“I don’t understand this quote,” said Tamara I. Stern from Staten Island, N.Y. “What does it mean?”

Another pre-frosh, Alan Chu from Ann Arbor, Mich., also said he thought the poster was unclear.

Chu said he guessed the sign was telling readers that final clubs are places where people go to have sex.

Neuhaus-Follini said Perspective had more freedom than RUS—the oldest feminist organization on campus—in advertising to pre-frosh.

“I think RUS wanted to be careful and Perspective is not as concerned about being careful,” Neuhaus-Follini said.

Though RUS representatives stressed the success of their collaboration with Perspective, they decided not to co-sponsor the flier because their goal was to disseminate information and they found the posters limiting.

“I think our message is closer to the back of the pamphlet, ‘You have options,’ not, ‘Boycott Final Clubs,’” said Rosenberg.

Space of Their Own

RUS members disagree about just what those options are—whether final clubs should integrate or whether women should find their own spaces on campus.

The pamphlet chronicles the integration of male final clubs—how the undergraduate members of the Phoenix and the Fly have voted to allow women in but have yet to “punch” any female students.

“I think its probably unfortunate the way that they are set up—its not egalitarian, but at the same time by trying to prosecute the clubs, essentially trying to close them down, does not take into consideration the effort and expense the members of the club put forward. [It is] for themselves, yes, but also to supplement a fairly difficult social setting,” the final club president said.

Integration is one avenue to “democratizing” social space, as is the formation of women social clubs and sororities by students and the establishment of a women’s center by the University, according to RUS members.

“I, personally, think the world would be a better place if final clubs didn’t exist,” Neuhaus-Follini said. “That is not necessarily what RUS wants.”

Rosenberg said she realizes students are dependent on final clubs for spaces to socialize.

“I don’t think you can institute any change of what final clubs are—an amazing number of Harvard students attend them and really don’t go to parties anywhere else,” Rosenberg said.