Strauch Backs Equal Access

It's official, Harvard and Radcliffe will merge their admissions offices and institute an equal access admissions policy in time to admit the Class of 1980 next spring.

The final report of the Strauch Committee recommended these and a series of other changes (at right) in February and the Governing Boards of Harvard and the Radcliffe Board of Trustees gave their approval to them this spring.

The committee, chaired by Karl Strauch, professor of Physics, was established in January 1974 to study the future of Harvard and Radcliffe admissions policies. It was made up of representatives from the University's four major constituencies--administrators, alumni, faculty and students.

The problem evident this spring is that equal access has become a catch phrase encompassing a variety of divergent opinions on just what Harvard and Radcliffe admissions should be.

For women, equal access is regarded as a possible means of rapidly increasing their numbers; however, many are skeptical. For Harvard alumni, equal access means that more women are going to be accommodated by the University; they're worried that this change will come at the expense of some alumni sons and athletes. For Radcliffe alumnae, equal access poses a serious threat for the survival of their alma mater: they are a major force in holding up merger as a result.

Somehow, however, all these constituencies have reconciled themselves to the fact that whatever equal access is, its time has come.

The Committee recommends that an admission policy of equal access be instituted as soon as practical, that is for the admission of the class of 1980.

We recommend that the men-to-women student ratio be reduced from the present ratio of 2.5:1, and that the increased number of women be admitted within a policy of equal access. Success in reaching this goal will require an enlarged pool of qualified women applicants, and correspondingly more vigorous recruiting efforts will be necessary.

We recommend that the progress in increasing the number of women students be reviewed at the end of a three-year period of equal access admissions and special recruiting efforts.

In a coeducational institution, it is important that there be substantial representation of both sexes among the teaching faculty and the administration.

We recommend a goal of awarding prizes and fellowships under a policy of equal access.

We urge that high priority be given to the requirements of women in planning and construction of future improvements to the athletics plant, and that meanwhile efforts be expanded to make existing facilities available on a more equal basis. Improvements in the physical plant of the Quad are necessary.

While advocating equal access and increased recruiting of women applicants, we recommend that the size of the College should not be substantially increased at this time.

Formulation and interpretation of a policy of equal access admissions and financial aid for both Harvard and Radcliffe students require a single admissions and Financial Aid Committee. Evaluation, admission and award of financial aid under a policy of equal access requires a single staff organization. We therefore recommend unification of the two committees and of the two staff organizations concerned with admissions and financial aid at Harvard and at Radcliffe.

With unification of the two Admissions Offices and thus of the recruiting efforts, close coordination of relevant activities of corresponding alumnae and alumni clubs and representatives will be essential. We urge the unified Admissions Office to work closely with the Radcliffe College Alumnae Association Board of Management and the Associated Harvard Alumni Board of Directors to make this happen.