'Cliffe Parietals Committee Meets For Action on Spring Referendum

The familiar cry "Man on" may soon end in the Radeliffe dormitories. The parietals committee of RUS will meet on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of dorm autonomy in deciding the extent or existence of parietal limitations.

The committee-Janice C. Stockwell '71, Barbara B. Winter '71 and Jan M. Woodward '72-brought the parietals question before RUS last spring. After an advisory referendum in May, RUS voted to put off a policy decision until this semester.

"RUS was very receptive to the parietals issue last spring and I see no reason why they shouldn't be as receptive now." Miss Woodward said.

Present Rules

The present RUS parietal rule states that men are allowed in women's rooms a total of '72 hours per week, with each dorm deciding how the hours are to be divided.

However, one Radcliffe student said, "Parietals are pretty much of a joke now." "Barnard is operating under the old system, but the rules are pretty casually enforced." Deborah L. Hyde '71, vice president of RUS, said.

The referendum initiated by RUS last Spring offered students a choice of voting for dorm autonomy' or 'other'. Under the provision 'dorm autonomy' each dorm would decide its own hours without being restricted by an RUS maximum.

Over two-thirds of the resident student body voted, 683 for 'dorm autonomy' and 23 for 'other'. However, immediate action on the referendum was impossible, because of timing problems (the administration was still dealing with the aftermath of the April strike) and the possible interference of the issue with merger plans.

This Fall most Radcliffe dorms are adhering on paper to the 72-hour rule. Karen M. Nelson '70, president of Comstock, said yesterday. "Comstock voted to keep its 72-hour distribution this Fall. However, the feeling here is one of hoping that the dorms will be able to decide their own hours."

RUS will meet this week to decide on the referendum results. However, their vote is subject to revision by the Review Board, a joint committee of administrators and students, and a final decision may not be reached for a few weeks.