`Chameleon' Hosts Events for Women

After many undergraduates over the past few years have tried to start up female final clubs, a groups called "The Chameleon" sent about 400 invitations to female students Wednesday for an event at the Copley Plaza hotel Grand Ballroom.

The Chameleon, however, is registered with the Cambridge City Clerk's Office as a business. the business certificate is signed by Esther E. Chang '95 and Yulia Shapiro '95, who are both Crimson editors. Its listed address is 100 Walker Street, which is the address of Cabot House.

Many students who received the invitation thought they were being "punched" for a potential new final club. But final clubs are nonprofit institutions, while Chang and Shapiro could take profits or losses as the new business' registered owners.

a Copley Plaza employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the hotel has rented out its grand ballroom to "Esther Chang" for May 11, the date listed on the invitation. The ballroom can hold 800 people.

Change said she was in no way involved in sending out the invitations, and denied any knowledge of the Chameleon.

"I just received an invitation myself," said Chang.

But when asked why her name appears on the city document and the Copley hotel contract, Chang said she had signed for friends who are organizing the club.

"I am not part of the organization," she said."I was doing a favor for some friends who wish theremain anonymous."

She would not comment on its founders wish toremain anonymous

New Final Club?

The invitation cards do not say The Chameleonis a final club. But students say the cards, whichsay "By invitation only" closely resemble finalclub punch notices. Students from all fourclasses--including seniors--received the cards.

The new organization's name and the highquality of the invitation's paper also ledstudents to believe they were punched.

But the invitations said students would becharged $25 to attend the Copley Plaza event.Final clubs traditionally do not charge studentsfor attending punch parties.

The Copley plaza employee said Chang is paying$2500 to rent the ballroom.

An employee at Bob Slate Stationer Storesestimates that it wold cost more than $200 toprint approximately 500 invitations of qualitysimilar to the Chameleon's.

Chang would not comment on where the neworganization got the money to print invitations orrent the ballroom.

Mysterious Invitations

The invitations were delivered to studentmailboxes in some houses and door-dropped inothers. But mail officials in houses where thecards arrived in student boxes said they didn'tknow how the delivery occurred.

Hank Slonina, the Eliot House superintendent,said mail must come through the University mailsystem or the U.S. Postal Service.

If it doesn't come through either of thoseroutes, Slonina said, a hose superintendent mustgive approval for its deliver.

The invitations did not have either U.S. Mailstamps or University mail stamps.

But although women in Eliot house received theinvitations in their mailboxes, Slonina said heknew nothing about the Clameleon.

Shapiro could not be reached for comment

"I am not part of the organization," she said."I was doing a favor for some friends who wish theremain anonymous."

She would not comment on its founders wish toremain anonymous

New Final Club?

The invitation cards do not say The Chameleonis a final club. But students say the cards, whichsay "By invitation only" closely resemble finalclub punch notices. Students from all fourclasses--including seniors--received the cards.

The new organization's name and the highquality of the invitation's paper also ledstudents to believe they were punched.

But the invitations said students would becharged $25 to attend the Copley Plaza event.Final clubs traditionally do not charge studentsfor attending punch parties.

The Copley plaza employee said Chang is paying$2500 to rent the ballroom.

An employee at Bob Slate Stationer Storesestimates that it wold cost more than $200 toprint approximately 500 invitations of qualitysimilar to the Chameleon's.

Chang would not comment on where the neworganization got the money to print invitations orrent the ballroom.

Mysterious Invitations

The invitations were delivered to studentmailboxes in some houses and door-dropped inothers. But mail officials in houses where thecards arrived in student boxes said they didn'tknow how the delivery occurred.

Hank Slonina, the Eliot House superintendent,said mail must come through the University mailsystem or the U.S. Postal Service.

If it doesn't come through either of thoseroutes, Slonina said, a hose superintendent mustgive approval for its deliver.

The invitations did not have either U.S. Mailstamps or University mail stamps.

But although women in Eliot house received theinvitations in their mailboxes, Slonina said heknew nothing about the Clameleon.

Shapiro could not be reached for comment