Phoenix Latest Of Final Clubs To Limit Access

The doors just keep on closing. A source close to the Phoenix S.K. said the final club will bar access to non-members starting in April, making it the third final club in three weeks to implement increased restrictions on admission.

"Policy on April 1 is to close doors like the A.D. [final club]," the source said.

The A.D. decided Jan. 20 to restrict access to all nonmembers in light of the danger of liability issues and accidents.

This move began a ripple effect through the final club system, and other clubs responded quickly to the A.D.'s decision.

The Owl final club has closed its doors to non-members for the month of February while they debate making the ban permanent.

The Delphic final club has committed to stricter enforcement of existing policies as well as a restriction on open parties--members are limited to two guests, one of whom must be female.

The Fox held a meeting Sunday to discuss the changes at other clubs, but decided not to follow suit.

Although Phoenix undergraduate president Simon S. L. Cheng '00 declined to comment, the source close to the final club said the Phoenix, like the A.D., was pressured into making the policy change by their graduate board.

Phoenix graduate president Andrew F. Saxe '84 also declined to comment on the policy change, instead pointing to the lack of social options on campus for Harvard students.

"We are aware of the situation. There are apparently very few social venues on the campus," Saxe said.

"That's something the University has to deal with," he added.

Rev. Douglas W. Sears '69, who is president of the Inter-Club Council, the governing body of the final clubs, said he was unaware of the Phoenix's final decision.

"I had heard something was in the works, but I didn't know they had acted on it," Sears said.

Sears said he supports the trend of clubs restricting access to non-members.

"I think you'll see a general return to clubs being the way they used to be," he said.

"There is certainly a concern among the management of the clubs that they not be a place for students to party. They are for members, not for guests," Sears said.

Echoing Saxe's concerns, Sears said the restrictions will force the College to review the lack of social outlets for students.

"If guest lists start closing, it will be interesting to see how the College adjusts," he said.

The Phoenix club is located on Mt. Auburn street.