wsu ifc offers to help avoid further housing overflows

Washington State University faced an unfortunate problem: their freshman class was dramatically over-enrolled in the autumn. So much so, in fact, that many first-years' lodgings for the term were student lounges, nestled on couches amid unopened cardboard boxes parents had delivered to the dorms, assuming their sons and daughters would have at least a room to call their own. The housing crunch has finally subsided in the Spring term, but university officials are pondering how to avoid another infrastructure disaster when even more students arrive in August.

The problem was greatly exacerbated by the policy requiring first-years undergoing rush in the autumn to remain in university dorms throughout. Much of the easing of housing pressures has resulted from students moving into the greek houses they pledged in the fall. At least the university is wise enough to waive the early-termination fee otherwise payable by students leaving the dorms. But the Interfraternity Council, speaking through Recruitment Director Matt Carmody, has offered "to work with university housing on a positive solution rather than requiring men to live in lounges," and suggested greek housing as a palliative measure. University officials, however, seem skeptical. The senior director for administrative services allowed only that he wanted to make "temporary housing a positive experience," evidently foreseeing future freshman crammed onto couches and closets. Meetings continue among the IFC and officials from housing and residential life departments to reach some kind of solution.

The situation calls to mind the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, currently pending in Congress, which recognizes the substantial and essential role that fraternities and sororities play in housing student populations. The Act seeks to help them upgrade the facilities on which univerisities depend to avoid overflows by allowing tax-deductible donations to be spent on housing. Perhaps WSU administrators will now add their voice to the chorus calling for its speedy passage.

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