Non-scholars on the fifth floor of Beaver Hall were given a reprieve last night as the University's Residence Hall Programs and the University Scholars Committee allowed them to remain on the floor.

Residence Hall Programs, the Scholars Program and Housing and Food Services told non-scholars last semester that they would have to leave the floor at the end of Spring Semester.

Under the compromise reached last night, current non-scholar residents of the floor will be permitted to remain for one year, after which the decision will go into effect.

Fifth floor residents met with University officials on two subsequent occasions before last night's decision was reached.

Residents of the floor, currently a mix of scholars and non-scholars, felt that the initial decision would break up their "community" and hoped to reverse it.

"We're willing to accommodate those students who want to return, if we do this on a one-year basis," said Gerald Hauser, director of the Scholars Program.

The University made the original decision to create more space for scholars and create on fifth floor Beaver a 100 percent scholar floor that would function like the interest houses that make up the rest of the building.

"The scholar's floor (will not be) an interest house . . the fifth floor space is a special living option which will work under similar guidelines to (interest houses)," said Hurley.

Officials selected Beaver Hall because the Scholars Program requested more space for students who could not be accommodated in Atherton Hall, currently 80 percent scholar, Hauser said.

"We talked about several locations . . . finally the agreement was made on this particular spot."

Hauser said he was pleased with the compromise.

Residents said they were more concerned with maintaining their community than with preventing the floor from becoming inhabited entirely by scholars.

"It's a victory for the students and for this community . . . it is a compromise, but we did what we wanted." said John Mrass (senior-history).