President Bunting Endorses Unequal Female Distribution

Radcliffe President Mary Bunting last night endorsed a plan to continue the unequal distribution of women in the Harvard houses and the one-to-one ratio of men to women at Radcliffe, at a meeting of about 140 students at Dunster House.

Her proposal closely resembles a recommendation drafted by a sub-committee of the CHUL Monday. The recommendation for next year states that the number of women in the five "good" ratio houses must not exceed a balance of three men to one woman. This ratio will remain static in subsequent years allowing the other Harvard houses to equalize gradually.

The CHUL will vote on the subcommittee's recommendation today. Their decision, although not final, will be "considered as if law," said Dean Whitlock last week. "However, ultimately the Dean's Office and the President could vote against it."

The opposing so-called "symmetry plan" would distribute the women equally throughout the Harvard houses without primary regard to their preferences. The purpose however, is "not to homogenize, but to let people have what they want, and retain diversity," Bunting said.

"I would consider it a very serious matter if they decided not to keep up the ratio." Whitlock said last week. So far 1005 people have signed petitions circulated by the sub-committee in favor of the present ratios.

The majority of Radcliffe students at last night's meeting indicated strong support for retaining the present ratio system. Since women are a minority in the University, many felt they needed the unity that the ratio Houses provide in order to protect their minority rights.

"To spread women around would omit the internal force of Radcliffe," said Robert Ferguson. Senior Tutor at Dunster House. "We don't want to be distributed around for the appreciation of the Harvard men," one woman said.

Tomorrow's vote will be the first of two before the final settlement is made on housing for next year. Bunting said that she hoped that tomorrow's decision will provoke more reaction on the part of students