Washington State University - Chinook Yearbook (Pullman, WA)

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explained that Housing and Food Ser¬ vice essentially overbooks the residence halls, taking into consideration that some students will not cancel their con¬ tracts in advance but will not show up to claim their room reservations when the hall opens. This year, 6,370 residence hall con¬ tracts were issued for 5,905 spaces (in¬ cluding the graduate center). This means that 465 students were over¬ booked. According to Bierbaum, the halls are overbooked because of the attrition or no-show rate. The attrition rate was set at three percent, or 191 students. Above this number, 274 more contracts were issued, thus totalling 465 reservations. Last spring the Presidential Task Force on Residence Hall Occupancy recom¬ mended that the maximum number of students to be overbooked should not exceed 286. This figure does not reflect the three percent attrition rate. If the 286 limit had been surpassed, the task force strongly recommended that the freshman live-in rule be sus¬ pended for freshman who were admit¬ ted after the date when the maximum number was reached. It would then be the responsibility of the individual stu¬ dent to seek housing after being in¬ formed that the residence halls were full. According to Bierbaum, the number of bookings was not that close to the 286 limit — a difference of 29 reservations. He added that by Sept. 21 the no-shows made it possible for all of the overbooked students to be placed in permanent housing. In fact, there are empty spaces in the residence halls. But what if a majority of the 465 stu¬ dents who were overbooked had arrived in Pullman? It would be very unlikely , said Bierbaum. According to Bierbaum, the attrition rate is actually much higher than the blanket three percent. Using the data from previous years is very im¬ portant, he added. In 1978, the attrition rate was 8.7 percent; in 1979, it was 6.7 percent; and this fall it was 7.1 percent, or 452 cancellations. Bierbaum main¬ tains that the housing problem is well under control. Top: The strain of a crowded living situation can ' t he measured by appearance alone. Many factors enter into the problem. Above: The grind continues on for several weeks. 21

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Housing Woes Fact or Fiction? By Deb Davis Oct. 3,1980 — It was only hours until overcrowding in the residence halls was eliminated due to the correct estimate of the no-show rate and the cooperation of the halls ' staff, said Stan Berry, Director of Admissions. Regarding the possibility of curtailing admissions to relieve the housing situa¬ tion, Berry said little chance appears, un¬ less the academic quality suffered be¬ cause of budget problems. Berry said, It is wrong to tell a student they cannot come here due to a housing problem. But according to Registrar C. James Quann, Anytime the enrollment in¬ creases, the quality of education erodes. He added that the university is $45 million short of what administrators think is necessary to maintain the quality of education at WSU. Figures from the Registrar ' s office showe d that as of October 3,198017,428 students have enrolled compared to 16,404 from fall 1979. Quann said that enrollment should level off and drop af¬ ter the next two or three years. He said this is because the number of high school graduates is declining. William Bierbaum, Director of Hous¬ ing and Food Service, agreed that the university ' s enrollment should taper off after the freshman and sophomore bulge is worked out of the system. Bierbaum stated that the residence halls are at less than full capacity. He An In Depth Feature on a Growing Concern

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Bottom Left: Dave Roberts, Joe Buchberger, Ken Haynes and thousands of others attempt to watch a Cougar Football game. But is that what they ' re really doing? Top: Kim Carrothers and Bob Douglas display what it really means to be “crazy in love. ”