This report is based on several assumptions drawn from the facts as we have outlined them. We assume no change in current graduate student housing demand. There are those who argue that graduate student enrollment will decline in the immediate future. We cannot predict, but it is also clear that the tasks graduate students do will still need to be done and if the number of post-doctorate appointments increases, those individuals will still need housing. It is important, therefore, that new housing be as flexible as possible and that renovations where possible allow the option of several uses, e.g., graduate housing, undergraduate housing, etc. We assume that MIT will continue to attempt to house 50% of our graduate students.
In this report undergraduate admissions is a dependent variable. The undergraduate class size will be determined by our housing policies or by our need for tuition revenue. If we wish tuition revenue to remain the same we will have to provide housing. The dominoes fall in several directions if we decide to lower class size, cut housing guarantees, etc.
Two important related facts need to be noted: first, despite extended conversation we have never said that MIT as an institution should have an undergraduate community of a given size. Second, we are seeing indications of stress in the system in other areas such as the need for HASS lotteries, enrollments in Biology that are pushing capacity, classroom availability, testing capacities, etc., that indicate we may be approaching an upper enrollment limit unless we are willing to make additional accommodations in terms of teaching faculty, classroom space, etc. A serious cost analysis is called for, a study that asks: "How big should MIT be?" but it is beyond the scope of this Committee.
For the purposes of this study we are also assuming no change in the current Housemaster/Graduate tutor model in our residences. The presence of tutors in simple housing terms means that 71 spaces with room for up to 142 undergraduate beds is occupied; our current system could be changed to include undergraduate tutors, but this implies changes in the Housemaster role and has broad implications beyond the scope of this Committee's charge.