Scott BresslerIt is considered Washington University tradition for students to migrate from the South 40 to the North Side at the beginning of their junior year. But as upperclassmen settle into their North Side suites and apartments, many of their classmates still remain on the south side of campus.
When juniors received their South 40 housing assignments last semester, many were not pleased. Junior Leah Bressler was among the unhappy juniors assigned to live in Eliot House.
“[My suitemates and I] did have pretty awful lottery numbers,” said Bressler. “But we didn’t think we would have any trouble getting at least the Village House or Lopata, especially since all four of us are going abroad in the spring.”
Junior Rebecca Stainman is also among the group of unlucky juniors who were assigned to live in Eliot.
“You would think it wouldn’t be hard for an upperclassman to get their first or second choice for housing,” said Stainman.
Junior Marguerite Burkham and her suitemates were equally surprised with their Eliot housing assignment.
“We all recognized that there was a housing crisis last year,” said Burkham. “But we also expected to be housed with other juniors this year.”
Burkham transferred from Colgate University to Washington University last year. She believes that transfer students faced disadvantages in the housing lottery.
“Transfer students were at the bottom of the heap,” said Burkham. “Our housing preferences were completely disregarded. It seems as though the University has assigned a ‘lesser-student’ status to transfers.”
Burkham said that she expects that living in Eliot House will influence her overall social experience at the University. As a transfer student, Burkham does not feel connected with the junior class.
“My housing assignment has prevented me from becoming fully integrated into my class,” said Burkham. “As a junior living on the South 40, I feel very little sense of class association.”
Bressler also feels separated from her upperclassmen friends.
“It definitely is more difficult to see people since the vast majority of my friends either live on the north side or off campus,” said Bressler. “No one ever wants to come visit us because of the long walk, not to mention that our lack of common room prevents us from hosting parties or other gatherings.”
Dean of Students Justin Carroll denies that upperclassmen are out of place in Eliot.
“Eliot was designed to accommodate all classes of students,” said Carroll. “Since its first year, it swings back and forth [between] freshmen versus upperclassmen depending on what the need is at the time. Most students seem very happy with their housing this year.”
Burkham disagreed with Carroll. She said that there is a discrepancy between the experiences of upperclassmen and of underclassmen in the dorm.
“As juniors, we are over the silly getting to know you, wild and crazy phase,” said Burkham. “The students in my building are just getting the hang of things.”
Sophomore Andrew Hiltzik, a resident of Eliot House, said that Eliot has an antisocial atmosphere. However, he did not credit this to the juniors’ presence.
“I haven’t really noticed upperclassmen in the dorm,” said Hiltzik. “I haven’t met a lot of people in my building because Eliot is not very social.”