Dispute Over Constitution

The Radcliffe Government Association and President Mary I. Bunting have disagreed over the interpretation of the new RGA constitution, which was adopted only last June.

The disagreement involves jurisdiction over parietal hours. Mrs. Bunting argues that this control is granted to the Administration under Article Two of the constitution, which makes the College responsible "for all matters concerning college regulations with the city of Cambridge and the general public."

But the same article also gives the RGA responsibility for "the establishment and enforcement of social regulations," which RGA feels includes the regulation of parietal hours. The RGA considered a proposal to allow each dorm to determine its own parietal hours at its meeting yesterday.

The executive committee of RGA will meet with the 'Cliffe administration this week to decide how the constitution will be interpreted. It is expected that there will be no objection to a limited extension of parietals.

Mrs. Bunting was unable to attend last week's RGA meeting and only learned of the proposal late Tuesday night, too late to consider fully appropriate action.

At yesterday's meeting, the RGA passed a proposal--approved previously by Mrs. Bunting--allowing each dorm to determine what day and which three hours (during the time the dorms are open) it can hold parietals.

Jordan J. hopes to extend its parietal hours to 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Barnard from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays; 124 Walker St., eight hours per week.

Proponents of the original parietals proposal feel that different dormitories have widely differing facilities.