The new key privileges extended to qualified women is part of a trend on university campuses throughout the country to liberalize housing regulations, five administrators said.

Vice President of University Relations Marvin D “”Swede”” Johnson, Dean of Women Karen L. Carlson, Assistant Dean of Women Jean W. Smith, and Assistant Deans of Men Jerry Murphy and William T. Foster support the move encouraging women to accept the responsibility of deciding their own hours.

DEAN SMITH SAID the University policy of en loco parents is now non-existent since the responsibility for under-aged women students has been thrust on the parents with the new key privileges and weekend sign-out cards.

With parental permission, all sophomore, junior and senior women at least 21 years old are allowed to check out keys to their living units if they expect to return after closing hours.

Keys must be checked out one half hour before closing time and returned by noon the following day.

REGULAR closing hours will be in effect for those who miss the key checkout deadline or are not awarded the key privilege.

It is a general feeling, according to Dean Smith, that freshmen should not be given the key privilege because they need to adjust to a different pattern of life on the campus and regulation of hours would help them.

“”In most schools only juniors and seniors are given the key privilege,”” said Sue Kopstein, chairman of the AWS Rules Committee, which researched land-grant universities and proposed the measure. 

“”We have taken a huge step in giving the privilege to sophomores,”” Miss Kopstein said. She added that freshman were not given the key privilege because they need a “”stable outline to guide themselves with since they may not know how to pattern themselves the first semester in college.””

Freshmen are allowed, however, to sign out for a weekend with parental consent for the first time this year.

Foster said that it was important for the University to give the student the “”best possible environment to survive on campus”” and that relaxation of hours was a step in the right direction.

Mrs. Sharon Campbell, director of Student Housing for Women, said she anticipated an increase in requests for dormitories because of the new key privileges.

WHEN ASKED whether the taxpayers were concerned about social regulations, Murphy commented that there was a trend in the state that requirements such as freshmen hours are “”beneficial.””

Foster, however, said he didn’t know whether the taxpayers, legislators and the state really care that much about the guidelines. “” I don’t really think there is a pressure on the outside.””

Johnson said the proposal was not passed unanimously by the Board of Regents last July and the board looked on it “” as something they were willing to try, but not quite sure this was what should have been done.””

“”It’s the boldest step we’ve ever taken,”” Johnson added.

THE KEY privilege is the greatest thing that ever happened,”” said Mrs. Marcia Roberts, head resident of Sonora Hall. “”It’s working out beautifully.””

“”The key privilege shows that the state of Arizona is becoming less conservative,”” she added.