In the e-mail message sent to Mather residents, there is no indication of whether disciplinary action will be taken against those who do talk on their phones in the dining hall.
But some students say they are willing to comply with the requests anyway.
Emily N. Wallach '01, an owner of a cell phone, is "not at all inconvenienced" by the new request regarding dining halls.
"Talking on a cell phone while in lecture is preposterous," she added.
"I see no reason why anyone should talk on a cell phone in the dining hall," said Emily G. Heyward '01, who does not have a cell phone. "I wouldn't want to eat next to someone talking on a cell phone."
The messages also request that students turn their cell phones off during classes
"I would certainly hope that all students will turn off their phones in classes," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message. "After three went off at a freshman-week parents panel, and another went off in church at a funeral I was at...I do think it is worth remembering that it is only courteous to silence one's phone in such settings."
Lewis has put a similar comment in the syllabus of his own course, "Computer Science 121," this year.