Class Day Ticket Rush Raises Security Worries

By LAUREN R. DORGAN

Crimson Staff Writer

The scramble for tickets to see U2 singer Bono speak at Class Day on June 6 has begun, and the unprecedented demand has caused concern among University officials about the extent of Yard security.

For the first time, Harvard officials plan to cut off Yard access to all non-ticket holders on Class Day. Enforcement of ticketing has been lax in the past, with anybody interested able to attend.

“This is a big celebrity,” said Rebecca Rollins, Associate Director of News and Public Affairs. “There’s going to be limited access to the Yard.”

The new policy has increased the value of tickets for those who do hold them.

Two separate sets of tickets have been put up for sale on the Internet auction site e-Bay—one set currently at the price of $30/each and the other at the price of $41/each. Seniors at Harvard are allotted four free tickets each.

One man, hoping to obtain tickets, took out an ad in The Crimson labeled “BONOfide offer,” which gave the phone number of “a class of ’84 alum looking to make generous offer for 4 ‘Class Day’ tickets.”

The alum, Matthew G. Hegerty ’84 said he received many replies and has purchased a set of tickets.

He said he never expected the tickets to be difficult to obtain.

“I don’t recall any year where there was demand,” Hegerty said.

Hegerty’s tickets will be going to his co-workers who he said were very excited to hear Bono speak at Harvard. But he predicts many other fans won’t be so lucky.

“I imagine there will be a lot of people outside of Johnson Gate on June 6,” Hegerty said.

The increased security efforts outside Johnston Gate won’t influence what goes on inside, according to the Harvard News Office.

“The Class Day process, as far as what the seniors and guests are allowed to do, will be unchanged,” Rollins said. “The concern is going to be limiting access.”

—Staff writer Lauren R. Dorgan can be reached at dorgan@fas.harvard.edu.