"It was clearly against the rules," he says. "In this special case, it was the only possibility to decide house to house by the masters."

Other houses--such as Adams and Quincy--continue to allow the parties to go on in private rooms.

Among those masters who say they support public senior bars, there is a debate over whether to subsidize the additional costs accrued by making the parties public. Students estimate that meeting University rules that require a BAT team and police--as well as a temporary liquor license--cost more than $200.

Masters in Leverett and Winthrop have helped fund senior bars in their houses, but Striedter says he decided not to finance Cabot parties because the students had not planned to tell him about their plans for private parties at all.

Professor of Sociology James A. Davis, master of Winthrop House, said earlier this week that he helped fund a senior party last weekend because the students were counting on funding that reneged. He emphasized that he does not support funding the bars.

"I do not think that this is a sufficient priority that Harvard resources should fund it," Davis says. "They are still private parties."