'Cliffe May Allow More To Live in Apartments

Mary I. Bunting, president of Radcliffe, pledged over the weekend that she would try to pare the College's budget to make it financially possible for more girls to live in their own apartments next year.

But in a three-hour conference with representatives of a group of about 25 Cliffies she said that few Radcliffe officials feel expenses could be cut enough to afford to let many more girls live "off-off campus" next year. The 'Cliffe loses $1000 in room, and board fees for every girl who lives outside college housing, she said.

Mrs. Bunting said last night that she is studying "a few possibilities," but that it will take some time -- "certainly more than a week" -- before it is known whether they will work out.

Move-Out

Nevertheless, the four juniors who met with Mrs. Bunting left the meeting satisfied. "Although he financial facts are frustrating for girls trying to get off campus next year, Mrs. Bunting's attitude was very open and understanding," Lois Hilfiker '68, one of the four, said.

They represented a group of juniors who have written letters and held meetings during the past few weeks to protest Radcliffe's plans. Only 36 juniors, chosen by lottery last week, will live in their own apartments next year. A record 125 have applied.

During Saturday's meeting, though, the group's arguments kept running up against Radcliffe's financial squeeze -- the $200 it saves in food costs for every girl who moves off does not begin to make up for the $1250 it loses in room and board fees. And Radcliffe, Mrs. Bunting pointed out, needs the money.

Unshakable System

Mrs. Bunting also said that, although Radcliffe's goal of building a house system modeled on Harvard's is unshakable, many of the details of the plan -- such as the number of girls who will eventually be able to live outside the college -- are still open to discussion.

Present plans call for Radcliffe to build enough new units and renovate enough present dorm rooms during the next four years to make room for 1050 girls on campus. The "off-campus" houses presently subsidized by Radcliffe would be abolished, but 150 girls would be allowed to take their own apartments (now known as "off-off campus living").