Harvard's University Health Services (UHS) does not promise students anonymity. But it does promise doctor-patient confidentiality.

When UHS admits a student, the nurse on call releases the student's name to a senior tutor or assistant dean of freshmen. But policy requires that UHS reveal no other information.

The policy is designed, in part, to ensure that underage students will seek medical attention for alcohol abuse when they need it--and not worry about possible disciplinary action.

But it is not unusual for administrators to find out why students were admitted.

Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) reports--which are faxed to administrators whenever HUPD transports students to UHS--sometimes indicate if incidents are alcohol-related, says HUPD spokesperson Peggy McNamara

And--in violation of official UHS policy--medical staff at UHS have informed administrators that students have been admitted for alcohol abuse.

Two former assistant deans of freshmen say administrators will often call and ask students why they were admitted to UHS, and students, hesitant to refuse to give the information or lie, will often tell them.

And if an incident attracts a lot of attention--if the student is ill enough to require an ambulance, for example-- administrators sometimes find out what happened simply by word-of-mouth, says Harry R. Lewis '68, dean of the College.