Universal, 24-hour keycard access for Harvard students came one step closer to fruition last night in Sever 113, as the Undergraduate Council unanimously passed a resolution to encourage House masters to open their doors to residents of other Houses.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 has signed off on the move to 24-hour access, pending the approval of individual House masters and House Committees.

Council members will meet Thursday with House masters to negotiate and, they hope, finalize plans for universal access for all undergraduates at all hours of the day.

Council President Paul A. Gusmorino said he was "optimistic" that the masters would agree to the council's terms.

The council hopes to extend last year's universal keycard decisions, which resulted in universal access in all the houses until 1 a.m.

Council members called the last two semesters a "trial period," during which the College's administration would see how universal access until 1 a.m. affected campus life.

The bill's text notes that the Houses have not seen an appreciable increase in crime since the implementation of partial universal access.

Todd E. Plants '01, returning chair of the council's Student Affairs Committee, and one of the bill's sponsors, said that safety is actually a main reason for implementing full keycard access.