Kilson, who is now the dean of the graduateschool at Salem (Mass.) State College, saysdespite the unusual situation, Schlossman waseasily accepted by his peers.
"Men have always participated in the collegialintellectual life of the institute as guests," shesays. "He was just another colleague who happenedto be a man."
And though Schlossman recalls that in his daythe Bunting didn't even have a men's restroom--hehad to "give notice" before using the women'sroom--he says he thinks the Bunting could easilyaccommodate men once again.
"I don't think it's all or nothing--either youexclude men or you don't," he says. "I don't thinka man's presence would so disrupt the day-to-dayoperations or spirit of the institution so as toundermine the goal."
Yet Schlossman realizes that he was just oneperson, who studied at the Bunting for only twoyears. Making the Bunting available to men andwomen on equal footing would necessarily have agreater impact on the institute, he says.
"As the one male within the institution, Ididn't threaten the stated goals of theinstitution as being primarily an enclave forwomen's scholars," he says.
"There's no question that a large concentrationof men at the institution on a regular basis wouldchange its reputation in the scholarly world andits reputation among women scholars," Schlossmanadds.
The Harvard Tie
A possible merger between Harvard and Radcliffewould affect more than just the Bunting'sadmission policies. According to those associatedwith the institute, a final deal could clarify anadministrative situation that has always beenperplexing for many Bunting fellows, whose stay inCambridge is frequently limited to a year or two.
"The Harvard-Radcliffe relationship isconfusing anyway as it is, and it isn't helped bythe fact that our fellows receive a Harvard ID,"Brock says.
According to Brock, coupling Harvard's immensereputation with its name could only help theinstitute and its participants.
"It'd be great for us. Our fellows, for theirown professional development, could say they'dbeen at Harvard," she notes.
Still, fellows say that though the institute'sbond to Radcliffe is strong, their own loyaltieshave always been closer to the Bunting itself, andthus a change in the Bunting's umbrellaorganization might not affect its daily workings.
"The primary connection I feel is to theBunting first, then Radcliffe, then Harvard,"Isaacs says.
While discussions continue between the twoschools--the closed-door talks first became public10 months ago--the Bunting may now be trying tocapitalize on the strength of its own reputation,independent from that of Radcliffe.
A recently announced summer program that bringsmid-career professionals to Cambridge to work withBunting fellows is just such a move, according toBunting fellow Ferentz.
"I think that the Bunting is such a strongprogram on its own," Ferentz says. "Even though itwas started as a Radcliffe thing, I think it canmaintain its own identity."
Even with the change, the Bunting could remainvirtually all-female. Kilson, for one, doesn'texpect to the institute to be inundated withapplications from men clamoring to be admitted.
"I'd be very surprised if there are many menapplicants," she says.
But even if no men choose to apply for theBunting, changing admissions policies will helpthe institute stay on the right side of thelaw--and might bring the Harvard-Radcliffenegotiations one step closer to a final deal.