The Opposition

Former Undergraduate Council President Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 first approached Lewis about UKA in the spring of 1997, but says he was not sold on the idea of UKA.

"We did have meaningful dialogue, but in the end, [Lewis] was not willing to go all the way on this issue," she says.

Though the bill failed in Lewis' Committee on House Life in 1997, it allowed student members to learn what the administration's concerns: UKA would compromise the security of upperclass Houses.

The College has long upheld a "two-door" policy with respect to safety--

at least two locked doors should shield a student's room from the outside world. Many House Masters were wary of giving access to large swaths of the campus--as well as potential intruders, who could more easily "piggyback" into the building.

"For House Masters, safety is the primary concern, for both persons and personal belongings," says Quincy House Master Michael Shinagel. "It was [originally] thought that some Houses were not compliant for universal access."

Armed with an understanding of the College's misgivings, council leaders set out to dispel them.