Radcliffe Launches Publicity Blitz

The publicity push is crushing. One thousand scarlet pennants, 2,500 calendars, 5,000 guidebooks and more than 4,000 t-shirts trumpeting "A Tradition of Remarkable Women" have been distributed, but Radcliffe College still has an identity crisis.

That's not for lack of trying, and many officials at the school say they are slowly making gains. The windfall of free Radcliffe paraphernalia distributed on campus is part of an increased effort to emphasize its presence and relevance to Harvard women.

"We've been hiding," says director of Radcliffe's Office of Communications Lyn Chamberlin. "We're now in the process of revamping the way Radcliffe presents itself.

"We're not going to apologize anymore for who we are," she adds. "It's no longer a question of who we are--of what is Radcliffe--[rather], it's a statement, Radcliffe is."

Hence, the new advertising strategy for the 115-year-old college.

"In the 1990s, students are indoctrinated with marketing and advertising," says media relations officer Pam Bush. "We have to put our program forward in a way that's appealing--to make things easy and user-friendly."

That means telling students about the opportunities for women and men at Radcliffe. Male undergraduates, officials note, have access to Radcliffe Union of Students grants, Murray Research Center databases and counselors at the Radcliffe Career Services.

Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson, however, says there's nothing terribly unusual about the wave of publicity. In fact, it's a timely move, made as the number of activities available to Harvard students is on the rise, she says.

"Given that there are so many resources now, it's hard for our message to get through," Wilson says. "What's new is that we're using different mechanisms to make students aware of us."

One new resource Radcliffe now has available is the Public Policy Institute, which was founded last November. Paula M. Rayman, who was appointed director of the institute last week, says Radcliffe is trying "to play an important role concerning women's achievements for the twentieth century."

Several campus leaders say they have been impressed by the new approach, which Wilson says was prompted by feedback from students involved in Radcliffe programs. Matt L. Bruce '96, editor of the conservative publication The Salient, which has been a critic in the past, says Radcliffe's attempt to enhance its presence on campus is "admirable."

"I think it's really good," says Katherine Y. King '96. "I think Radcliffe has a lot of programs that people are not aware of."

"It's an important step at least to gaining recognition, so people know the other things Radcliffe does," says David D. Eaton '95.

Despite the praise, Radcliffe has a tough sales job ahead.

For example, Helen E. French '97 says she has never heard of the Public Policy Institute.

"I think of Radcliffe as a secondary institution," says French, a government concentrator. "I really don't think of them as where I go. I see them more as a fundraising organization."

Among many Harvard students, Radcliffe remains an institution without an identity.

"I see Radcliffe more on t-shirts, but I still have no clue as to what exactly they do," says Bruce, The Salient editor.

Harvard Band member Mark R. Bagley '96, who performed at the recent Radcliffe convocation, says he sees Radcliffe as "a traditional part of [Harvard's] mostly male past."

"Right now there still isn't a good idea as to what Radcliffe should be," Bagley says.

While Radcliffe officials have much to say about their school, one question they have, as yet, been unable to answer is how men can take a greater than supportive role at a women's college.

"There are many resources at Radcliffe which are available to and welcoming of men, most explicitly in the invitations to the convocation," says Dean of Radcliffe College Philippa Bovet. "We would love to see men play a more active role in dialogues in the Lyman Common Room. And certainly applications for working within Radcliffe exist.'

But it is unclear how serious Radcliffe really is about such claims. Asked about specific ways that men can become more involved in Radcliffe, school officials are uniformly evasive.

"Our goal is full partnership of men and women for responsible leadership," Wilson says. "Our mission is to advance society by advancing women."

"It would be wonderful if [men] could be supportive," says Bonnie R. Clendenning, vice president for college relations. "Our mission is to advance society by advancing women."

But the school's efforts are also likely to run up against those who think little of its mission.

"I think Radcliffe has had its day and should go by the wayside," says G. Brent McGuire '95, a member of the conservative magazine Peninsula who is also an editor of The Crimson.

Wilson and others, however, say men must be part of the revival at Radcliffe. That, she acknowledges, will take time, but can be eased by activities like those at the Lyman Common Room, where "men can come and share ideas."

"Men have to learn how to share responsibility with women," Wilson says. "It's not something that just falls out naturally.

Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson, however, says there's nothing terribly unusual about the wave of publicity. In fact, it's a timely move, made as the number of activities available to Harvard students is on the rise, she says.

"Given that there are so many resources now, it's hard for our message to get through," Wilson says. "What's new is that we're using different mechanisms to make students aware of us."

One new resource Radcliffe now has available is the Public Policy Institute, which was founded last November. Paula M. Rayman, who was appointed director of the institute last week, says Radcliffe is trying "to play an important role concerning women's achievements for the twentieth century."

Several campus leaders say they have been impressed by the new approach, which Wilson says was prompted by feedback from students involved in Radcliffe programs. Matt L. Bruce '96, editor of the conservative publication The Salient, which has been a critic in the past, says Radcliffe's attempt to enhance its presence on campus is "admirable."

"I think it's really good," says Katherine Y. King '96. "I think Radcliffe has a lot of programs that people are not aware of."

"It's an important step at least to gaining recognition, so people know the other things Radcliffe does," says David D. Eaton '95.

Despite the praise, Radcliffe has a tough sales job ahead.

For example, Helen E. French '97 says she has never heard of the Public Policy Institute.

"I think of Radcliffe as a secondary institution," says French, a government concentrator. "I really don't think of them as where I go. I see them more as a fundraising organization."

Among many Harvard students, Radcliffe remains an institution without an identity.

"I see Radcliffe more on t-shirts, but I still have no clue as to what exactly they do," says Bruce, The Salient editor.

Harvard Band member Mark R. Bagley '96, who performed at the recent Radcliffe convocation, says he sees Radcliffe as "a traditional part of [Harvard's] mostly male past."

"Right now there still isn't a good idea as to what Radcliffe should be," Bagley says.

While Radcliffe officials have much to say about their school, one question they have, as yet, been unable to answer is how men can take a greater than supportive role at a women's college.

"There are many resources at Radcliffe which are available to and welcoming of men, most explicitly in the invitations to the convocation," says Dean of Radcliffe College Philippa Bovet. "We would love to see men play a more active role in dialogues in the Lyman Common Room. And certainly applications for working within Radcliffe exist.'

But it is unclear how serious Radcliffe really is about such claims. Asked about specific ways that men can become more involved in Radcliffe, school officials are uniformly evasive.

"Our goal is full partnership of men and women for responsible leadership," Wilson says. "Our mission is to advance society by advancing women."

"It would be wonderful if [men] could be supportive," says Bonnie R. Clendenning, vice president for college relations. "Our mission is to advance society by advancing women."

But the school's efforts are also likely to run up against those who think little of its mission.

"I think Radcliffe has had its day and should go by the wayside," says G. Brent McGuire '95, a member of the conservative magazine Peninsula who is also an editor of The Crimson.

Wilson and others, however, say men must be part of the revival at Radcliffe. That, she acknowledges, will take time, but can be eased by activities like those at the Lyman Common Room, where "men can come and share ideas."

"Men have to learn how to share responsibility with women," Wilson says. "It's not something that just falls out naturally.