RUS Objects to Alleged Creation of Social Club

The Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) criticized the reported creation of a new all-female social club at a regularly-scheduled RUS meeting Thursday night.

The meeting came a day after signs were posted by a number of students, including some RUS members, attacking the new club called "the Cliff."

Women identified by an RUS member as belonging to the Cliff declined to comment when contacted by The Crimson yesterday. The Crimson has been unable to confirm the existence of the club.

The alleged Cliff club would appear to be the second women's social club formed this year. Rumors of an all-female "Bee club" surfaced late last fall.

RUS officers, who have previously condemned the Bee, called the Cliff elitist and sexist and compared it to the all-male final clubs.

"When you have an exclusive club which discriminates--unless it's on the basis of academia, athletics, or the arts--it divides the women's community and the Harvard community in general," said outgoing RUS Co-Chair Kate Frucher '92-93.

According to another RUS member, the Cliff has sent letters to Radcliffe alumnae requesting financial assistance to create "a sense of community and [reach] out to alumnae." The student said she has a copy of the letter but refused to release it.

Several RUS officials interviewed yesterday objected to what they claimed was the Cliff's use of University resources to obtain the names of alumnae.

Radcliffe alumnae lists are only available for use by recognized student groups and are not intended for fundraising purposes, according to officials at the Harvard-Radcliffe alumni records office.

RUS officers urged the University to prevent the abuse of such resources, noting that even their own officially recognized group cannot use alumnae information to raise funds.

"[The Cliff's] efforts to raise funds for their club from alumnae is cutting into ourown efforts to establish a women's center,available to all," said Minna M. Jarvenpaa '93, anactive RUS member.

In addition, The Crimson obtained a documentbelieved to be the Cliff's constitution. thepurpose and goals of the club were outlined inseven pages.

"Women do not `belong' at Harvard-Radcliffe asdo men," says the document. "The all-male finalclubs offer a wonderful opportunity for men togain social cohesiveness. In order to gain thisopportunity for ourselves, we plan to create aplace run by women, built by women and for thebenefit of women."

Not the Answer

RUS officials, who had scheduled this week'smeeting to elect new officers, acknowledged thatthe social life for women on campus needed to beimproved but said that establishing exclusiveclubs is not the answer.

"All ideas behind it are fantastic as long asthe club is not exclusive. If it is, then we'll beas against it as the male final clubs, because oftheir discriminatory policies," said Jarvenpaa

In addition, The Crimson obtained a documentbelieved to be the Cliff's constitution. thepurpose and goals of the club were outlined inseven pages.

"Women do not `belong' at Harvard-Radcliffe asdo men," says the document. "The all-male finalclubs offer a wonderful opportunity for men togain social cohesiveness. In order to gain thisopportunity for ourselves, we plan to create aplace run by women, built by women and for thebenefit of women."

Not the Answer

RUS officials, who had scheduled this week'smeeting to elect new officers, acknowledged thatthe social life for women on campus needed to beimproved but said that establishing exclusiveclubs is not the answer.

"All ideas behind it are fantastic as long asthe club is not exclusive. If it is, then we'll beas against it as the male final clubs, because oftheir discriminatory policies," said Jarvenpaa