George W. Wickersham was the club's president from the mid-1920s until 1930, when he was replaced by electromechanical engineer Michael Idvorsky Pupin. Mid-20th century to present Women were banned from the clubhouse altogether until 1928, when they were allowed to attend Sunday evening suppers, as well as the biannual ladies' supper. In 1940, the clubhouse hosted a couples' dance for the first time in its history. By 1980, the club's council was considering women as full members; even though the club's bylaws did not prohibit women, none had ever been accepted as members. At the time, the New York City Council was contemplating a bill that would prevent gender- or race-based restrictions for private clubs. Opponents of the proposal said the club was meant for men and that accepting women would cause pressure for the admissions committee. The council had given women the right to use the private library in early 1980 without consulting the members. At a vote that May, the members voted to prevent women from obtaining full memberships. The city government enacted its antidiscrimination law in 1984 and opened an investigation into the University Club in 1986. Fifty-three percent of members voted in January 1987 to ignore that law, though some opponents said they voted to protest the city government regulating what the club could do. To comply with the law, the club was considering firing many of its waitstaff. Finally, in June 1987, the club voted to allow women to become members. Within a year, 16 women had been admitted as members, out of 4,000 total members. The clubhouse accumulated dirt throughout its history until it was cleaned in 1984. The annex was cleaned before the main building was. The facade, which had darkened to a gray hue, was restored to its original color, although architectural critic Christopher Gray said the change "was not necessarily an aesthetic improvement". In 2005, the clubhouse underwent renovation and was covered with scaffolding. The work involved removing the balconies and bronze railings for restoration. The restoration architects intended to preserve the bronze, which had oxidized over time into a dark green color. In 2012, Manhattan Community Board 5 approved a modification of the clubhouse's main entrance. With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in 2020, many members relocated to the suburbs, prompting the club to fire some workers. Clubhouse McKim, Mead & White designed the University