<p>I understand that Williams historically participated in the 12-College Exchange program (along with Amherst, Bowdoin, Connecticut College, Dartmouth, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Trinity, Vassar, Wellesley, Wesleyan, and Wheaton).</p>
<p>I suspect it had been decades since anyone wanted to do the exchange. Something like Williams/Pomona would at least offer a change of scenery, but to exchange from Williams to another school 100 miles away makes litte sense. The trend is decidedly towards study abroad.</p>
<p>I could see wanting to exchange because of particular courses not offered at Williams, or to work with a particular set of professors.</p>
<p>But Corbett is asking about going the other way: exchanging INTO Williams. Do you guys on campus know of students who are exchanging into Williams? I 'd think it would add a nice bit of perspective to the campus.</p>
<p>Obviously a significant fraction of the Williams student body leaves campus during junior year, to attend the Oxford or Mystic or other off-campus programs. I'm wondering what -- if anything -- is currently done to replace them.</p>
<p>There used to be a significant influx of students in the other direction -- exchange students from other schools would come to spend their junior years at Williams. The "junior year at Williams" option seemed to be particularly popular with students from Smith and Mt. Holyoke (for whatever reason). I think that a part of the Berkshire Quad was specifically set aside as exchange student housing.</p>
<p>Exchange students were a small but noticeable part of the Williams scene; everybody knew a few. I'm wondering if this is still the case. I suspect that it isn't.</p>
<p>It wouldn't suprise me if the exchange system was deemed beneficial at one time, because it boosted the number of female students at Williams. However, there wouldn't be the same need for that today.</p>
<p>Williams' ability to provide housing to all students is contingent upon a substantial number of juniors going abroad. There are generally few beds left over, even after accounting for the study abroad students. </p>
<p>At Williams, I never knew of anyone who took advantage of the 12 college exchange. Indeed, Williams may no longer be affiliated with the consortium.</p>
<p>One of the things that drives Housing Directors crazy is the unpredictability of study abroad numbers in the fall versus spring semesters. The available rooms are based on assumptions of "x" number of students abroad. When random year to year variation results in an imbalance between fall and spring semesters, room shortages can result.</p>
<p>I knew a couple people who took advantage of the 12-college exchange, but that was back in the late '70s. One exchanged to Wellesley and actually ended up transferring there; the other exchanged to Wesleyan and studied African drumming, or something like that.</p>
<p>I can attest to the problems housing seems to have in anticipating needs for students returning from study abroad, and not just the fall/spring variation, although I suppose that may have played a part if one considers the class behind mine. When I and at least two other students returned from having spent our entire junior years away from Williams, we were told upon arrival on campus at the start of our senior year that we would be housed in the infirmary until something opened up. Perhaps they didn't know how many juniors would be away that fall when seniors returned. I can't recall exactly how long were were in the infirmary, but I know we were out of there by flu season.</p>
<p>I thought they put all of the overflow students from abroad and such in Dennett basement. Or just put them with random people, thats what I've heard has happened to one or two people from abroad at least.</p>
<p>ephrhymeswbeef - I'm sure your information is more accurate for how the college handles returning students now. I was just noting that the problem with where to house them has been around for a while and recounting how they handled the overflow back in the dark ages.</p>
<p>I can appreciate the difficulties that Housing Directors face, and I can guess that admitting exchange students might complicate an already complex situation. But I'm just a bit surprised that Williams appears to have quietly terminated an program that once brought in a significant number of exchange students, and which is still supported at Amherst, Wesleyan, Dartmouth, Bowdoin, etc. </p>
<p>My guess would be that the 12-College Exchange was not a two-way street for Williams. I suspect that there were a lot more students from other schools, particularly women's colleges, that wanted to visit Williams than the other way around. I would also speculate that this may have been a fair exchange for Williams back in the days when enrollment was still predominantly male, but that it probably wouldn't make sense today. </p>
<p>I searched the college website and the Williams Record site, but couldn't find any announcement or discussion regarding Williams' apparent disengagement from the 12-College Exchange program.</p>