During a year when female representation on the Undergraduate Council is higher than ever, women are making their voices heard on women's issues.

The recent debate about equalizing male and female diplomas brought women from all over campus to Sever Hall. Some of them later joined the council because, in the words of Colleen T. Gaard '99, they were "appalled" by their own representatives' lack of concern for women's issues.

Most council members say women are still not adequately represented, and add that initiatives such as a new women's caucus have not yet effected a shift or change in the council's direction.

Different but Equal?

"[The diploma bill] incited such strong grassroots action from women on campus," says council member Emma C. Cheuse '99.

"Dozens came to the meeting to speak and guided the debate on the floor."

Cheuse, along with fellow members Anna M. Baldwin '00 and Ann E. Schneider '99, opposed the original piece of legislation.

The original bill mandated equal diplomas for male and female graduates of Radcliffe College. It did not specify how the diplomas would be equalized.

Currently, the University president, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Dean of Harvard College, and the House masters sign male diplomas. Female diplomas differ in that they display the signature of the president of Radcliffe College, instead of the Harvard College dean's signature.

The original sponsors of the bill say that since Harvard students of both genders receive the same education, they should receive identical diplomas.

But the bill's opponents saw the bill as an attack on Radcliffe, since the bill might have eliminated a mention of Radcliffe on the diplomas.

"The split that came up over women's diplomas reflects the ambiguity women have with their relationship with Radcliffe," says Rachel E. Barber '99, one of the sponsors.

The opposition sponsored an amendment which specified the addition of the Dean of the College's signature to female diplomas. This passed, and the bill's sponsors withdrew their support for the legislation.

The change was in a part a reaction to the large number of guests at the meeting who said they wanted to protect Radcliffe.

"Our bill expressed particular support of Radcliffe," says Cheuse. "It proposed to equalize the diplomas in terms of Harvard College."