Houses More Careful To Follow Alcohol Rules

In the wake of an apparent violation of University guidelines for serving alcohol at parties, three House Committees say they carefully adhered to the guidelines at parties last Saturday.

At a party on Saturday, September 22, Winthrop House apparently violated the regulations by charging a two dollar admission for while serving beer.

Alcohol may be served at House parties if the parties are not advertised campus-wide and no foe is charged, according to University guidelines.

Precautions to follow the guidelines were in effect at parties last Saturday at Kirkland, Leverett, and Mather Houses.

Winthrop House Master James Davis declined to comment on the possible violations, saying that he was not at the party. "If the party was within the guidelines, that's fine," he said. "If the party was outside the guidelines, that is regrettable."

Asked if Winthrop House was actually having a campus-wide party--and thus was in violation of the guidelines--Mohan M. Nadkarni '85, Winthrop House Committee Chairman, said that last Saturday's party was set up as a "Winthrop House and guest" party.

Davis said that the guidelines allow House members to bring guests to parties.

"The House may provide alcohol for House members and reasonable guests, in the sense that parents can serve their own family alcohol," he said.

Katherine F. Russell '85, Kirkland House Social Chairman said that Winthrop House Committee members had discussed the problems with pr House Committee, she said that the Kirkland House committee was particularly careful to admit only Kirkland residents and their guests to last Saturday's party, and that they charged no admissions fee.

Mather House's party last Saturday also followed the University guidelines R. Epstein '85, Mather House Council secretary. The party was advertised only at Mather and no admissions fee was charged, he said.

John E. Dowling '57, Mather of Leverett House, described the House's party as an "in-house" party and therefore within the University guidelines.

"I'm very distressed when other Houses violate the rules," Dowling added.

Although the Winthrop House Committee did not advertise its party outside of the House, the party spurred complaints about the ban on advertising from other House Committee officers.

Epstein said that he felt the policy was unfair to Mather, Dunster, and the Quad Houses.

"Houses like Winthrop, Eliot, and Kirkland can just play their music loudly and that's like advertising," he said.

Winthrop House Master Davis and Winthrop House Committee members declined to comment on reports that they had written a letter to Dean Fox apologizing for violations of University guidelines at last Saturday's party.