"It's kind of an interesting issue," says Susan C. Frauenhoffer '03. "If you were in disciplinary trouble, presumably you'd want [the senior tutors] to have access. If they're supposed to give you advice, I guess they'd need to see it."

Robert S. Lim '02 says he hopes tutors take into account the circumstances surrounding the infraction, and not just the sealed envelope.

"People at Harvard are worried about every little bit of their past, and their resumes, and don't have to be," he says. "This isn't the same level as a criminal record."

Judgment call

McAfee admits that because it is difficult to navigate the line between being a friendly face and an authority figure, tutors have to work hard not to slide to an extreme side.

"I think that [the view of the senior tutor] really varies from House to House," says Nick C. Petri '02, who transferred Houses this year and who frequently dines with friends in a third house.

In the end, punishment is not part of the large picture, says Dingman.

"This is not about punishment. It's about growing up and your development as a person. The consequences in the real world are much more serious."