For Final Clubs, Guests, Life Goes on Behind Closed Doors

It has been only a little over a month since the first of four all-male final clubs took steps to exclude non-members, but it seems that life inside those newly closed doors has already changed greatly.

Club members say the policy changes have refocused their clubs towards socializing between members, as opposed to open parties.

And undergraduate women say that, while even "closed" clubs are surprisingly open on some occasions, they have seen some difference since the guest policies were implemented.

The A.D. and the Owl clubs have both spent one month under a ban on non-members at most events. The Phoenix S.K. club will follow suit April I and the Delphic club has also taken steps to limit guests at its parties.

Not Quite Closed

But even the A.D. and the Owl, which now have strict "no guests" policies on paper, still have loopholes in these rules allowing "official" events.

"Official" essentially designates parties with a bonded bartender, a category that may include several mixed parties and date events per year.

For example, the Owl club-which decided on a "members-only" policy the week of Feb. 17-still hosted a "Catholic schoolgirl" -themed party last Saturday night, which was open to women.

According to women who attended this party, Owl members handed out invitations to the party, but then, according to one first-year, those receiving invitations were also encouraged to bring their friends. Lisa K. Sammartino'00 says she attended this "invitation-only" party at the Owl. She says the ratio of men to women was fairly even.

Although members stationed at the door of the Owl were supposed to be checking invitations, Sammartino says no one checked her invitation. Other women without invitation also say they were admitted.

"They pretty much let in anyone Who was wearing a [Catholic schoolgirl]outfit," Sammartino says. "I guess they figured ifpeople were wearing an outfit, they'd beeninvited."

Sammartino also says she went to a party at theA.D. a few weeks ago. But aside from that partyand the one at the Owl last Saturday, she says shehas been barred from entering these two clubs on amore regular basis--a practice that she had beenaccustomed to before this year.

"They're allowed to have a couple of events [towhich non-members are invited] each year, but Ihaven't been allowed in during the week," shesays.

"It's kind of a bummer, because a lot of [clubmembers] are my close guy friends," Sammartinoadds. "They definitely miss having us there."

Sammartino says what she misses most is thecompanionship of those male friends, whom she saysshe has seen less and less of since the clubs'changes went into effect.

"Before, they'd call us and we'd come over tohang out and play pool on weekdays--it wasn'tnecessarily all about what everyone thinks finalclubs are like," she says.

Elizabeth L. Sarles '01, who went to the Owlparty Saturday night, says since the policychange, she has not been able to spend as muchtime at the Owl as she could before.

"I like the Owl. I like hanging out there. AndI don't like that I can only do it a few times ayear," she says. "I'll take what opportunities Ican get."

Back to Basics

According to many A.D. and Owl members, thepolicy changes, although disappointing to some,were inevitable and much needed.

In recent years, they say, the clubs hadincreasingly become places for late nightsocializing on campus, and some members say, hadeven grown to resemble fraternities at otherschools.

"I think the transition has been pretty smooth.It's a little calmer now, not that they wereAnimal House before that," says A.D. member KeithL. Cynar '00. "There were random people showing upon certain nights. There had been lines outsideand unwanted visitors."

The liabilities involved in such openparties-which could affect both the clubs andtheir undergraduate and graduate membersfinancially and criminally should something gowrong--were a large factor in the three clubs'decisions to close.

Inter-Club Council President Rev. Douglas W.Sears '69 characterizes the policy changes barringvisitors as a recovery of the founding ideals offinal clubs.

"It's a return to the original purpose. Theyexist for friendships," he says. "A club is aplace for friends to gather more quietly."

But this return to a more traditional role forthe clubs has been met with some opposition fromcurrent undergraduates. When the A.D. led the waywith its decision to close doors to non-membersJan. 20, the initial reaction was negative, Cynarsaid.

"There was anger and discontentment the nightof and a few days after [Jan. 20]," he says. "Butpeople stepped back and realized it's not that biga deal."

Still, Cynar admits, "I don't know if they'rehappy. It's a change of pace."

Owl members say they have dealt with similarproblems since the club first adopted the changeon a temporary basis in late January. Members hadhoped they would be able to reach a compromisewith the graduate board, but were unable todevelop anything feasible, Powers says.

"I would like to see it back to having someform of guests, be it on a limited basis," saysOwl member Ryan G. Schaffer '00. "It changes whatthe club is for people and its role in [campus]social life."

Powers says some members may dislike thecurrent policies, but the Owl's change hasrefocused energy into friendships among clubmembers and may result in closer ties between thegraduates and undergraduates.

"It's nice to get back to the basics. It'sgotten back to the Thursday night dinners," Powerssays. "I don't think it'll be that bad."

"In some ways it's worse, but members havefound camaraderie," he adds.

A.D. president John H. "Jake" Heller '99 sayschanging policy has ensured the club will maintainits essence.

"There is something very special about the A.D.club and we were losing that," he says. "Whatreplaces that is the more valuable experience attwo in the afternoon than at two in the morning.

A.D. member Kenneth H. Ahn '00 says his clubwas concerned the new members punched lastsemester would no longer want to stay in the clubbecause of its altered state. A few members evendebated whether they would stay, Ahn says.

"I would assume that it could have been adifficult decision for them to make," Ahn adds."Most of what non-members see is the social lifedown-stairs."

But in the end, everyone decided to maintainhis membership.

Heller says students join a club to be with theother members and the policy change has notaffected intra-club morale.

"Everyone seems to be happy with theirdecision," he says. "We weren't going to loseanyone that cared about the A.D."

As for the other clubs that have made changesand ones that may do so in the future, Heller sayshe supports all of their decisions.

"There are going to be some members bummedabout it. But they're going to realize a differentkind of value [to club life]," he says.CrimsonSamantha A. GoldsteinCLUBBY:The Delphic Club, whichdecided last month to restrict non-members'access, is one of four clubs to change policy inthe last two months.

Sammartino also says she went to a party at theA.D. a few weeks ago. But aside from that partyand the one at the Owl last Saturday, she says shehas been barred from entering these two clubs on amore regular basis--a practice that she had beenaccustomed to before this year.

"They're allowed to have a couple of events [towhich non-members are invited] each year, but Ihaven't been allowed in during the week," shesays.

"It's kind of a bummer, because a lot of [clubmembers] are my close guy friends," Sammartinoadds. "They definitely miss having us there."

Sammartino says what she misses most is thecompanionship of those male friends, whom she saysshe has seen less and less of since the clubs'changes went into effect.

"Before, they'd call us and we'd come over tohang out and play pool on weekdays--it wasn'tnecessarily all about what everyone thinks finalclubs are like," she says.

Elizabeth L. Sarles '01, who went to the Owlparty Saturday night, says since the policychange, she has not been able to spend as muchtime at the Owl as she could before.

"I like the Owl. I like hanging out there. AndI don't like that I can only do it a few times ayear," she says. "I'll take what opportunities Ican get."

Back to Basics

According to many A.D. and Owl members, thepolicy changes, although disappointing to some,were inevitable and much needed.

In recent years, they say, the clubs hadincreasingly become places for late nightsocializing on campus, and some members say, hadeven grown to resemble fraternities at otherschools.

"I think the transition has been pretty smooth.It's a little calmer now, not that they wereAnimal House before that," says A.D. member KeithL. Cynar '00. "There were random people showing upon certain nights. There had been lines outsideand unwanted visitors."

The liabilities involved in such openparties-which could affect both the clubs andtheir undergraduate and graduate membersfinancially and criminally should something gowrong--were a large factor in the three clubs'decisions to close.

Inter-Club Council President Rev. Douglas W.Sears '69 characterizes the policy changes barringvisitors as a recovery of the founding ideals offinal clubs.

"It's a return to the original purpose. Theyexist for friendships," he says. "A club is aplace for friends to gather more quietly."

But this return to a more traditional role forthe clubs has been met with some opposition fromcurrent undergraduates. When the A.D. led the waywith its decision to close doors to non-membersJan. 20, the initial reaction was negative, Cynarsaid.

"There was anger and discontentment the nightof and a few days after [Jan. 20]," he says. "Butpeople stepped back and realized it's not that biga deal."

Still, Cynar admits, "I don't know if they'rehappy. It's a change of pace."

Owl members say they have dealt with similarproblems since the club first adopted the changeon a temporary basis in late January. Members hadhoped they would be able to reach a compromisewith the graduate board, but were unable todevelop anything feasible, Powers says.

"I would like to see it back to having someform of guests, be it on a limited basis," saysOwl member Ryan G. Schaffer '00. "It changes whatthe club is for people and its role in [campus]social life."

Powers says some members may dislike thecurrent policies, but the Owl's change hasrefocused energy into friendships among clubmembers and may result in closer ties between thegraduates and undergraduates.

"It's nice to get back to the basics. It'sgotten back to the Thursday night dinners," Powerssays. "I don't think it'll be that bad."

"In some ways it's worse, but members havefound camaraderie," he adds.

A.D. president John H. "Jake" Heller '99 sayschanging policy has ensured the club will maintainits essence.

"There is something very special about the A.D.club and we were losing that," he says. "Whatreplaces that is the more valuable experience attwo in the afternoon than at two in the morning.

A.D. member Kenneth H. Ahn '00 says his clubwas concerned the new members punched lastsemester would no longer want to stay in the clubbecause of its altered state. A few members evendebated whether they would stay, Ahn says.

"I would assume that it could have been adifficult decision for them to make," Ahn adds."Most of what non-members see is the social lifedown-stairs."

But in the end, everyone decided to maintainhis membership.

Heller says students join a club to be with theother members and the policy change has notaffected intra-club morale.

"Everyone seems to be happy with theirdecision," he says. "We weren't going to loseanyone that cared about the A.D."

As for the other clubs that have made changesand ones that may do so in the future, Heller sayshe supports all of their decisions.

"There are going to be some members bummedabout it. But they're going to realize a differentkind of value [to club life]," he says.CrimsonSamantha A. GoldsteinCLUBBY:The Delphic Club, whichdecided last month to restrict non-members'access, is one of four clubs to change policy inthe last two months.