Committee Defers Decision on Website

The Committee on College Life (CCL) deferred a decision yesterday on whether to grant official recognition to the group that runs the popular website hahvahdparties.com, citing concerns with certain references on the website.

At their next meeting in early March, the CCL will invite representatives of the Harvard College Party Organization to discuss their website, according to Assistant Dean of the College Paul J. McLoughlin II.

Some CCL members had reservations about the site’s instructions on how to play beirut, tap a keg, and unhook a bra. But Undergraduate Council Student Affairs Committee Chair Aaron D. Chadbourne ’05, a member of the CCL, said he expects the group to be recognized at the next meeting.

“It makes sense for the College to make every decision carefully,” Chadbourne said after the meeting. “But once the administration sees a more complete view of this club, I don’t think they will have a problem with it.”

The site was originally launched in the fall of 2003 by a group of undergraduates including Zachary A Corker ’04, who now serves as special assistant to the dean for social programming and attends CCL meetings.

Although the Student Organization Handbook states that recognition of any organization should not be considered an endorsement by the College, McLoughlin said that this is often misinterpreted, citing the media frenzy last year after Harvard voted to officially recognize H Bomb, a student sex magazine.

“We would never propose to censor a particular organization, but it’s worth discussing the media’s interpretation of our recognition of student groups such as this one,” McLoughlin said after yesterday’s meeting.

Chadbourne said that many student organizations print material that could be considered inappropriate.

“I think it’s important to be consistent. We shouldn’t make requirements stricter simply because of the nature of the club,” Chadbourne said.

The CCL has begun to consider alternative methods for registering student groups to establish a clearer distinction between recognition and approval.

“Right now, we are completely in exploratory mode. We don’t want to…limit opportunities for groups to be recognized,” said Associate Dean of the College Judith H. Kidd. “We are just starting to flesh out several ideas.”

In addition, the CCL is re-evaluating its policy of denying recognition to single-sex organizations, Kidd said in an interview last week.

McLoughlin said that he met with leaders of several women’s groups last week and male final club and fraternity presidents yesterday to discuss the role that these organizations play in campus life.

Student organizations granted official recognition by the CCL receive many benefits, including permission to use college facilities, publicize on campus, use the Harvard name in relation to their organization, and receive storage space.

In January 2004, the University provost’s office ordered the party website, originally called harvardparties.com, to remove “Harvard” from its name because it was not an official student organization. The site’s creators altered the spelling of the name in order to meet the administration’s requirements.

At yesterday’s meeting, the CCL recognized the other nine organizations presented by McLoughlin, which represented a range of social and pre-professional interests.

The groups included the Alaska Club, Center for European Studies Undergraduate Board, Harvard College British Club, Harvard College Fed Challenge, Harvard College Mahjong Club, Harvard College Unitarian Universalists, Scholarship for Peace, Homeschoolers Anonymous, and Wisconsin Club.

The CCL also discussed a proposal to have Public Service Network (PSN) groups work with a PSN staff member to strengthen their leadership structures and ensure that the groups will remain viable in future years.

“This PSN proposal is not punitive. It’s designed to be more supportive in assisting new, young public service groups and get them the assistance they need to make their organizations effective,” said Meg Brooks Swift ’93, Director of the Public Service Network. This proposal will be discussed in further detail in a sub-committee of the CCL.

—Staff writer Nicole B. Urken can be reached at urken@fas.harvard.edu.