Members of several campus women's organizationsagree the RUS's new primary role as a fundinghousebest serves women's interests.

"RUS cannot stand for all women all the time,"says Lisan L. Goines '95, a former member ofCalling It Rape, a small performance group whichuses theater to stimulate thought on the subjector rape.

"If [RUS] attempted to stand for all women, itwould not to a voice worth hearing," Goines says."It's more important for them to support than torepresent."

Others not that RUS's policy of supporting awide spectrum of organizations concerned withwomen's issues leaves the future of women's rightsactivism on campus unsettled.

Rather than attempting to create a single,unified front representing all women, RUS isgiving smaller organizations a chance to voicetheir concerns, says RUS member Ashwini Sukthankar'95, who ran for president against Lewis andGuiney.

Campus groups which have received funding fromRUS in the past include Women Appealing For Change(WAC), Lighthouse Magazine, HQ Magazine, BlackC.A.S.T., the Asian American Association (AAA) andCalling it Rape, Guiney says.

RUS has been criticized by campus conservativesas a liberal, feminist group, rather than as anopen forum dealing with women's issues.

Karen E. Boyle, president of the RepublicanClub, says she shared this view, but adds that shehas not attended any RUS meetings.

"It's a vicious cycle. I don't thinkconservatives have a place in the RUS, so I don'tattend meetings. I don't know how I got theimpression Boyle said.

Kelly A. Bowdren '94, a council member ofPeninsula magazine, says she is skepticalabout RUS's' promise to be less confrontational.

"RUS is patronized by leftists," Bowdren says."They should not present themselves as aclearinghouse for women's issues, because they'vealways supported only feminist-type programs."

Bowdren says her skepticism was informed bypast experience.

While RUS has claimed to support the AllianceFor Life, a pro-life organization, they neveractually funded the group, Bowdren says.

Boyle says Lighthouse magazine hasplayed a greater role than RUS in representingwomen on campus through its discussions of women'sissues.

"Lighthouse magazine has made a greateffort of represent both conservative as wellliberal points of view on women's issues," Boylesays.