Classes mix, but do they mingle?

Some students say they find little interaction despite increased mixing of classes. and Jeremy Reiss Freshmen in the high rises? Seniors in the Quad? Who are these social deviants? One of the goals of the University's new college house system was to provide an environment in which freshmen and upperclassmen could form a single community within each house. Instead of the status quo of having several predominantly freshman dormitories -- with upperclassmen relegated to the high rises -- the intention was to create a more even mix. A recent Daily Pennsylvanian survey of 183 randomly selected students found that a majority of on-campus residents were satisfied with their decision to live in Penn's dormitories. But according to several freshmen in upperclass dormitories and upperclassmen in traditionally freshman residences, the new system hasn't fostered the anticipated amount of interaction between the students of different class levels. For the first time since the early days of the high rises in the 1970s, a significant number of freshmen are living in the 25-story buildings, which are still occupied primarily by upperclassmen. Approximately 150 freshmen are spread almost evenly between the three high rises. Increased numbers of upperclassmen, meanwhile, are now living in the three traditionally freshman residences: the Quadrangle, Hill College House and King's Court/English College House. In each of the high rises, freshmen are grouped together on two or three floors. All of about 10 first-years interviewed said they were content with high-rise life, despite the fact that the buildings are "less social than the Quad," as Engineering and Wharton freshman Tanya Lee put it. And many students said that while they found close friends among their freshman hallmates, they rarely bonded with sophomores, juniors or seniors. "We got to know the other 10 freshmen on this floor really well," said College freshman Jo Gasiewski, 12th-floor resident of Harrison House, formerly High Rise South. "The sophomores don't talk to us," Gasiewski added. "But we don't make an effort to talk to them either." The freshmen, most of whom chose to live in the high rises and expect to reside there again next year, offered various reasons for their housing choice. "It's quieter than the Quad, so if you want to study you can," said Engineering freshman Hiram Mac, who lives on the eighth floor of Harnwell House, formerly High Rise East. And Gasiewski and her roommates said they liked having a kitchen and bathroom. Three blocks away in the Quad, one upperclassman is less than thrilled with her college house experience. Wharton sophomore Jennifer Lok said she and her roommate found their high-rise room too small, so they moved to the Quad's Spruce College House. "We basically got shafted by Penn housing," Lok said. "All my friends live on the same floor in the high rises. I don't know anyone on this hall." While many students say the college house system is not forging cross-class bonds of friendship in the Quad, others say their experience has been positive. And if the trend continues, even more upperclassmen are likely to move to the Quad next year. From June 1997 to October 1998, the number of upperclassmen in the four houses of the Quad roughly doubled from 127 to 260, or from 8 percent to 16 percent of the total. In KC/EH, the number quadrupled from 28 to 113, or from 9 percent to 30 percent of the total. And in Hill, where the number of upperclassmen has risen from 81 to 133, the percentage increased from 18 to 26. While the June numbers represent the occupancy for the 1997-98 school year, they do not account for students who signed up for housing late, during the summer months. Statistics for last October were not available. Engineering sophomore Yoko Kawashima, who retained her freshman room in the Quad's Ware College House, said she "stayed because I liked the atmosphere last year and with the whole college house system, I wanted to help with the whole family atmosphere." However, Kawashima said she has had little opportunity to do that because freshmen in the Quad, like those in the high rises, rarely mix with sophomores, juniors and seniors. Kawashima estimated that although half of the students in Ware are upperclassmen, she and most of her upperclass friends know their freshman neighbors only by sight, not by name.

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