Epps Denies SAE Permission To Paddle in Brewer's Race

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students, Wednesday denied the Harvard chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE)permission to participate in a canoe race sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, a beer company, because of University regulations forbidding use of Harvard's name in connection with a commercial business.

The company would have paid travel expenses to Los Angeles for the fraternity had it entered the race, William Cosher, advertising manager for Anheuser-Busch, said Tuesday.

Kipland Smith '77, president of SAE, said yesterday he understood Epps's, decision, "since there was no way to separate the Harvard and Anheuser-Busch names" if SAE participated in the race.

David Sherman '77, a member of SAE, said that he disagrees with Epps's decision and feels that being a Harvard student should not preclude his participating in what he felt was a non-University function.

Sherman said, "What I do outside of the University does not reflect on my being a Harvard student. I don't do something because I'm a Harvard student."

Smith said he felt Epps dealt fairly with the students, but he added, "Dean Epps is very rigidly bound by rules. He did look into every possible option and really did try to help us."

When Smith was contacted earlier this week by Robert Thomas, an agent of the University of Southern California, he informed Thomas that SAE would definitely not be able to accept the invitation as long as Anheuser-Busch was funding the trip.

Smith said yesterday that an effort was made for the funds to be supplied indirectly to the Harvard SAE through the USC chapter of SAE, but that Epps did not accept this cover.