But Lewis stops short of saying that he changed his mind.

"The lottery was run according to a decision and announcement Dean Jewett made last spring," he writes.

Although gender controls may be re-installed next year, the gender imbalance for the Class of 1999 may impact the lives of women living in the houses, Radcliffe of Union of Students President Megan L. Peimer '97 says.

According to Peimer, it may be difficult for women to feel comfortable living in predominately male environments.

But Peimer says that simply changing gender ratios will not affect people's attitudes and that gender balance will not constrain the activities of radical feminists.

"While it is true that some people might feel less likely to make a big deal about their feminism [in predominately male groups], these are the people who would probably be more quiet anyway," Peimer says.

"It is less of an issue than it is for gay and lesbians," she says, "because feminism is a less risky issue to state yourself on."

Minorities at Harvard

Much of the strongest opposition to randomization has come from minority--and particularly black--students who say that the policy is a misguided attempt to change student life.

"The Yard is randomized, but black people still meet each other and stick together," says Chetanna I. Okasi '98, the vice-president of the Black Students Association (BSA). "There definitely is a need for us to stick together, many of us don't feel that there is one big happy family."

An informal Crimson survey of students has found that of the roughly 150 black students in this year's housing lottery, at least four entirely black blocking groups were formed that contained a minimum of 11 students each.

And once they move into their houses next fall, some black students say, randomization may cause black blocking groups to become more insular.

"In Currier House this year, the people who were randomized into the house pretty much stick to themselves," says BSA treasurer Steve J. Turner '98. "I hope this is not a precursor of what will happen in the future."

Members of the BSA says that randomization fails to promote diversity and only serves to restrict student choice.

"How is it that we come in here at 18 and they tell us to pick a concentration, but they can't let us decide who we want to live with?" says Okasi.