The facade of Holworthy Hall, the Yard's most famous bulletin board, will be barren for quite some time.

When Yard renovations reached Holworthy last month, signs and banners came down, leaving little Yard space for student advertising.

The restrictions on Holworthy postering will continue until next year, but students will be able to poster on the fence surrounding the dorm, Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III said yesterday.

"We would like not to start the practice on Thayer because it was just finished," Epps said. "The positive news is that students can post on the fence surrounding the construction."

But several student groups who have already hung signs on Thayer, say the administration has threatened to tear the posters down.

"It's sort of bizarre," said Amanda W. Gates '94 of Harvard Student Agencies. "It seems as though the administration is trying to crack down on publicity... I have a bone of contention with that."

Gates said she was discouraged from postering earlier this year by Michelle L. Hewitt, assistant to Epps.

Gates said Hewitt told her "Harvard is an academic environment and shouldn't be commercialized."

Hewitt would not comment yesterday on the building restrictions.

Gates said she is reluctant to use the construction fence, but HSA will poster there if the administration insists.

"If we can't hang it on Thayer, we'll have to hang it on the fences," she said.

The Yard advertising is an effective means of publicity, and that using the fence could reduce visibility, Gates said.

Thayer residents agreed that postering on Yard dorms is a Harvard tradition which should be allowed to continue.

"I miss people just coming in and asking to hang signs up," said Amy L. Davis '97, a former Holworthy resident who now lives in Thayer. "[The signs] make the Yard look like college students live here."

Another Holworthy transplant who is a member of the Gilbert and Sullivan Players and the Harvard Krokodiloes said the University's plan could backfire.

"I through hanging signs added character to theYard," Jonathan D. Schwartz '97 said. "Less signswill lead to more postering in places theUniversity doesn't want, like the gates,sidewalks, and the Science Center."

Epps said the College has plans to expandstudent advertising space.

"We have long term plans for large, grandbulletin boards in areas adjacent to those sites,"he said.

Christopher R. McFadden Contributed to thereporting of this story