The October festivities included a gatededication at which Lamelle D. Rawlins '99, thefirst female student body president, and Renee M.Landers '77, former president of the Harvard Boardof Overseers, unveiled plaques commemorating theoccasion.

Although pleased that Harvard was celebratingthe increased opportunities at the College,Radcliffe officials expressed regrets that therehad been no scheduled place in the ceremony forthe institution that worked to open Harvard'sgates to women.

"In speaking with President Wilson, I realizedthat without Radcliffe, there could be nocelebration," said Tamar March, director ofundergraduate programs at Radcliffe.

Lacing Up the Gloves?

In a move that looked like the next jab in anongoing spat, Radcliffe informed FAS it wouldbegin charging rent for use of Byerly Hall, whichcurrently houses the Harvard-Radcliffe Office ofAdmissions and Financial Aid and the offices forthe Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).

In April, FAS and Radcliffe negotiated atwo-year agreement, allowing the currentdepartments to remain in Byerly for a fee "at orbelow market value," according to David A.Zewinski '76, associate dean of physical resourcesfor FAS.

FAS has been examining more permanent optionsfor the Admissions Office and GSAS ever sinceRadcliffe announced it would not consent to along-term lease.

Harvard-Radcliffe tensions were not limited tothe administrative level. Several members of thestudent body registered their disapproval with theambiguous relationship between the two schools inthis spring's diploma debate. (please seerelated story below)

All diplomas since the 1977 agreement have beensigned by the Harvard's president, but thepresident of Radcliffe displaces the dean ofHarvard College on women's diplomas.

"During our four years here, women do not andcannot experience Radcliffe in an academic sense,as Radcliffe gave away that responsibility andright in 1977," Rachel E. Barber '99, sponsor of abill that went before the Undergraduate Council toequalize men's and women's diplomas, wrote in anopinion piece in The Crimson.

Planning for the Millennium

Administrators say these border conflicts werejust minor "irritations," but their sum lookedlike a war when news spread through the Universitycommunity that Radcliffe was renegotiating thebasis of its relationship with Harvard--andpossibly severing its undergraduate ties.

When the first story broke, the spindoctoringbegan.

Radcliffe issued a statement acknowledging onlythat the college had been involved in a "strategicplanning process," an internal review of theachievements of the '90s and goals for theupcoming decade. Wilson and Nancy-Beth G. Sheerr'71, chairman of the Board of Trustees, refused toprovide any future information regarding thesediscussions--or their alleged talks with Harvardofficials.

Saying they felt betrayed and ignored byRadcliffe's lack of communication with itsconstituents, alumnae and students raised theirobjections.