When the wheelers and dealers who brokered the merger between Radcliffe College and Harvard University in 1998 envisioned a new Radcliffe, they imagined a world-class institute for advanced study that would be influential and powerful at both at Harvard and in the world of academia as a whole.

But two years after Radcliffe College agreed to become part of Harvard, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study is facing a budget shortfall, firing top administrators and mid-level employees and altering once-central Radcliffe programs—all while trying to placate a large contingent of confused alumnae.

The Institute is in the process of trying to comply with the advice of an ad-hoc committee of academics that this winter suggested that Radcliffe streamline its many programs.

While struggling to transform itself from a College into an institute for advanced study, Radcliffe has failed to adequately communicate its mission to its alumnae and to the Harvard community as a whole.

“Organizing this is very wrenching,” University Provost Harvey V. Fineberg ’67 says. “It’s necessary to shake the organization to accomplish its mission.”

The shaking going on at Radcliffe seems to be more like an earthquake.

Though Radcliffe completed its $100 million capital campaign last spring, the Institute fell short this year in meeting the cash flow requirements for its annual budget.

The budget troubles have led to the firings of mid-level employees across the institute, staffing cuts handed down this past Friday, a source familiar with the Radcliffe administration told The Crimson.

And while Radcliffe is concerned with addressing its financial troubles, alumni say the institute has to better define its mission in order to garner their support (and funds).

A large group of possible supporters are equally interested in participating in Harvard’s development efforts, even though those women who graduated before 1977 can only be solicited by Radcliffe for funds —a decades old technicality that was maintained in the 1998 merger agreement.

Though there is a growing initiative among alumanae and both Radcliffe and Harvard administrators to change the fundraising rules, Radcliffe will have to be on a solid financial footing—and have a clear public image—to open up its core financial constituency to Harvard solicitations.

Less Money, More Problems