No Exam Week Delivery, Newspaper Service Says

Students who subscribe to The Boston Globe and The New York Times have not received their morning newspapers during exam period because of a "misunderstanding" about delivery dates, spokesmen for the Harvard delivery Service said yesterday.

The service, which delivers about 1000 newspapers to College and Law School students, plans to distribute a flyer this morning explaining that original sub-scriptions for the newspapers did not include delivery during exams, service manager Gordon L. Johnson '78 said yesterday.

Where Did They Get That Idea?

"People seem to be under the impression that they paid for the papers during exams," Johnson said.

"There have been quite a few complaints," he said. "A lot of people think we're trying to make a little money on them."

Johnson said he hopes the flyers, along with a recorded message on the Harvard Delivery telephone, will assure subscribers that they will receive all newspapers promised in the subscription.

Michael Sullivan '78, the service's manager, said yesterday that confusion may have occured because the service delivered newspapers during exam period last year.

"It was a mistake of ours not to put the delivery dates on the subscription envelopes so everyone would know about it." Sullivan said.

"We should have told them earlier, but we're trying to let everyone know what the delivery dates are now," he said.

Sullivan said the service decided not to deliver during exams this year because most other student agencies close during this period. The service is totally student run, with eight persons delivering each morning, he said.

"No one wants to get up at 6:30 to deliver newspapers during exams," he said.

Johnson said rates charged at the beginning of the year included 83 weekday deliveries and 13 Sunday deliveries, excluding vacations and exams.

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students, said yesterday he had talked with Sullivan and approved of the service's decision to distribute the flyer to subscribers.

"I think the whole problem was that they should have reminded their customers that there would be no newspaper delivery during exams," Epps said.

"Next year we'll certainly indicate ahead of time what dates people are supposed to get the newspapers," Sullivan said.

Student subscribers contacted yesterday were upset about the change in newspaper deliveries.

"I think they should have informed us about this in advance," Steven N. Durlauf '80 said. "I haven't been able to keep in touch with what has been going on the last two weeks," he said.

L. Jeffrey Pash '77 said yesterday that "since we have been paying consistently higher prices for delivery, it seems only fair that the service should deliver newspapers at all times except intersession, instead of just when it's convenient for them."