The 75-25 ratio for freshmen and upperclassmen living in residence halls next year is causing many students to voice their disapproval.

The Department of Residence has proposed a plan reserving 75 percent of each house in Richardson Court Association and Union Drive Association for first-year students. A petition, which started in Linden Hall, is being circulated throughout the residence halls, stating student opposition to the proposed 75-25 ratio.

The residence department has also received letters expressing student disapproval for the policy. Students sent copies of the letters to Gov. Tom Vilsack; Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa; Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; Director of Residence Randy Alexander and several state legislators.

Danny Dickinson, senior in biochemistry, said he believes the policy is biased against upperclassmen. Dickinson, a Linden resident, said he thinks freshmen should still have the right to live in the residence hall of their choice. However, he said he believes the residence department is pushing upperclassmen out.

Clinton Middaugh, president of Birch-Welch-Roberts, said he is against the policy. He said he believes the most important thing a freshman can learn is how to interact with others.

He said contrary to what Alexander has said, the policy may affect freshmen academic success. Even though the ratio still allows for some interaction between freshmen and upperclassmen, Middaugh said he believes there will be a lot of problems.

An example may be resident assistants having problems with freshmen because the guidance of upperclassmen will be limited, Middaugh said.

The letters have been written to get student voices heard and possibly get the policy changed. Old RCA has a good sense of community, Middaugh said. He said he believes the community atmosphere will be broken up if upperclassmen are forced to leave.

“Obviously Old RCA does not have the best buildings available; they are literally falling apart,” Middaugh said. Despite that, students choose to live there and are not forced, he said.

Middaugh also said according to his hall director, Jason Faughn, Roberts Hall is housing 51 percent non-first year students.

Residence department officials told the Inter-Residence Hall Association that it is too late for students to be complaining about the policy, said Keith Twombley, IRHA president.

“The best education I’ve received here at Iowa State is at risk of being lost because of some policy that has no basis on what the students want,” wrote Betsy Thompson, president of Barker House in Lyon Hall, in one of the letters sent out.

Virginia Arthur, associate director of residence, said the student letters are telling the residence department some of what they already knew. The letters will not make the residence department stop moving in the direction it is, but it is willing to accommodate student concerns, she said. Arthur said Iowa State is anticipating a smaller freshman class than in recent years.

The ratios have been approximations from the residence department, but “in all likelihood, the ratios will change to student benefit,” Arthur said.

The residence department is still committed to the idea of having a large group of first-year students with a small group of older students, she said.

“Based on historical return rates, most students will be able to return to their house,” said Kate Bruns, communication specialist for the residence department. The 75 percent will be the maximum reserved for first-year students, Bruns said. In reality, more than 25 percent of upperclassmen will be able to return, she said.