Houses To Hold Four-Way Formal

This month, several of Harvard’s Houses are banding together more than before to host bigger formals, thanks in part to a communication problem among House Committees.

A single event will be held for residents of Quincy, Mather, Dunster, and Leverett Houses this year, marking a change from the past, when two tri-house formals were held. In past years, Quincy, Mather, and Dunster hosted one formal, while Leverett, Lowell, and Winthrop joined for a second event.

Mather House Social Chair Edward J. Walneck ’05 cited increased attendance and a “better atmosphere” as benefits of having a four-House formal.

“I think the main reason is just a more the merrier kind of thing,” he said.

Lowell and Winthrop independently decided to host their own in-house formals this year, in lieu of the traditional tri-formal event. But they did not communicate this decision to their traditional co-host.

Lowell and Winthrop’s decision to host individual formals would have forced Leverett to do the same—if it hadn’t found a spot with three river Houses.

According to Quincy House Co-Chair Sean N. Karamchandani ’05, Leverett booked the Harvard Club of Boston for Dec. 10, the date that Quincy, Dunster, and Mather had initially wanted for their formals on the same evening.

The Leverett House Committee later offered to share the venue with the other three Houses, unsolicited.

Leverett House Social Co-Chair Joshua A. Reyes ’06 said that the four-House collaboration was “just a lucky coincidence that worked out almost by chance.”

Lowell is charging $10 for its individual formal, which undercuts the fee for the four-House formal—bringing out what has become a touchy subject for some.

While Dunster, Mather, and Quincy are charging $15 for the four-House formal, Leverett sold the same tickets at only $10 in its dining hall. This price disparity was not known until students started comparing rates for the tickets they bought.

“People were like, ‘Hey, what’s up with Leverett,’” said Karamchandani. “Basically, what happened was Leverett...kind of messed up.”

According to Reyes, the Leverett House Committee decided to subsidize $5 of the ticket costs for those sold at the House itself.

While he says the other three houses did ask Leverett to increase the price “in a friendly manner,” Reyes says that “since we’d already sold [tickets], it was impossible.”