It has been only a little over a month since the first of four all-male final clubs took steps to exclude non-members, but it seems that life inside those newly closed doors has already changed greatly.

Club members say the policy changes have refocused their clubs towards socializing between members, as opposed to open parties.

And undergraduate women say that, while even "closed" clubs are surprisingly open on some occasions, they have seen some difference since the guest policies were implemented.

The A.D. and the Owl clubs have both spent one month under a ban on non-members at most events. The Phoenix S.K. club will follow suit April I and the Delphic club has also taken steps to limit guests at its parties.

Not Quite Closed

But even the A.D. and the Owl, which now have strict "no guests" policies on paper, still have loopholes in these rules allowing "official" events.

"Official" essentially designates parties with a bonded bartender, a category that may include several mixed parties and date events per year.

For example, the Owl club-which decided on a "members-only" policy the week of Feb. 17-still hosted a "Catholic schoolgirl" -themed party last Saturday night, which was open to women.

According to women who attended this party, Owl members handed out invitations to the party, but then, according to one first-year, those receiving invitations were also encouraged to bring their friends. Lisa K. Sammartino'00 says she attended this "invitation-only" party at the Owl. She says the ratio of men to women was fairly even.

Although members stationed at the door of the Owl were supposed to be checking invitations, Sammartino says no one checked her invitation. Other women without invitation also say they were admitted.

"They pretty much let in anyone Who was wearing a [Catholic schoolgirl]outfit," Sammartino says. "I guess they figured ifpeople were wearing an outfit, they'd beeninvited."

Sammartino also says she went to a party at theA.D. a few weeks ago. But aside from that partyand the one at the Owl last Saturday, she says shehas been barred from entering these two clubs on amore regular basis--a practice that she had beenaccustomed to before this year.

"They're allowed to have a couple of events [towhich non-members are invited] each year, but Ihaven't been allowed in during the week," shesays.

"It's kind of a bummer, because a lot of [clubmembers] are my close guy friends," Sammartinoadds. "They definitely miss having us there."

Sammartino says what she misses most is thecompanionship of those male friends, whom she saysshe has seen less and less of since the clubs'changes went into effect.

"Before, they'd call us and we'd come over tohang out and play pool on weekdays--it wasn'tnecessarily all about what everyone thinks finalclubs are like," she says.