But, Theoharis adds, "I think that [the longwait] is fine. It gives us a chance to keeptalking to people--to keep harping on the issue."
When the commission finally rules on the case,Allen says that decision will rest ondetails--information on who comes in and out ofthe club, and how and from whom the club receivesmoney.
Allen says that if MCAD decides there is a"reasonable likelihood" that the Fly Clubdiscriminates, the case would go in front of apublic hearing. If the commission decided in favorof either the plaintiffs or the defendant at thatpoint, the parties could appeal the case in thecivil courts.
Both sides would have the opportunity to fileappeals--appeals that could take years tocomplete, as it has with Sally Frank's caseagainst all-male "eating clubs" at Princeton.
And even if MCAD rules in Schkolnick's favorand orders the club to admit women, the othereight clubs would not necessarily be obligated tofollow suit, Allen adds. Small differences betweenthem may make it possible that some could belegally considered private and others public.
Radcliffe
In the meantime, SWAT is continuing efforts tochange public opinion about the clubs. The groupis still lobbying Radcliffe to back the complaint.Although Schkolnick approached Radcliffe's Boardof Trustees last year, she failed to gain anendorsement of her case.
But with a new Radcliffe president that couldchange. Outgoing President Matina S. Horner hassays that the Board could review last year'sdecision if circumstances have changed.
"If final clubs get in the way of the[educational] pipeline, then I think we need toaddress how and why they're a barrier and what wecan do to remove it," says Horner. She adds thatshe personally supports Schkolnick's cause,although she is not sure what Radcliffe's positionshould be.
"If it were Harvard University that wasproviding the final clubs, then Radcliffe has avery specific thing that it could do legally andother-wise," Horner says. "If they are not part ofHarvard, then Radcliffe has a different kind oflens with which to look [at the issue]."
The University officially severed ties with thenine clubs five years ago, but Schkolnick and SWAThave argued that the clubs remain an importantpart of undergraduate life.
And if Horner is not sure whether the clubsshould admit women or go extinct, she is certainthat the age of these elite groups has passed.
"As my personal view, the final clubs intoday's world are really outmoded. It will soon bedamaging to someone to put their membership ontheir resume."