Radcliffe Will Not Award Fay Prize This Year

The Captain Jonathan Fay Prize, once Radcliffe College's highest honor for an undergraduate, will not be awarded this year, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 confirmed yesterday.

The decision not to award the $5,000 prize--established in 1907 and traditionally given to a graduating female--was finalized yesterday and is the result of discussions between Mary Maples Dunn, acting dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and Jeremy R. Knowles, dean of the Faculty.

According to the Radcliffe website, Radcliffe College awarded the prize yearly to a woman "whose academic achievement and personal conduct have made her an outstanding member of the community."

But in the wake of Radcliffe College's merger with Harvard last fall, Harvard College officials have now asked that the prize not be restricted on the basis of gender. According to Lewis, the prize could not legally continue to be given only to women.

"Discussions have been going on about how best to avoid the gender restriction, while carefully respecting the terms of the original gift," Knowles wrote in an e-mail message yesterday. "Dean Dunn and I agreed that since these discussions were inconclusive, we could not award the prize this year, but we firmly aim to resolve them so that--in some (though necessarily changed) form--it could be awarded next year."

Michael Armini, Radcliffe spokesperson, said that by awarding no Fay Prize this year, the College and the Institute will have time to work out their differences.

"Radcliffe is Harvard, and Radcliffe has to be in compliance with University policy," Armini said. "We do anticipate giving the prize next year. [This extra year] gives us more time to figure how to award the prize."

Armini said when the Fay Prize returns, it may do so with different eligibility requirements. The prize may be open to men.

In addition, while the Fay Prize has in the past been partly academic, but also based on citizenship--"conduct and character."

But according to Armini, Radcliffe officials have now examined the original documents establishing the prize and have determined that the Fay family intended the prize to be awarded primarily for outstanding scholarship.

Radcliffe may return to that original criterion if it awards the Fay prize next year, Armini said.

"It fits in nicely with the current mission of the Institute. In the future we may go back to the original intent [of the prize]," Armini said.

But the Fay Prize has long had a special emotional significance for Radcliffe graduates.

"The Fay Prize has a long history and tremendous symbolism to Radcliffe and to the alumna--it has great meaning. The Trustees [of Radcliffe College] wanted the Institute to continue to award it, and I hope that's the way it will all work out," said Nancy-Beth G. Sheerr '71, former chairman of the Radcliffe College Board of Trustees and a key negotiator in the merger.

And undergraduates say they appreciated the type of student the Fay Prize recognized.

"I've always really admired the recipients of the award. They were amazing people," said Elizabeth D. Chao '00. "It's sort of unfortunate the award won't be offered this year."

Dona M Kim '01, said, "As a female, it is disappointing if an opportunity is no longer available, but I guess it's only fair."

Radcliffe has this year opened its other traditionally all-female senior events as well.

Tickets to the traditionally Sadie Hawkins Senior Soiree are this year available to men as well as women for the first time ever.

According to Armini, all 1,000 tickets available for the dance have now been sold.

And men will also be invited to the Strawberry Tea, traditionally the event at which graduating women were formally welcomed into the Radcliffe College Alumna Association (RCAA).

This marks the first year that women will not automatically become members of RCAA upon graduation.

"Our plan is to hold [the Strawberry Tea] in Radcliffe Yard. It's usually a packed event. We expect it to be larger this year," Armini said.