How Harvard Controls Undergraduate Groups

The affairs of undergraduate organizations fall under the control of the Dean of Students, who makes sure that every organization is financially and structurally secure, that it upholds the College's social rules, and, to the dying gasp, that the Harvard name remains untainted in any way.

The University "hold" on undergraduate organizations stems primarily from its patent on the name 'Harvard." It will not permit an unapproved organization to use the name of Harvard or imply through its title a connection with the University. Nor will Harvard let an organization--approved or not--appear on commercial television or radio. And, say the regulations, no organization shall "purport to represent the views or opinions of either Harvard University or its student body."

To gain recognition, a group must have such things as local autonomy, at least ten undergraduate members, two faculty or graduate advisers, and no non-Harvard people. The College also requires the recommendation of the Harvard Undergraduate Council (a rubber stamp).

Another University rule, that the Dean's office must have a complete list of officers and members, may be re-evaluated this year. Last summer, the American Council of Education, one of the nation's largest and most respected organizations of university leaders, urged colleges and universities to stop keeping lists of students participating in undergraduate political organizations. The Council's new policy was a direct challenge to the House Committee on Un-American Affairs, which in the 1966 summer subpeonaed membership lists of leftwing student political groups from Stanford, Michigan, and Berkeley.

The College regulations say an organization must have "a constitution and by-laws whose membership clause shall not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, or color." But there is actual discrimination in organizations that have membership by invitation, such as the final clubs or the Association of African and Afro-American Students.

There are several good reasons for a group of students to take the pain to gain recognition as an undergraduate organization besides just the privilege of using the magic name: an approved organization can distribute printed matter in University buildings, it can use the University bulletin boards, with permission it can solicit in University buildings, and it can hold meetings in the classrooms or lecture halls.

The advantages have been significant enough in the past so that by last spring there were 93 approved Harvard undergraduate organizations:

The Harvard Advocate, H-R Association of African and Afro-American Students, H-R Americans for Reappraisal of Far Eastern Policy, Harvard Art Review, H-R Ayn Rand Society, Harvard University Band, Harvard Undergraduate Bridge Club, H-R Assoc. of Business and Economics Students.

Caisson Club, H-R Catholic Student Center, Charles River Literary Society, Harvard Chess Club, H-R Christian Fellowship, Christian Science Organization at Harvard, Harvard Classical Club, Clean, Harvard Conservation Club, Harvard Undergraduate Council, H-R Policy Committee, The Harvard Crimson, Crimson Key Society, Harvard Cycling Club.

Harvard University Debate Council, H-R Young Democrats, H-R Students for a Democratic Society, Harvard Deseret Club, H-R Discussion Group, Harvard Drama Review, Harvard Dramatic Club, Dunster Dunces, Episcopal Chaplaincy at H & R, H-R Experiment in International Living, H-R Returnees of the American Field Service, Film Studies.

H-R Gargoyle, Harvard German Club, Harvard Gilbert and Sullivan Players, Harvard Glee Club, Hasty Pudding, H-R Hillel Society, H-R Hispania Society, H-R International Relations Council, The Island, II Circolo Italiano of H-R, Ivy Films Research, Inc., Keystone Movies, The Krokodilos.

The Harvard Lampoon, Harvard Latin American Association, H-R Undergraduate Mathematics Society, Harvard Mountaineering Club, Harvard Music Club, Harvard Natural History Society, H-R November Ninth Committee, H-R Organ Society, Harvard Outing Club, Inc., Harvard Parachute Club.

Phillips Brooks House Association. Pierian Sodality of 1808-H-R Orchestra, Pi Eta Club, The Harvard Pre-Law Society, H-R Premedical Society, H-R Chapter of the Project of The Americas, H-R Psychology Society, Harvard Radio Broadcasting Company, Inc., Harvard Young Republican Club, The Harvard Review, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Signet Society, Harvard Ski Club, H-R Skin Diving Club, H-R Young People's Socialist League, Harvard Southerner's Club, Speakers' Club.

Taffrail Club, H-R Teacher Aide Program, H-R Committee to End the War in Vietnam. Harvard Wind Ensemble, Harvard Witness Club, H-R United World Federalists, Harvard Yearbook Publications.

Final Clubs: A.D. Club, The Bat Club, The Delphic Club, D.U. Club, Fly Club, Fox Club, Iroquois Club, Owl Club, Phoenix-S.K. Club Porcellian Club, the Spee Club.