Freshman Mailing Costs Will Increase

A recent change in College procedures will force some undergraduate organizations to buy advertising space in a special newsletter for incoming freshmen this summer, rather than including introductory material for a minimal charge in the school's regular mailing to the Class of 1986.

Under the new rule, announced last week, only groups with state-registered non-profit status will be allowed to include information in the main summer mailing and pay only for handling costs Organizations lacking non profit designation will have to purchase space costing from $40 to $150 in a new "newsletter," which will be stuffed in the main freshman, packet.

Change Criticized

Members of affected groups said yesterday that the change is unfair because it may prevent less well off organizations which have never bothered to seek non profit status from communicating with freshmen the summer.

The College made the change after discovering that state Laws prohibit the distribution of material for organizations not registered as non profit under the type of non profit post age Harvard uses said John Howe assistant to the dean of students.

"I understand [the College's] concern, but I think they're imposing a burden upon student organizations." said Democrats Club President Jess A. Velona '83.

The newsletter, which Howe suggested, "has less impact, and you pay extremely high rates." Velona added "It was sort of rough equality before"

Members of the American Indians at Harvard, the Gay Students Association and the Glee Club also reacted negatively yesterday to the change

Howe however, argued that the new procedure will be more efficient and economical because he said the advertising charge covers typesetting and handling, and more information can be squeezed into a smaller space in a newsletter format

The administrator said that the only other alternative to his new plan would be to allow all organizations to include information inserts regardless of non-profit status and then send the whole packet first class

When this was tried two years ago. Howe said, the bill to the College was "horrifying" He added. "I don't think students would tolerate a situation where they were paying for mere postage"