But he questions the location's social use."The Greenhouse Cafe in the Science Center isprobably more useful as a lounge and center," hesays.

Tree F. Loong '94, co-chair of theUndergraduate Council's Social Committee lastyear, admits she wouldn't mind a center likeMIT's. She thinks the results will be generallypositive--if things are done as they should be.

"I think students will go if it is planned asand made a cool place," she says.

In the past the College has consistentlyrefused to create separate social or culturalinstitutions for the benefit of students. Inparticular, the College in 1982 came out againstthe creation of an African-American StudentsCenter or a Third World Students Center.

Yet, since the College severed ties with thenine all-male final clubs, Harvard has been tryingto develop a social alternative to the clubs.

Student Center

Plans for a student center have been talkedabout for years by administrators, as has theintent to move first-year diners from the Union toMemorial Hall for meals. But Thursday'sannouncement was the first time a timetable hasbeen revealed to the public.

Epps says that Associate Dean of PlanningPhillip Parsons has done numerous studies whichshowed that Memorial Hall was the best place for asocial center, sitting approximately in the middleof campus traffic.

Several students say they don't agree. "I don'tthink Memorial Hall is a good place for a studentcenter. It's too far away from the houses," saysDianne M. Reeder '93.

Jesse M. Furman '94 had another place in mind."The [location] of the Inn at Harvard was theperfect location and the perfect opportunity," hesays. "I venture to say it won't be verysuccessful unless they do something to attractstudents--it's not very centrally located."

Also revealed for the first time were specificplans of the new center drawn up by Venturi, ScottBrown and Associates, a Philadelphia-basedarchitecture firm.

Architects plan a wide outdoor staircase to bebuilt into the ground on the west side of thebuilding, facing the Science Center.

An extended common area, stretching from oneend of the building to another, will take theplace of the winding corridors and small roomscurrently in place. The blueprints call for theeast side to be an informal performance area forseveral groups.

According to the most recent designs, the lowerlevel will also include a rehearsal room and greenroom for student productions and several smallerrooms that can be used for seminars or meetings.

But none of these rooms, depicted as lookingmuch like classrooms, are meant for long-term useby one group or the other--unlike the basementoffices that now house several student groups. Andso far, no one has proposed sufficient alternativemeeting places.