Getting Richer

House committee budgets are not the only source of funding available to house oriented societies. For example, a drama group seeking to put on a play has a variety of funding sources.

A principal source of house funding has been house masters, some of whom regularly give a little of their own money to house committees or societies. For example, Dunster House Master Sally Falk Moore gives the house committee about $1000 a year, though the house committee co-chairmen like to keep that money as a buffer.

House masters are given an allowance from the College, but College administrators declined to disclose the formula for the allotment. Some houses get ocassional grants from alumni to help improve the house. For example, Leverett redecorated its house grill last year with an anonymous alumni contribution of $1000. But the College attempts to make up for those alumni extras in allocating masters' budgets, Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 said. Nevertheless, the balancing is still an imprecise thing.

House societies can also apply to the Undergraduate Council for money. Last spring the council awarded almost $900 of $21,000 in total grants and loans to house societies for theater and the arts. Four out of six applications were accepted. The council's social committee also gave Dunster House $300 last spring to throw a booze-free party. The council considers other sources of funding, but two of the grants last year went to Quincy and Currier last year, the two richest houses. The other two went to Leverett and Winthrop.

Two other sources of funding include the Harvard-Radcliffe Office for the Arts and Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III's office.