House community that they must be disbanded, regardless of the resulting inconveniences to individual students? Could eight actually be too many?

What is missing from this policy is a serious discussion of House community and what it means. Does a series of well-attended House events indicate "community"? Does it require that the entire House represent one social circle? Can extracurricular activities provide community, or must it come through the houses? Can a House where students prefer a few close friends to many acquaintances have community? And on what basis does the College pick and choose which visions of community are to be encouraged and which are to be proscribed?

If anything, this move is an admission of failure on the College to provide an attractive House community post-randomization and a belated attempt to remedy the error by decree. If students want to make new friends after freshman year, they can, regardless of blocking group size. Eliminating choice is not the answer.

--Skylar H. Byrd '00,

Stephen E. Sachs '02,

Richard J. Wegener '01