The Radcliffe College Alumnae Association (RCAA) took the first step in changing their name at their annual meeting on June 9--Radcliffe Day--altering their by-laws to become a organization governed by a board rather than by its members.

The new by-laws will allow the board to remove mention of the non-existent Radcliffe College from their name in October. The previous arrangement would have made a name change almost impossible.

In 1925, the RCAA became a membership governance organization which, under Massachusetts law, means that a name or charter change requires two-thirds of the members to vote--roughly 20,000 people in this case.

"It isn't really possible in these modern times," RCAA President A'Lelia Bundles '74 said. "In 1925 there were only 1600 women."

An overwhelming majority of those who attended the annual meeting or voted by proxy supported the change--the final count was 189 to 18.

RCAA members were first informed of the possible change in May when they received a letter from the organization informing them of the upcoming vote.

"We wanted to include them in the process and make it open," Bundles said.

Most alumnae seem to be supportive of this change, Bundles said, but some are still concerned about the new structure and the likely change in name.