New Policy to Limit Activities To Designated Areas in Yard

Stephen S.J. Hall, vice president for administration, announced a "Yard Policy" yesterday that will restrict recreational activities in Harvard Yard to certain "designated areas" in order to permit landscaping and grounds care.

The policy states that the area bounded by Stoughton, Holworthy and Thayer Halls has been set aside for recreation and that activities in other parts of the Yard will be prohibited. The entire Yard will be placed off limits three weeks prior to Commencement, except for a sector behind Hollis and Stoughton Halls.

"The University Police shall be responsible for maintaining the policy within the Yard," Hall said in a prepared statement. "Students found repeatedly not to be complying with the policy may be asked to relinquish their bursar's cards to a member of the Department."

Robert Tonis, chief of the University police, said yesterday that he had not been informed of the new policy. He also said that Harvard police do not ask students breaking existing regulations to surrender their bursar's cards, though at one time this was police policy.

Hall said that he is optimistic about student cooperation, and doesn't anticipate using the punitive measure. "I hope it's never used, and I don't think it will be," he said. "But how else would you handle the habitual offender?"

Hall said he arrived at the policy only after consulting with several groups, including Buildings and Grounds and the Freshman Council. "We did discuss it with these other groups, and came up with this as a compromise between use and beauty," he said.

"Another factor is that we can't view the Yard as the property of the freshmen or the Administration," he added. "Many people pass through each day who aren't even connected with Harvard."

The policy has established Commencement as the target date for having the Yard ready because "Commencement is a very well-attended public event," Hall said. "We want it to look good."

Chase N. Peterson '52, vice president for alumni affairs and development, said yesterday that there have been no widespread alumni complaints to make the Yard more attractive. Hall said that although there have been some letters from alumni to this effect, "We're not doing this just for the alums."

Several Yard freshmen said they were disappointed with the policy. "I think it's bullshit," James E. McGrath '77, a resident of Grays Hall, said yesterday. "The Yard's usefulness is more important than its beauty."

"The grass in the Yard should be legalized," noted Weld Hall resident Jonathan B. Baker '77