A rare earthquake in the Northeast did not faze hundreds of pre-frosh from descending on Cambridge this weekend—though what they found was somewhat different from past prefrosh weekends.

University President Lawrence H. Summers, the target of pro-diversity protests this weekend, was away from Cambridge and was thus unable to deliver the traditional President’s Welcome address. Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 welcomed the pre-frosh in Summers’ place.

The president’s absence also did not go unnoticed by pre-frosh.

“I was disappointed not to see the president,” said pre-frosh David K. Yuan.

Summers was unable to speak this weekend because he had a conflicting meeting planned long in advance of the weekend, said University spokesperson Joe Wrinn.

In response to concerns over overcrowding in Yard dorms in past years, the largest-ever percentage of the roughly 1,000 potential members of the Class of 2006 visiting were placed in upperclass Houses.

“Overcrowding of Yard suites in each of the past two years has raised several issues, ranging from occupancy in excess of what is approved by fire safety regulations, to crowding which compromised the ability of students in suites to get necessary work done,” said Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley “Ibby” Nathans.

Administrators declined to give specific numbers, but said pre-frosh have always been placed in Houses in some numbers.

—Staff writer George B. Bradt can be reached at bradt@fas.harvard.edu.