Athletic Department officials face complex rescheduling problems as a result of the Faculty's decision to move exam period ahead by one week.
Because of a University regulation which forbids athletic contests during examination periods, events currently scheduled between January 24 and February 4 will have to be played later in the season.
If Harvard teams are to remain eligible for league titles, all Ivy contests will have to be completed before the start of playoff competition in early March. Schedules may tighten significantly through February as a result.
Eric Cutler, sports schedule coordinator, said yesterday that the Athletic Department will attempt to play all league contests and cancel non-league events when necessary. Games could be conducted on Sundays if more flexibility is needed, he added.
There is also a question about housing and practice facilities available to teams which will have to return in early January in order to complete their training schedules. Some teams, especially those like swimming, track and squash, which produce no revenue, may find their practice schedules altered or even cancelled entirely.
All Ivy league colleges except Harvard have field houses to accommodate athletes.
"We just don't know what is going to happen--we have to see if the University will let teams stay in 40 degree heated rooms, we'll have to find some other place," said Robert B. Watson, director of athletics.
Because of the rescheduled exam period, the Athletic Department may have to petition the Administrative Board in order to schedule the annual Beanpot hockey tournament, Cutler said yesterday.
The Beanpot, scheduled two years in advance for the Boston Garden, is slotted for February 4. "This kind of commitment we cannot break," Cutler said. "We may ask the Ad Board for special permission for the team to play in the Beanpot and we will reschedule other games around it," he added.
A February indoor track meet at the University of Maine may have to be cancelled, Cutler said. This would keep Harvard from fulfilling an agreement made two years ago to play the game in Maine. Wrestling and swimming meets with Maine have already been cancelled for financial reasons.
Cutler said he may propose a series of triangular wrestling meets to replace contests with Penn and Princeton which will have to be rescheduled.
Basketball, fencing, squash and swimming teams face less severe difficulties. Two basketball contest will have to be rescheduled, but there are sixteen open days in February in which to play these games.
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Harvard Men's Hockey