'Cliffies Snicker At Sad Plight Of Vassar

Radcliffe students reacted with the expected mixture of aloofness and indifference yesterday to the plight of their sisters at Vassar. Sarah Gibeen Blanding, president of Vassar, recently told her students that women who engage in premarital sex relations or excessive drinking should leave college.

A typical 'Cliffe reaction was, "I don't really know. I haven't heard too much talk about it." This sentiment echoed allover the Quad yesterday, and was picked up by observers at several listening poets.

'Cliffies who bothered to think of the matter at all generally concluded that Miss Blanding's rules were all right for Vassar, but that Radcliffe girls were above them.

Miss Blanding told the Vassar students that they were expected to avoid premarital sex and excessive drinking. Women unwilling to observe these standards should withdraw, she said; otherwise, they may be requested to do so.

Earlier, the Vassar College Government Association had asked for clarification of a line in the catalogue that says students should "uphold the highest standards." The closest thing to this in the Radcliffe Redbook says:

"The College assumes that each Radcliffe student accepts responsibility for conduct which reflects credit upon herself, her family, and her college. Good taste demands that discretion shall be shown in displays of affection on Radcliffe property and in all public places."

But the Vassar incident seemed to soften the views of some of Radcliffe's anti-sex league. One ardent opponent of the proposed change in sign-out rules said, "I don't think the Administration should go quite that far...You shouldn't have to pass a virginity test before you enter or leave college."