The only major argument against the proposed unification of the committees and offices concerned the significant reduction in direct Radcliffe responsibility for undergraduates and the further erosion of the independence of Radcliffe. All members of our committee had great understanding for this concern. They also felt that for the education of women the benefits of equal access admissions of which a unified administration is a necessary part, outweigh the disadvantages. The proposed changes seem less important to the independent role of Radcliffe than was the merging of the two House Systems in 1971.
We deliberately use the work "unification" to describe the process which we have in mind. We do not recommend the swallowing of a little fish by a big fish. We hope for the combining of what is best in both groups into one effective organization which will serve men and women in the University community on an equal basis.
That unification could be carried out without some problems would be hoping for too much. There are likely to be some dislocations and disappointments whenever two groups combine. But every effort should be made to minimize such occurrences. This is not only a matter of justice and recognition of past service. There can be no firmer basis for the unified organization than a general recognition by its members that every reasonable effort has been made to best use the diverse talent that exists in the two parent administrations.
Organization and staffing of the Harvard-Radcliffe Office of Admissions and Financial Aid will be the first challenging task of the future Dean once he or she has been appointed. It is obvious that she or he will wish to draw on past experience and consult widely those with relevant expertise. It is not appropriate for a Committee to make specific organizational recommendations, but it can be helpful in suggesting general guidelines. The following seem sensible to us:
1. The present organizations appear to work well within their separate zones of activity. We expect the unified organization to be similar, and the differences to reflect mainly the increased scope to the combined operation.
2. The staffing must reflect the aim of admitting the strongest possible coeducational class by involving both men and women in all types of work and at all levels of organization. As mentioned before, the unified office has a splendid opportunity to demonstrate equal access staffing and successful operation with a mixed hierarchy. This opportunity cannot be missed!
Every reasonable effort should be made to give present Harvard and Radcliffe staff members positions and ranks equivalent or higher than those being held at this time. Any changes in title in particular should be considered with great sensitivity.
4. We expect that most, if not all, present employees and staff members of the two offices to be members of the unified organization. If there should be a person whose services are not needed, he or she must be assured of first choice on any suitable position within the University which is available.
Alumni-ae Recruiting
No part of the effort needed to reach the goal of making the University a truly coeducational institution of the highest distinction is more important than the task of recruiting a pool of applicants with high qualifications and great diversity, including that of sex. Harvard alumni and Radcliffe alumnae play a most important role in the task. In the past, when the two institutions were more separate, these activities were also conducted rather separately. As the two colleges have drawn closer together, cooperation between the two groups has grown. As pointed out in the AHA Guidelines for Clubs released two years ago, such alumniae cooperation is desirable, benefits the University as a whole, spares time and effort and helps additionally to project a more realistic picture of the current Cambridge than do separate efforts.
In view of the differences in size, it is not surprising that Harvard's network of alumni admissions recruiters and interviewers is more far-flung, larger and much more organized than is Radcliffe's. Each group still tends to maintain its traditional loyalty to one of the Colleges. However, in many places (especially where the Radcliffe Club is strong) cooperation between the two groups has begun in a few places it is advanced Cambridge must provide the leadership and the guidelines that will help Harvard and Radcliffe interviewers and recruiters work more closely together. There are also many places where Radcliffe is not represented by alumnae at all, and Harvard alumni in some of these places have already been very effective and helpful to both committees.
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. "Equal access" admissions must be preceded by "equal access" recruiting.
The Role of Radcliffe
Radcliffe's responsibility is to serve women who come to Harvard as students. It acts as a locus of concern, problem identification and action for women in the University. Alumnae have strong ties to its identity and traditions and great pride in its success in the advocacy of women in the University. The Office of Admissions, Financial Aid and Women's Education is the most visible Radcliffe agency concerned with undergraduate education; the Radcliffe Institute and the Schlesinger Library serve a different constituency.
Implementation of our recommendation for unification into a single Harvard-Radcliffe Office of Admissions and Financial Aid leaves the Office of Women's Education (in conjunction with the Office of the President-Dean) as the major uniquely Radcliffe institution concerned with undergraduates. In carrying out Radcliffe's traditional responsibility to women at Harvard, the location of the Office of Women's Education is of some importance. The advocacy for women in Harvard College is best carried out by working closely with and within the Harvard College administration which is located in University Hall. The experience of the Admissions Offices has demonstrated the great benefits of adjacent location for close operation. If this were the only consideration, the Office of Women's Education would work best out of University Hall.
On the other hand many alumnae desire a physically visible separate identity for the remaining Radcliffe functions, a desire which is easy to understand. There are also students two share that point of view. This favors continuation of the present location at Fay House.
While the Committee wishes that the time would soon come when special efforts on behalf of women are no longer needed in the University, it believes that such efforts are still needed today, and will be needed for some time to come. It is natural for Radcliffe to continue to play the major role in this important function. The majority of the Committee believes that location in University Hall of the Radcliffe staff particularly concerned with this role would be most efficient and helpful for all concerned. We can also understand the concern for maintaining a visible symbol of Radcliffe identity. We as a Committee do not feel that we should make a recommendation between two alternatives whose evaluation depends much on individual attitudes and habits. The decision is best made by those who have the responsibility for carrying out the dual task.