Council Members Seek to Wire Harvard Dorms for Cable TV

Two members of the Undergraduate Council are leading a drive to install cable television in the houses and first-year dormitories.

Ivan J. Dominguez '92 and Pranav Loyalka '92 said yesterday that they are working with the University to bring cable to all undergraduates in the next year. So far, only those undergraduates who live in the DeWolfe St. housing complex can install cable television.

Dominguez and Loyalka are working with Senior Lecturer on Electronics Alfred A. Pandiscio and Continental Cablevision to determine the cost of wiring the buildings.

Dominguez said that the University has tried numerous times over the past 10 years to get cable installed, but that "all its endeavors were met with intransigence on the part of the cable company."

The problem, according to Dominguez, is that many of the historic Harvard buildings are not adaptable to cable installation. Drilling is not permitted on the outside of some buildings, he said, and in many cases the conduits required to carry the cable are already full with wiring from the new telephone system.

Although Dominguez and Loyalka say negotiations are moving forward, Michael J. Katz, marketing manager for Continental Cablevision, said yesterday that he has yet to be contacted by the appropriate Harvard officials.

"No one's invited us in," Katz said. "We don't know who to speak with." Katz said that the company is willing to work with the University to solve aesthetic and technical problems.

Dominguez said that he and Loyalka are working furiously to make sure that every student who desires cable will be able to receive it.

As a government student, Dominguez said, "The New York Times is not enough. It would behoove my education to watch CSPAN."

Pendiscio was not available for comment.