The following letter was sent to members of the Undergraduate Council from Dean David Pilbeam:

Dear Ryan, Matt, Mike, and Zander,

In light of your most recent email to Dean Nelson, I write concerning the Undergraduate Council Party Grant program. I have been briefed in detail about the discussions that have taken place with the Committee on House Life, the Resident Deans, and Deans Nelson and Kidd about the need to modify the UC Party Grant program in response to various important concerns, such as the potential reimbursement of minors for the purchase of alcohol, inappropriate advertising of parties, and inadequate management of these events.

While we are sympathetic to the goals of the program -- to stimulate more social events for students -- all reports I have received from House Masters, Resident Deans, and other members of my staff convince me that the UC Party Grant program is inherently flawed, and must be ended immediately. From this date forward no further funds can be dispersed for private parties, including any that may have already been approved for forthcoming dates.

My reasoning is as follows. First, the UC has not assumed responsibility -- and, as emphasized in your most recent email to Dean Nelson, affirmatively refuses to assume responsibility -- for verifying that underage students will not be reimbursed for purchasing alcohol. As sponsors of the Party Grant program, it was the UCs responsibility to ensure that grants that included funds for alcohol did not go to students under 21. Since you have not assumed this responsibility, we cannot continue to allow funds to be used for this purpose, as institutional funds can never be used to sponsor private events with alcohol that the College has no way of regulating.

Second, it is quite apparent that the UC Party Grant program, in practice, has funded parties where the focus is on drinking. Alcohol abuse is the number one student health concern at Harvard as it is on other campuses nationwide. We have taken many proactive steps to mitigate the harm that results from high-risk drinking and have also tried to develop spaces on campus where students can socialize with alcohol safely and legally. The UC Party Grant program is at odds with the message that students, parents, faculty and administrative leaders of this community should be sending about responsible and safe alcohol use.

Finally, the Party Grant program has caused problems for the Houses in multiple ways. The grants promote events for large groups of people in relatively small spaces, ultimately leading to overcrowding in student suites and hallways. The common spaces of the House are better suited for hosting parties with guests, and in these settings Beverage Authorization Teams can be used to make sure that only those over 21 may be served alcohol.

Instead, I urge you to consider making grants to House Committees to support House-wide events. The HoCos should use the funds for social, cultural, recreational and/or educational programs in the Houses, open to all House members. The UC also might consider making grants to the DAPA Grants Program to help party planners purchase food, soft drinks and other activities that provide an alternative focus to the alcohol that, as now we know from experience, has been at the center of the events funded by the UC Party Grants program.

I also would like you to consider recommitting your funds for uses that will benefit the majority of students who are members of student organizations. I remind you that these funds are collected in the form of student activity fees and are intended to be used for events to which all students may be invited and/or for the direct support of student organizations. We have a growing number of student organizations (270 to 390 in four years), and these groups need the support of the UC. Failing to fund groups because resources have been diverted to individuals for parties is not in support of the greater good of the students you represent, not in keeping with your mission, and not the intended purpose of these funds.

I would like you to consider the options available to the UC (along the lines of the suggestions I have listed above) when you recommit the funds formerly committed to the Party Grant program. Although my decision that the Party Grant program must be discontinued is final, members of my staff will work with you to find the best ways to redirect those funds.

Yours sincerely,

David Pilbeam Dean of Harvard College