In an attempt to avoid setting what could be a costly precedent, the College has refused to help the International Students Association (ISA) purchase a nearby house to use as a center for foreign students, College officials said yesterday.

The ISA asked the College in November to provide the financial guarantee it would need to receive a 20-year mortgage on the $280,000 house, said Vesna Karaklajic '88, the group's president.

"[Guaranteeing mortgages] is really a banking function and not normally appropriate for an educational institution," said Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, who announced the decision last week.

The College did not support the project because it would benefit only the small group of students who belong to the club instead of the entire student body, Epps said yesterday.

"We couldn't support something for only one group of students," Epps said.

Epps added he would rather "have international students integrate into College life." If they create centers and remove themselves from the mainstream of college life the other students "lose their contributions," Epps said.

Karaklajic said this objection was unfounded because the ISA is not an exclusive group limited to only foreign students but is open to al Harvard students. The 100-member organization has 25 American participants, the largest national group within the ISA, she said.

"[Epps and I] had discussed it and it wasn't an issue," Karaklajic said.

Karaklajic said that the College took too long to respond to the club's request. Karaklajic initially proposed theproject before a meeting of the Committee onCollege Life in mid-November and learned of Epps'decision about two weeks ago.

"I'm disappointed they couldn't have told usearlier," she said. "Now the house could have beensold."

In 1982, Epps refused financially support to athird world students' center, he said. He addedthat the decision on the ISA house was consistentwith this precedent.

The ISA will still attempt to purchase thehouse by raising money through donations,membership fees and renting some portions of thehouse, Karaklajic said