The housing crunch has been solved, at least for now. Faced with the complications of housing returning students (from abroad programs and leaves of absence), Pamela Mannebach, associate director of residence life, proposed that the college some students in a St. Olaf-owned home on First Avenue known as the Rose House.

Four of the six men now living in Rose House were already living together Rand before the housing problems became evident. They were given less than a week to move into their new quarters, but the move was completely voluntary. Mannebach contacted a preexisting group so that "students coming back had the option to live with friends or with [dorms that house] their class."

There are almost always a few rooms open on campus, but they may not be ideal for the specific situation. Mannebach cited one example of having to put a senior with a sophomore roommate. "They're in different places and are looking for different things," she said. She stressed the influence that living arrangements can have on a person's college experience, especially after going abroad. "It's important to have a good housing situation to acclimate," she said.

The new house, though near several honor houses, is not part of the honor house program. The students have no project to work on and get no distinction from the college, though they do abide by the same general rules as honor house residents do. With 14 houses, the honor house program will probably not be expanded.

Rose House is one of several houses that St. Olaf owns on First Avenue that have no permanent purpose as of yet. Mannebach says the use of Rose House is "short term­they weren't bought to be student housing." The students will stay through the end of the year, at which point Rose House will most likely become vacant again.

Mannebach anticipates fewer housing problems next year. "It's always a guess­but we're getting closer to gender balance." This means that residence life will be more likely to assign an appropriate combination of floors to each sex. Any additional housing crunches in the near future will probably be solved by connecting students with non-St. Olaf housing in Northfield.