Berkeley: Student Housing Earliest Student Residences At the
time of the founding of the University, the state declared that
there should be no dormitory system, a restriction that was
subsequently removed from the law. In 1874, the Regents approved
the construction of eight cottages (Kepler Cottages) for the use
of students, each cottage to accommodate ten persons. These were
leased to student clubs. Until 1929, there were no University-
operated dormitories, with the exception of College Hall, a
private dormitory experiment for women students that began
operation in August, 1909 under the unofficial sponsorship of
the dean of women. With the increase in University enrollment,
the need for student housing became evident. The first overt
recognition of this need came in the form of a gift from Mrs.
Mary McNear Bowles in 1929 for the construction of Bowles Hall,
a dormitory with accommodations for 204 men students. This gift
was followed in 1930 by one from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. for
International House (530