All Houses Will Adopt Universal Card Access

With the masters of Eliot and Adams Houses officially on-board, all 12 Houses will operate under universal keycard access between the hours of 8 a.m. and 1 a.m., come spring semester.

Last Wednesday, during one of their regular all-masters meetings, the masters of 10 Houses agreed to initiate a trial period of universal access.

But when the consensus was reached, Eliot and Adams House masters were not present.

When informed of the plan the next day, the two House's masters assented to the trial.

The policies of Eliot House will change the most, since it is the only House to not offer any universal keycard access at all.

Stephen Mitchell, an Eliot House co-master, said he had originally been concerned that keycard access would compromise security.

But now, the discussions over the past several years and successful trials in Quincy and other Houses have convinced him that universal access won't jeopardize safety, he said.

"I gather the College is no longer concerned about the 'two locked doors' issue...that has been our main worry historically," Mitchell wrote in an e-mail to several students last month as the change was being discussed.

However, residents of Eliot House will face a period of adjustment, he added.

"H-entryway residents should be aware that as long as the Dining Hall is open, there would be nothing between them and the street but their own suite doors," Mitchell wrote in the e-mail. "Their sense of 'owning their own security'--while always relevant--should now be heightened."

Mitchell said in the e-mail that he expects the Dining Hall door to close earlier in the evening than it does now, in order to better protect H-entryway.

Nathaniel W. Lalone '00, former co-chair of the Eliot House Committee, said the move to universal keycard access indicated a change in students' demands, as well as in the concerns of the masters.

Lalone said that several years ago, Eliot students, in a house-wide vote, rejected a plan to open their house to all other students.

But just last month, Eliot residents voted again--this time showing an overwhelming support of universal access. The final tally: 143 to 35 in favor.

"Randomization has changed the character of the student body," Lalone said. "It's nice to see that Eliot House has become open and inclusive in its willingness to allow other students in."

Over the past few years, the debate over universal keycard access has taken several courses.

House Masters and students were initially worried that universal access would allow strangers to enter Houses and threaten the security of students.

But student groups tried to allay these concerns, urging their fellow House residents to be vigilant in ensuring that only Harvard students be allowed to "piggyback" through frequently-open doorways.

Last year, Quincy House began universal access, and 10 other Houses soon followed suit.

When universal access was first suggested by the Undergraduate Council, the proposal called for 24-hour access, seven days a week.

Advocates said that access was necessary to allow students to visit friends and offer them the ability to enter Houses if they were in trouble or were being followed.

Though pleased with the announcement by the House masters, Undergraduate Council member and presidential candidate Sterling P.A. Darling '01 said he thinks that 24-hour access would be more beneficial to the students.

"That we're seeing a universal system is excellent news, but we'll continue to lobby for 24-hour access," said Darling, who sponsored legislation and helped garner support for the suggestion among the UC.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 wrote in an e-mail yesterday that the masters will first look to see if next semester's trial of universal access will be successful before moving to 24-hour access.

"This is a significant step, and I'm sure everyone will want to live with it for awhile before assessing it and considering any changes," Lewis said.