Associate Dean of the College Thomas A. Dingman ’67 said last night that overcrowding in the Houses is a major problem which could be alleviated by reducing the number of tutors and scholars in the Houses.

In a meeting with the Undergraduate Council, Dingman said fewer students taking leave or studying abroad and the rising cost of off-campus housing have contributed to overcrowding.

Moving tutors and visiting scholars out of the Houses would free up space for students, he said.

Council President Paul A. Gusmorino ’02 said he thought other solutions could better address the problem.

“The best way to create more space is to build a 13th House,” he said. “I would think very carefully and cautiously before reducing the number of residential tutors or visiting scholars.”

In his question and answer session with the council, Dingman also acknowledged diversity in House leadership is a continuing problem.

Dingman said House tutors have improved the quality of advising and support, he said.

“I think they and the [House] masters are taking their jobs more seriously” as a result of newly instituted job descriptions, Dingman said.

To ensure tutor quality, Dingman suggested the council could implement its own system evaluating their performance.

“We’re missing people of color (among the House masters). That’s a real problem,” Dingman said.

He defended randomized housing assignments, calling the system better than the homogenous House communities that existed before.

Previous housing assignment systems also fragmented blocking groups, he said.

“There is evidence that other colleges—other schools—want to create the model we have,” Dingman said. “I think there are strengths with what we have. I feel proud when people come out here.”

Council members also questioned the dean about apparent cutbacks in shuttle service to the Quad. Dingman said he was unaware of changes in serv ice, but said that if cuts had been made, they could be reversed.

“We could find the resources,” he said.