Wolcowitz said House administrators and students would be consulted before any changes in the residential system would be recommended.

Mather House Master Sandra Naddaff said the Council of Masters has not discussed the possibility of affiliating first-years with the Houses.

Nonetheless, she speculated about the ramifications of a change in policy.

“On the one hand, I welcome the idea of bringing the freshmen into the Houses and integrating them into all aspects of House life,” she said. “Needless to say, however, resources on all fronts are limited, and we would need to have careful discussion of how to continue to serve our upperclass population well.”

Currier House Master Joseph L. Badaracco said he thought concerns about spreading human resources thin could be overcome.

“I suppose the resources could be extended in the Houses,” he said. “If some of the present resources elsewhere were diverted to the Houses, there wouldn’t need to be a problem.”

Adams House Master Sean Palfrey said he saw little reason to stray from the present House system, even though first-years might benefit from increased contact with upperclass students.

“We all think that the current House system is really very good, and I think the freshman deans and proctors like the way the freshman year goes pretty well,” Palfrey said.

Badaracco said student feedback would likely influence his and other Masters’ opinions about the possible change.

“If they thought it was a good idea and had good reasons for it, the idea could catch on,” he said.

Undergraduate Council President Matthew W. Mahan ’05 said he was skeptical about the proposition because it limited student choice in forming blocking groups.

“It would be sad if we were forced to live with people in our dorm and we weren’t given a choice,” Mahan said. “My position right now is that we need to have the discussion, but I am pretty apprehensive about moving to Yale’s housing system.”

But he said he would support a measure to alleviate the stress of choosing blockmates.

—Staff writer William C. Marra can be reached at wmarra@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Alan J. Tabak can be reached at tabak@fas.harvard.edu.