Leaders of two undergraduate papers yesterdaysaid it was common journalistic practice for allopen meetings or speeches to be "on the record"and open to press coverage.

"It's wholly inappropriate to set aside membersof the press in a class that is distinct fromother members of the community," said KimberlyScearce '91, editor-in-chief of The HarvardIndependent.

"It is deeply disturbing that a report whichclaims to promote free speech would tolerate anysort of restriction on the media," said Colin F.Boyle '90, president of The Crimson. "How can youhave an 'open' meeting from which the press isexcluded? It's an oxymoron."

But Nye said that he did not think the rule onthe media represented "a departure in any sense"from current policy.

"I think the feeling was that the group itselfhad a right to decide whether its meeting shouldbe off-the-record or not," Nye said.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III said thatthe College currently had no specific rulesdealing with press coverage of speaking events.

But he said there had been a "practice" oflimiting the number of non-Harvard press at somecontroversial events if administrators hadsecurity concerns.

Epps added that the College had not limited thenumber of student reporters in such situations.

Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz, a memberof the committee that wrote the Law School'sguidelines, said he thought the Nye Committee'sproposed rule about media coverage of openmeetings was "very questionable."

"I think we should err always on the side ofopen access to any kind of political discussion tothe press," said Dershowitz, who had not read theFaculty of Arts and Sciences report