Will Fly Make Itself Official?

Last week's vote by the Fly Club graduate board to admit women to the formerly all-male club may lead to the club's eventual recognition by the University--if the club's members want it.

College administrators broke Harvard's official ties to the clubs in 1984 to condemn their all-male status. But for final club members, the benefits of being independent of the school may actually outweigh the disadvantages.

Take, for example, the rules about alcohol and the "punch" process, whereby the clubs select new members.

Current rules stipulate that students punched for the clubs must present Harvard identification with a birth date before being served alcohol at punch parties held off club property.

Another rule states that no one may consume alcohol on club property in the presence of potential punchees between registration and the end of the punch season.

These rules are part of the "dry punch" policy, which began in 1990 and grew into a 1991 agreement between the Inter-Club Graduate Council and Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III. The policy was established, according to Epps, because drinking was getting out of hand at punch parties.

But, because the clubs are not officially recognized student organizations, both the rule and the Massachusetts law that forbids underage drinking go virtually unenforced at Harvard's final clubs.

"We would obviously hope that they comply with the law, but since they are independent of the Universe- ty we can only urge them to do that," said Deanof the College L. Fred Jewett '57.

"We do not have an active program of monitoringthe punches," said Dean of Students Archie C. EppsIII. But if the Fly Club or any of the other clubswere recognized by the University, "we would bemore involved," Epps said.

The final clubs are now under the jurisdictionof the Cambridge Police Department.

Epps said if the Fly Club becomes co-ed nextfall, as expected, it will probably be recognizedby the University--that is, if club members seekthis status. The Harvard police would then havejurisdiction over club events and theadministration would be more vigorous aboutenforcing the dry punch rule, he said.

Sophomores punched at several final clubs thisseason said alcohol was available to them atrecent punch events despite the dry punch rule.

One student who attended punch events at thePhoenix Club said small amounts of alcohol wereserved to punchees at a party held in the club'sbuilding.

Spee, Porcellian, Fly and Fox Club puncheessaid they were permitted to consume alcohol atpunch events held off club premises withoutshowing identification.

On the other hand, College recognition mightnot require the clubs to change their punchparties extensively.

The University recognizes the Hasty Pudding, aco-ed social club, yet University drinking rulesare only superficially enforced there, accordingto one sophomore member.

All new members must sign a no-drinkingagreement, minors get their hands stamped andpolice officers are present at all parties. Butanyone who wants a drink simply orders one at thebar--regardless of his or her age, according tothe member.

"I've never seen anyone be denied a drinkthere," she said.

Hasty Pudding president Zara Aga Khan '94 saidthe club has professional bouncers who check theidentification of all who enter the building andthat the club follows the University's alcoholpolicy, which prohibits serving alcohol to minors.

She said members do not mind adhering to theserules because they want the club to be recognizedby, and to remain a part of, the College.

Epps said he would support Universityrecognition of the Fly Club and any other finalclubs that go coed, because he feels that manycurrent club members are only on the "periphery"of college life.

Since they belong to independent final clubs,he said, many members are not involved enough incollege life. Fly Club President Scott Logan '94said his club has no current plans to apply forrecognition.

But Epps said the clubs would reap manybenefits if they were recognized by theUniversity. These include access to alumnirecords, University facilities and the Universityheating system in addition to better integrationinto college life.

Stephen A. Engel, Sandhya R. Rao, Jessica C.Schell and Robin J. Stamm contributed to thereporting of this story.

"We do not have an active program of monitoringthe punches," said Dean of Students Archie C. EppsIII. But if the Fly Club or any of the other clubswere recognized by the University, "we would bemore involved," Epps said.

The final clubs are now under the jurisdictionof the Cambridge Police Department.

Epps said if the Fly Club becomes co-ed nextfall, as expected, it will probably be recognizedby the University--that is, if club members seekthis status. The Harvard police would then havejurisdiction over club events and theadministration would be more vigorous aboutenforcing the dry punch rule, he said.

Sophomores punched at several final clubs thisseason said alcohol was available to them atrecent punch events despite the dry punch rule.

One student who attended punch events at thePhoenix Club said small amounts of alcohol wereserved to punchees at a party held in the club'sbuilding.

Spee, Porcellian, Fly and Fox Club puncheessaid they were permitted to consume alcohol atpunch events held off club premises withoutshowing identification.

On the other hand, College recognition mightnot require the clubs to change their punchparties extensively.

The University recognizes the Hasty Pudding, aco-ed social club, yet University drinking rulesare only superficially enforced there, accordingto one sophomore member.

All new members must sign a no-drinkingagreement, minors get their hands stamped andpolice officers are present at all parties. Butanyone who wants a drink simply orders one at thebar--regardless of his or her age, according tothe member.

"I've never seen anyone be denied a drinkthere," she said.

Hasty Pudding president Zara Aga Khan '94 saidthe club has professional bouncers who check theidentification of all who enter the building andthat the club follows the University's alcoholpolicy, which prohibits serving alcohol to minors.

She said members do not mind adhering to theserules because they want the club to be recognizedby, and to remain a part of, the College.

Epps said he would support Universityrecognition of the Fly Club and any other finalclubs that go coed, because he feels that manycurrent club members are only on the "periphery"of college life.

Since they belong to independent final clubs,he said, many members are not involved enough incollege life. Fly Club President Scott Logan '94said his club has no current plans to apply forrecognition.

But Epps said the clubs would reap manybenefits if they were recognized by theUniversity. These include access to alumnirecords, University facilities and the Universityheating system in addition to better integrationinto college life.

Stephen A. Engel, Sandhya R. Rao, Jessica C.Schell and Robin J. Stamm contributed to thereporting of this story.