Committee Asks Vote on Co-ed Clubs

A proposal to give the Harvard and Radcliffe Student Councils power to pass or vote applications by organizations to "have undergraduates (of the other college) as members of officers or performing any duty necessary to the functioning for the organization," was made yesterday by a joint College'-Cliffe Council committee.

According to the proposal, this power would be"...in addition to the approval (or disapproval) of the appropriate Deans," but it was not explained how this plan squared with the present faculty rule requiring organizations using the name Harvard to be composed 100 percent of Harvard men.

Bender Wants No Repeal

Dean Bender, who had earlier given support to the proposal in a conversation with Council President Robert L. Fischelis '49, a member of the joint committee, last night said that his approval of the new plan in no way indicated that he favored abolition of the "all-Harvard" rule.

The joint committee proposal was made yesterday afternoon to the Radcliffe Council, which passed it unanimously after brief discussion. It will be presented to the Harvard Council Thursday. Dean Sherman, as well as Bender, has given her okay.

Change of Powers

In effect the proposal would change the Faculty's power from that of not considering applications of undergraduates for co-ed membership or officership, to vote power; while it would give the Councils, which at present have no say in the matter, equivalent power.

According to Fischelis, this is merely "a first attempt to go into the situation. A fuller examination of the whole problem of the co-educational aspects of extra-curricular organizations is coming up next year," he promised.

Bender said that he strongly wanted the Council to conduct a full examination of the matter.

Text of Proposal

The text of the proposal is as follows: The Harvard Student Council and the Radcliffe Student Council jointly petition the Deans of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges that in any case when a Harvard (Radcliffe) undergraduate organization seeks to have Radcliffe (Harvard) undergraduates as members or officers or performing any duty necessary to the functioning of the organizations, that, in addition to the approval of the appropriate Deans, the organization be required to secure the approval of the Harvard, (Radcliffe) Student Council.

The two Student Councils, for their part, agree that each will consult the other before giving such approval.

"Complementary Groups"

As a matter of policy, approval will be freely granted for complementary organizations at Harvard and Radcliffe to carry out joint projects and functions, as long as the interests of both the Harvard and Radcliffe organizations are preserved.

Both Student Councils agree to devote their best effects to enforce decisions agreed to by both of them on matters dealt with in this proposal.