Rodin College House recently announced that, for the next two years, it will no longer admit freshman.
There are several sound reasons behind the decision. The communal culture in the high rises - something most consider essential for a successful freshman year - is not nearly at the level of the Quadrangle, Hill or King's Court-English. And of the three high rises, Rodin has the smallest freshman population.
This temporary halt in admittance, then, should mean that freshmen who wish to live in a high rise can be consolidated into the remaining two and thus improve the freshman-year experience for all. And for upperclassmen, an increasing number of which have been applying to the high rises, fewer freshmen in the high rises means a better chance at the coveted suite-style dorms.
But Rodin does foster a few communities popular among some freshmen. Freshmen face many new challenges and should not be restricted from living with the communities they feel most comfortable with or with whom they share a similar lifestyle.
For example, the Orthodox Jewish community has a strong presence in Rodin. Freshman Orthodox Jews, who must quickly adapt to living an Orthodox lifestyle outside of their home, should be allowed to live in Rodin within an Orthodox community if they wish to do so.
The Orthodox community is just one such community in Rodin. While students maybe should not be admitted unless they wish to join a specific community, freshmen who wish to live in a Rodin-based living community should still be free to do so.
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