University of Virginia Library

Women Press For Lawn Rooms

By Holly Smith
and
Kip Klein
Cavalier Daily Staff Writers

The Lawn, with its historic vista,
coveted rooms and tradition as a
residence for "big men on campus," will
feel the effects of co-education if third
year women have their way. Out of the
165 applicants for the Lawn's 47 spaces
three were women.

Women have never specifically been
denied residence on the Lawn; however
this is the first year women students have
applied for Lawn rooms. Two women
graduate students have been living on the
West Range this year.

According to Housing Director Ralph
Main, if women are selected as Lawn
residents they will probably have rooms on the
East Lawn where the women's restroom
facilities will be renovated.

The issue of women on the lawn was first
considered last Nov. 17, when the
Subcommittee for Housing on the Lawn
submitted a report to the University Housing
Committee, an advisory board to President
Shannon.

The report proposed that women
students be allowed to live on the Lawn and
West Range, and that the bath facilities be
renovated in such a manner as to accommodate
the women properly.

The report was approved by the Housing
Committee on Dec. 2, but there was no
publicity of the committee's action.

This could at least partially explain the fact
that only three applications for rooms on the
Lawn were submitted by coeds.

When asked why the report had received so
little publicity, Miss Annette Gibbs, chairman of
the subcommittee, replied that she had not
realized this; but the responsibility of the
Subcommittee for Housing on the Lawn did
not include publicity of the decision.

Miss Gibbs said that the main purpose of the
decision was to prepare bath facilities for
women on the Lawn in two or three years when
a substantial amount of women become degree
applicants.

Photo By Roy Alson

Next Year Women Students May Be Allowed To Occupy Lawn Rooms

According To One Lovely Seen Leaving 48 East, This Is No Break With Tradition

Lawn residents are selected by a student
committee which ranks the applicants, then
forwards the ranking to the Housing Office,
which makes the final decisions. Its choices
usually coincide with the student
recommendations.

In the past the president of Student Council,
the editor of The Cavalier Daily, the chairman
of the Honor Committee, the head resident of
the Lawn and the chairman of the counselors
were among the members of the student
committee.

Third-year degree applicants are chosen to
live on the Lawn on the basis of their academic
achievements and especially their contributions
to the University in terms of service.

Sixty-six students have applied for the 22
spaces on the West Range, an area reserved for
graduate students. The East Range, which
houses medical students, has 70 applicants
competing for its 25 spaces.