<p>Relying on the Maroon’s (or any student paper’s) editors as a bellwether for the larger student body is a bit fraught. For this reader, the missing factor that stands between the College and true greatness is the capability to house enough undergraduates on campus. The absence of sufficient dormitory space has plagued the College throughout Chicago’s history. Dean Boyer illustrates the importance of this factor persuasively in a 2008 paper (<a href=“https://college.uchicago.edu/sites/college.uchicago.edu/files/attachments/Boyer_OccasionalPapers_V18.pdf”>https://college.uchicago.edu/sites/college.uchicago.edu/files/attachments/Boyer_OccasionalPapers_V18.pdf</a>). Ironically, James Angell, who left Chicago because he couldn’t obtain permanent appointment as President, was eventually the Yale President who built the key parts of that fine institution’s College house system. More than sports teams or Shake Days, it would seem that bringing the students together is the key missing element. As an overall university, Chicago’s programs and quality scholarship are world-class. That the College isn’t quite held in the same regard probably has a lot to do with the housing situation. </p>