As Radcliffe seniors look out and away from the college, the Radcliffe senior solicitation fund drive will ask them for contributions to benefit Radcliffe undergraduates.

The annual fund drive begins today and a $3500 goal is set for this year's drive, which will end March 13, Deborah H. Houghton '74, solicitation committee chairman, said yesterday. All the money for the fund will be donated by the Radcliffe senior class.

Participating seniors will be able to designate their contribution to three areas: unrestricted, scholarships, and--for the first time--athletics. After the seniors launch the fund, the athletic option will be open to contributions from alumnae, parents, and friends, Houghton said.

Radcliffe senior solicitation was begun in 1971 as part of the Radcliffe College Fund. Hope W. Wigglesworth '48, director of the fund, said yesterday that senior solicitation began because of undergraduate feelings of commitment to the college.

"It has tremendous bearing on all the alumnae programs," Wigglesworth said. "If the undergraduates have a feeling of commitment to the college, it carries over to the alumnae as well," she added.

The Harvard-Radcliffe Merger Fund will not be part of this year's fund drive. Started last year, it was an offshoot of the senior solicitation fund. Because the money is earmarked for use in the event of a Harvard-Radcliffe merger, the funds are currently in limbo. "I don't think any money has come in this year for the fund," Wigglesworth said.

All Radcliffe seniors have received notices in the mail announcing the fund drive