Members remain hopeful that the absolute shutdown will be temporary.

"We'll definitely have [an initiation] party at some point," Green said. "It's just kind of a bummer at this point."

The Owl is the third club in eight months to have closed its doors to members.

After the A.D. led the pack in changing its guest policy to members-only last semester, the club shut entirely for the month of May to ensure that undergraduates would not disrupt renovations underway for the club's centennial.

The Spee club followed suit over Commencement, when the alumni decided the graduating student members would not act responsibly during that period.

Before May, the only club to have ever closed to members was the D.U. club, which subsequently disbanded in 1995 after worsening undergraduate-graduate relations.

Rev. Douglas W. Sears '69, president of the Inter-club Council (ICC), said Boynton has not notified him or other club presidents about the shutdown.

The ICC met prior to the punch process this fall and will not meet again until January, but Sears said he applauds any club attempting to improve management.

"I would say the Inter-club Council suggests certain guidelines, and it's the prerogative of each club to run its own shop," Sears said. "It's a sign of health if the graduates are concerned."

Boynton could not be reached for comment yesterday.