"If you are a president of any university in the world, and you're looking for a new faculty member, the first thing you'll do is get a hold of a list of the Radcliffe scholars. And the first person you'll call is the dean of the Radcliffe Institute," he said of the Institute of the future.
Dunn announced that with the help of the Institute's $350 million endowment, all current fellowships at the Institute are now funded positions.
Alumnae also asked about the future of the 30,000-member RCAA, which has always been funded by Radcliffe College.
Dunn assured the group that the Institute would continue to fund RCAA activities.
"But I will anticipate that the RCAA will support the new Institute," she said. "There has to be some quid pro quo."
While meeting attendees praised Dunn and Fineberg's candor, several questioned whether alumnae would rally around the new Institute.
"I apologize if I sound like a skunk at a garden party," said Joan B. Pinck '50. "I think you need to put a better spin on it. I see myself calling people and saying all these things and explaining all these things and not walking away with a check."