The Mather House courtyard ran dry at the sparsely-attended spring formal last night, a week after HUPD officers shut down the wet and wild Mather Lather.

The Cambridge Licensing Commission—which is responsible for issuing one-day liquor and entertainment licenses for House formals held on campus—offered Mather House a “license on terms different from the normal ones,” according to Mather House Co-Master Leigh Hafrey.

But the Mather House Council (HoCo) and the Mather House masters decided not to accept a liquor license under these terms, Hafrey said.

Hafrey declined to comment on the exact nature of the altered terms, merely saying that there was “an adjustment, which seemed significant to us.”

Members of the Mather HoCo declined to comment and directed all questions to the House masters.

The HoCo briefly considered cancelling the formal altogether, Hafrey said, but accepted the entertainment license so the formal could take place.

The dispute over licensing follows hard on the heels of last weekend’s break-up of Mather Lather—the foam party held in honor of pre-frosh weekend.

After a tutor called HUPD to ask for assistance with crowd control, HUPD officers broke up the party while Cambridge Police officers looked on.

Hafrey said that that the License Commission’s actions were likely in direct response to Mather Lather.

“It is fair to say that Mather Lather did contribute to the licensing commission’s decision,” Hafrey said.

Students complained that a connection between the two events was unfair.

“We feel that we are being ganged up on by the City of Cambridge because of the Lather and they are trying to get back at us now by denying a liquor license,” said Mather resident Ari D. Brettman ’04.

After learning of the licensing problems late Friday morning, Hafrey said he contacted College officials in University Hall to inform them of the situation and request assistance.

That afternoon, according to Hafrey, a three-way phone conversation took place between the Mather House masters and representatives from the General Counsel’s office and the College administration.

Hafrey declined to discuss details of the coversation, but he said that certain matters were left unresolved and will be discussed later this week.