Cliffies, Trustees to Meet To Form RUS Constitution

Radcliffe Trustees will meet with Cliffies next weekend to formulate a new constitution for the Radcliffe Union of Students.

The two-day conference, at which Trustees will meet students directly for the first time, is planned to clarify the Trustees' objections to the RUS constitution. Last month the Trustees rejected the constitution as "internally inconsistent and contrary to Radcliffe statutes."

Deborah Batts '69, president of RUS, said yesterday, "The most important issue we want to get through is student representation of opinion at Trustee meetings so the Administration does not have to second guess us." She said the new constitution would not include the original proposal to give students a vote on the Trustees' College Council.

"Direct Contact"

The conference opens February 16 with a dinner for the new RUS officers and legislature, Trustees, Administration, and any interested Cliffies. That night an open meeting at Hilles Library "will give the Trustees an opportunity to present their views through direct contact with students and allow students to discuss their opinions with the Trustees and Administration," Miss Batts said.

The next morning the new RUS legislature, members of the Administration, and Trustees will discuss the rejected constitution.

Miss Batts stressed that she and other RUS officers hoped students would show "an active interest in planning the new constitution to impress the Trustees with the amount of student involvement in college policy." Such interest would legitimize RUS demands for a voice at Council meetings, she said.

Once the RUS constitution is ratified by the College Council, the Union will be completely autonomous, according to present proposals. Under the constitution of the RGA, which RUS replaces, any changes have to be approved by the Council.