Questions on Anchor Housing

Anchors Away¹

April 5, 2005

Abstract:

The recent College Council elections featured a question on the anchor housing plan proposed by the Committee on Undergraduate Life (CUL). Fewer than 20% of the polled students were in favor. More than 3 times as many were opposed. Why? Why are students at Williams overwhelmingly against a policy change whose purpose is to improve their lives? We believe that the opposition arises from misgivings about the process. CUL, despite the best of intentions, has failed to provide a thorough summary of the important issues surrounding anchor housing. In particular, it failed to provide any discussion of housing policy at peer institutions, ignored the special role of the Berkshire Quad at Williams, and declined to provide any metrics by which to measure the success or failure of anchor housing five years from now.

We respectfully ask the Trustees, acting on behalf of the entire Williams community, to seek answers to these questions. Please request that President Schapiro and Dean Roseman task CUL with spending another few months on anchor housing. We do not seek to prejudge what CUL will find, but we are certain that Williams will be better off if a search is done. Anchor housing is too important a change to rush into. There are many reasons why students are overwhelmingly against it. CUL has no hope of convincing them unless and until it provides a thorough discussion of their concerns. Moreover, anchor housing itself, should it be implemented, is much more likely to be successful if the students are behind it. Help us to allay their concerns. Students deserve to have their questions answered.