Sears recalls many alumni stopping by during his years as an undergraduate. Mostly, they came to visit the club steward, who had been at the club when they were students.

"[The steward] would set up a bar, put on a white coat and mix drinks," says Sears, who remembers hearing graduates reminisce about the horse-drawn carriages that had once rolled past the club.

A current club member says graduates often speak about the earlier days of the clubs as a family.

"They would drink fine wine, enjoy good meals and set up job opportunities," he says.

But in today's fast-paced world, alumni have prioritized their own families and careers over brandy and conversation on Mt. Auburn Street.

"People don't have the time or lifestyle any more," Sears says. "That's completely not '90s--not '80s even."

Another factor preventing the networking of days past is the strain on member-alumni relations after recent developments.