But part of the key is for future leaders to recognize that the inherently political nature of the groups must be tempered by fulfilling the social needs of their members.

The BGLTSA uses its social gatherings to make political statements, with its dances carrying the implicit message that, “At Harvard, GLBT students and their friends are free to openly gather and flirt and have fun together,”says LaFlamme.

For RUS, activities like the “sextoyz” party are a means of tying together the often conflicting purposes of the group.

“In trying to create a feminist community, our social activities have inherently political content,” she says.

Others suggest that underlying conflicts themselves are a means of reaching that tenuous balance.

“Groups on campus are beginning to gel with internal dissent,” Smith says. “They see that just through dialogue you can get people thinking.”

—Staff writer Amelia E. Lester can be reached at lester@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Sarah M. Seltzer can be reached at sseltzer@fas.harvard.edu.