Final Clubs' Closing Reduces Social Opportunities

To the editors:

The staff of The Crimson recently lauded the move of many final clubs to restrict access to non-members (Opinion, Feb. 10). Although I have rarely entered one of these clubs as a guest, I must disagree with the staff's perceptions on the restrictions.

I understand, and to some extent agree with, the graduate boards' concerns and motivations in enacting these changes. However, the moves do little to alleviate the social problems on campus. Since the clubs have been some of the most active social locations on campus for students in recent times, options to release frustrations on weekends will now be greatly diminished.

In its recent survey on student happiness, The Crimson mentions this role that the clubs play as well as the crackdown on room parties that have been taking place on campus. Shut the doors to non-members, and partying on campus becomes viewed as a privilege of the members of those clubs--the members of the old boy network.

I'm sure that on the outside, most administrators are happy about this change. They have been working to rid the campus of these organizations due to their single-sex membership (Do you see them going after the Pitches or the Kroks though?).

This is an academic institution, but college is a place where students need to grow into fully functioning members of society. The closing of final clubs as social options harms Harvard in its mission to prepare students for the outside world. These new restrictions on final clubs' visitors force Harvard to do whatever they can as soon as possible to improve students' social lives on campus. RUSSELL D. RIVERA '99-'00   Feb. 11, 1999