"There's been talk about making renovations, and there have been discussions and meetings with architects," Dondero says. "But there are no definitive plans."

Now, Dondero says, the forum's capacity depends on the nature of the event.

Normally, the Forum can accommodate 200 to 300 people, with about 150 seats on the floor and more in the balcony and mezzanine areas, Dondero says.

But when Former President Gerald Ford spoke on March 16, for example, rented chairs were set up in the forum, seating 700 people.

Large events usually require ticket lotteries-with the lottery entrants restricted to Harvard students, faculty and staff.

Those who don't win tickets in the lottery can still watch the presentations on monitors set up in "overflow rooms," Dondero says. If there are empty seats in the audience, though, people in the overflow room may be able to take a seat in the forum.

Osborne says the closed-circuit broadcasts of Forum events to other rooms allow more people to participate when they might otherwise be turned away at the door.

"This way, the whole forum is open to the entire community even during major events when tickets are limited to Harvard affiliates," he says.

And because of the open nature of the forum, attendees say they feel welcome. "We're part of the college community," says Paul A. Janka '99. "I definitely don't feel like I'm imposing."

Pangi adds, "Much like we want access to things going on at the college or the Divinity School, I can't imagine being denied access to them or excluding anyone here."