All Harvard undergraduates go into Memorial Hall at least once before they graduate. Even those who skip "Heroes" and avoid a cappella concerts have to head over to the University's most prominent example of Victorian architecture come registration time.

But soon, if Harvard administrators have their way, Memorial Hall will be a center of student activity and entertainment.

Last Thursday, school officials announced that a recent $7 million gift would be used to convert the basement of Memorial Hall into a student center in time for the 1995-96 school year.

The change is part of a $50 million grand plan to redo Memorial Hall, refurbishing Sanders Theatre and moving the first-year dining hall to Alumni Hall, the building's cavernous meeting room. The Harvard Union will be turned into a center for the humanities.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, who has taken on the renovations as his pet projects says his vision for the scheme goes beyond a mere student center.

"We're not referring to it as a student center, but as a commons," says Epps. "It will have food and meeting rooms, as well as small theater. This facility is meant to be College-wide...for undergraduates, graduates, faculty," he says.

He says he believes the commons is needed. "It's an attempt to provide a place for students to meet outside their house," he says. "I think it will fill a real need for social life to take place at Harvard."

The new center will provide an alternative to the house system--and possibly a draw away from house events, as well.

Some have pointed to the plan for a students' center as a concession that Harvard's highly touted house system has failed in providing a social outlet for undergraduates.

Those involved in organizing house social lifehave mixed feelings about the plans. Paul M.Secunda '93, a member of the Eliot HouseCommittee, says he approves of increasedinter-house interaction. "When we got to school inthe beginning, [life] was all centered around theFreshman Union. We're missing that in the houses,"says Secunda.

Secunda says he feels that houses do not liveup to their stated purpose as social centers. Hesays the center should provide another option inthe Harvard social scene, which he says consistsof "bars, final clubs and individual parties."

House masters interviewed yesterday like theidea of a new center but have reservations.Dunster House Master Karel F. Liem says hewelcomes the creation of additional common space.Overcrowding in the house severely limits practiceand performance space for Dunsterites, accordingto Liem.

He says, ideally, he would have preferredexpansion of common space in Dunster, allowingsocial life to remain grounded at the house.

"I think it is important for Harvard to havestrong house life," Liem says.

He says he is not sure if the house conceptwill be harmed by the new addition. "It mightimprove the quality of life for undergraduates,"he says, "but it certainly would not strengthenHouses."

Lowell House Master William H. Bossert says hebelieves student groups desperately need the spacethe center will provide.