The lack of a House system at Dartmouth isthought by some to have contributed to thestrength of the Greek system there. According tosome College officials, Harvard's residentialsituations, by comparison, should foster closeHouse communities and eliminate a need fororganizations like final clubs.

"I think Harvard is very fortunate to be ableto have an absolute rule against single sexorganizations," Lewis wrote. "I don't think that'srealistic everywhere."

Dingman says he believes the all-male finalclubs contribute to an undesirable campusenvironment in which opportunities that exist formen don't exist for women.

"I don't know how women can create the same,given how expensive real estate is," he adds.

Closing the Clubs

Sears says he supports the actions of thegraduate boards of the A.D., Owl. Phoenix andDelphic, and sees the changes as a return to theoriginal purpose of the clubs, a place for friendsto gather.

"By having only members in there, it is likelythey will be most prudently managed," Sears says."[Other students] need to find another place toparty."

Though the clubs recognize the impact they mayhave on College social life by closing clubs tonon-members, they see it as the administration'sresponsibility to deal with the matter.

Heller says the A.D. and the other clubs havehad to shoulder the College's social burden fortoo long.

"There was nothing to gain from [opening ourparties to the community], and we were onlyputting ourselves at risk because HarvardUniversity is failing to pick up their end of thedeal, Neller says."

Graduate members are also looking to theCollege to do something about students' late nightsocial needs.

Now that the clubs are changing their policies,Sears says the College will finally have to answerto the students.

"It'll be interesting to see how HarvardCollege responds to filling the void that theclubs may leave if current restrictions continue,"Sears says. "What are they going to do?"

The Future

Currently, only three of the eight all malefinal clubs have shut their doors to late-nightvisitors. But once the Phoenix S.K. joins thecrowd in April and the other clubs more seriouslyenforce their policies, the late-night final cluboption may become entirely obsolete.