Party Hours Extension Clears Key Committee

House sponsored parties will likely remain open until 2 a.m. beginning next fall if House masters choose to follow the recent recommendation of the Committee on House Life (CHL).

At yesterday’s CHL meeting, four masters, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 and other administrators voted to partially endorse the Undergraduate Council’s push to extend party hours, favoring a 2 a.m. curfew for alcohol-free events sponsored by the Houses.

“Any masters who want to have alcohol-free parties can, as long as security and city licensing problems can be worked out,” said Associate Dean of the College Thomas A. Dingman ’67.

CHL chose to table an endorsement of a 2 a.m. curfew for room parties, opting to wait until the next meeting of all of the House masters—scheduled for May—to discuss the idea.

Administrators have previously expressed concerned that extending the party curfew would require Harvard’s security guards to make difficult changes in their shifts.

They have also emphasized a Cambridge law that mandates a 1 a.m. curfew for all parties charging admission-such as House dining hall parties.

Council members have spent the past months working to resolve these issues and say they are confident that they no longer pose a problem.

Council President Paul A. Gusmorino `02 said yesterday’s meeting marked a strong positive step for proponents of extending party hours.

“We’re really happy about this,” Gusmorino said.

“In some ways, getting a later curfew in dining hall parties is the most important thing, because room parties can sometimes stay open later by simply turning down their music,” he added.

—Staff Writer Alex B. Ginsberg can be reached at ginsberg@fas.harvard.edu