Current college houses draw more students than in past

As the University prepares to launch 12 new college houses this fall, preliminary numbers indicate an increase in applications to the five current college houses. The plan to reorganize University residences into 12 houses with added programming was partly modeled after the existing college houses, such as Stouffer, Van Pelt, Modern Languages and W.E.B. DuBois. After last Friday's deadline for students to submit applications to retain their rooms in the high rises or apply to live in one of the University's other nine residences, most of the current college houses reported increases in the number of applications and retentions. At the same time, the number of applications for high rise retentions may be "slightly" lower this year, according to Ellie Rupsis, associate director of occupancy administration. Education graduate student Deborah James, an administrative fellow at Stouffer College House, said she has already received more than 50 applications from current residents for the building's 131 rooms, as well as several applications from students living outside the residence. "We actually have exceeded our goal," James said. Modern Languages College House -- which will merge next year with Van Pelt College House to form Gregory House -- had received 41 applications as of last night. Administrative Fellow David Miller said the house will "probably have 45 by the end of the week." The program expects to house 82 students. "We've never been that high this early before," the Germanic Languages graduate student said. Miller added that teams of MLCH residents visited "all the language classes" last week to recruit students to the house. And applications rose to the Ware College House in the Quadrangle as well, with 100 students applying for the house's 422 spots. But applications did not increase to all of the houses. Van Pelt College House, which will house 169 students, has "about the same" number of applications for rooms as last year, said Administrative Fellow Kei Sochi. Sochi said she has counted 63 applications thus far. Administrators at DuBois, which will house 204 students, would not release information on their applicant pool. One administrator said the Office of Academic Programs and Residence Life had prohibited them from speaking to The Daily Pennsylvanian. Chris Dennis, director of the office, confirmed that he issued such an order because officials want "a chance to assess all the numbers and compare them to past trends."