Radcliffe Board Endorses Strauch Recommendations

The Radcliffe Board of Trustees yesterday endorsed all of the Strauch Committee's recommendations and a statement of suggestions for instituting equal access admissions.

The Trustees statement, prepared by the Trustee Future Committee, has not yet been released. President Horner said last night that she and President Bok will release the Trustees' recommendations after they have conferred about them and have agreed on the precise wording of their joint statement.

In approving the Strauch Report in its entirety, the Trustees became the first official University body to do so since its release in February.

Last month, the Faculty voted approval of a three-part motion to set up equal access admissions for the Class of 1980, a joint Harvard-Radcliffe standing committee on admissions and scholarships and periodic reviews of equal access.

The Faculty did not vote on the other major recommendations of the Strauch Committee, which call for:

* merging the Harvard and Radcliffe admissions offices;

* increasing the numbers of women faculty and administrators;

* opening all undergraduate prizes and fellowships to men and women;

* equalizing athletic facilities for men and women;

* no substantial increase in the undergraduate student body at the present time; and

* intense recruiting by alumni/ae organizations to attract more women applicants.

Yet to Review

The two Harvard Governing Boards--the Corporation and the Board of Overseers--have yet to review the Strauch recommendations officially. However, they are expected to approve them within the next two weeks.

The Corporation which put off discussion of the report until after the trustees met, will probably discuss and vote on the Strauch Report at its meeting next week.

Earlier this month, the Overseers Visiting Committee on the Harvard and Radcliffe relationship recommended that the Overseers approve the report at their May 12 meeting.

Horner said yesterday that the Trustees feel that all of the Strauch recommendations are equally important and that a mere endorsement of the principle of equal access admissions did not constitute a commitment to it.

"If you don't endorse and push for all the recommendations you're not endorsing equal access. We want to see Harvard recognize its responsibility as a truly coeducational institution and all that entails," she said.

Hornet added that the report containing the Trustees suggestion on equal access is therefore an integral part of the board's approval.

The Trustees did not discuss at length the implications the Strauch report may have for Radcliffe and its relation to undergraduate women. Horner said because even if the admissions offices are merged, women will still be admitted to Radcliffe College.

Susan S Lyman '49 chairman of the Trustees said yesterday that she asked its members not to discuss the Trustee proposals until Bok and other members of the Harvard Corporation have looked them over.

"It's awfully difficult to get 38 outgoing men and women not to talk about this, but we think that it is best that it comes through Derek and Matina, "Lyman said.

Horner said the Trustees also spent a long time discussing some of the proposals now being considered for changes in the undergraduate housing system. She said that she believes the most important problem in assessing the proposals is to prevent them from becoming a "Harvard Radcliffe question."

"We need to consider all the suggestions from an educational standpoint. That's the most important question because I think it is the House and tutorial program that distinguishes this place for undergraduates." Horner said.

The proposal most mentioned recently as an alternative to the present Housesystem would place ail freshmen in the Quadrangle Houses and all sophomore in the Yard.

Although the Overseers visiting committee reacted favorably to the proposal several weeks ago, many students and administrators have voiced their opposition since then. Horner and several other Radcliffe administrations have said privately that they oppose such a plan at the present time