The criteria for guests was involvement inactivities that were related to the event. Forexample, Epps said that about 60 writers for theAdvocate, Padan Aram, the Lampoon, theIndependent, the Signet and The Crimson would beinvited to the luncheon honoring Harvard writers.

"It seems to me reasonable to make someselection on the basis of established interest andto try to match activities with certain events,"said Epps, noting that he was "sorting out ascarce resource."

Students said they are grateful that theCollege has tried to compensate them for theirexclusion from the four-day, million-dollarbirthday extravaganza held for alumni during thetail end of summer recess. Indeed, Epps, his twostudent co-chairmen and the steering committeespent the better part of the spring and summerplanning the event. Still some undergraduatesinterviewed said they feared the party for thestudents might turn into a party for the few.

According to Epps, about 500 of the College'sroughly 6300 students will be invited to the fourby-invitation-only events.

"I think a lot of undergraduates feltdefinitely excluded at the regular 350th and thatHarvard's doing the same thing all over again,"said one campus leader who asked not to beidentified.

"This is planned because most undergraduatesweren't here during the 350th. But [theinvitation-only events] are certainly a problem.I'm glad the issue is being raised. I hope it'snot at the stage where adjustments can't be made,"said North House Master J. Woodland Hastings.

"It's a gross example of the elitism thatHarvard is famous for," said Charles W. Dupree'89.

"What is Harvard saying to those students whoare not invited?" asked Richard Chavez '87, headof the Catholic Students Association.

But some students agreed with Epps that thecharges were unfair.

"I don't think you can jump on someone's backfor offering something and criticize them for notoffering it to everyone," said C.F. David Boit'90.

Said Winthrop House Master James A. Davis: "Ithink there are more important problems facing theUniversity. It's obviously regrettable, butobviously a function of physical space. No onemeant to be exclusionary."

Many students said they too sympathized withthe logistical problems the University faced.

Besides knocking the exclusivity of the moreunusual events, students said they were concernedabout the timing of the celebration--which nips onthe heels of the most important Jewish holiday--aswell as the cost of the ball.

"I think it's not convenient because a lot ofJews are going to be travelling home to theirfamilies that weekend," said David A. Nacht '87.The celebration falls between Rosh Hashanah andYom Kippur, which begins at sundown October 12,the last day of events.

"I can't be there. I've been trying to work outall different plans, but it didn't work. I'm goinghome Friday night," said Ethan A. Budin '90.