Last year, administrators from OFA and College dean's office realized that the current system risked violating the IRS' rules for non-profits by allowing individuals-who were not operating through official student groups-to directly handle a show's expenses and income.

"The College doesn't want to abuse tax restrictions by making payments to individuals," says Alan Symonds, technical director of Harvard theater and faculty advisor of HTAG. "We needed to set up a structure to allow a recognized organization to receive payments and transfer money."

Symonds, who is also the head of College drama-the part of the College that deals directly with financing student performing arts-decided the best way to solve this problem was to reestablish HTAG with new responsibilities.

Now, all checks for student performances that do not occur in the Loeb-where finances are handled through the ART-will be funneled through HTAG.

All ticket proceeds in such spaces, like the Agassiz Theater or the Adams House Pool Theater, will go to HTAG, which will pay the show's bills and deposit profits into its own account.

One advantage of this change for student producers is that if a show loses money, HTAG will use its extra funds to cover the balance.

"Students will never lose money," says HTAG President Kathy M. Bencowitz '03. "We pay all of their bills."

Directors using these spaces also face technical and publicity challenges.

To help alleviate these problems, Bencowitz says the group's funds could also be used in the future as a grant-giving system to supplement money already available from the OFA.

Unlike shows in the Loeb, which always receive a budget from HRDC, there is no automatic grant provided to producers in House spaces.

HTAG might also use some of its funding for more general improvements to these spaces-like purchasing technical equipment for House theaters.

Bencowitz says she thinks that if non-Loeb theaters were better funded-with more lights, for instance-they could be used for spontaneous performances that require little or no lead-time.

Additionally, HTAG offers all non-Loeb shows a liaison from HTAG who will serve as a mentor for the production staff.

"We would like to be a resource for the staff of the shows the way HRDC is," O'Gara says.

Gaining Momentum