Radcliffe to Scrutinize, Signouts to Apartments

Girls who repeatedly sign out overnight to boy's apartments may be questioned about their conduct and, if necessary, brought before the college Judicial Board, several Radcliffe head residents said last night. The Judicial Board has the power to suspend or expel students.

In a memo issued yesterday to dorm presidents, head residents, and resident fellows, President Bunting outlined procedures for handling such "rare cases where a student is obeying all rules but indulging in conduct that does not reflect credit on herself, her family or her college."

Mrs. Bunting's statement provides that a head resident or dorm president who knows of a student's "unbecoming conduct" should first speak with the girl directly or discuss the situation with "an appropriate member of the College staff." If these "informal efforts fail to correct the situation, the case should ordinarily be referred by the student's house dean to the Judicial Board for action."

A number of head residents contacted last night indicated that they would be concerned if they knew that a girl had repeatedly spent the night in a boy's apartment. They interpreted Mrs. Bunting's memo as official support for their feelings about such behavior. The memo, they emphasized, does not change the sort of cases with which they will be involved, but only creates definite channels for action.

Radcliffe Cares

One resident suggested that all-night apartment sign-out were not "wise procedure." Another said that such sign-outs by upperclassmen could have "a strong effect on freshmen." Since the administration made no policy covering the situation last year, one resident said, girls "assumed that the college didn't care." But, he emphasized, "the college does care."

In an informal survey yesterday afternoon, many girls expressed surprise that the college should be concerned at all about apartment sing-outs. Several girls felt that any attempt to restrict sing-outs would not change the real situation, but merely cause dishonesty.

The Radcliffe Judicial Board, which will deal with the more extreme sign-out cases, is chaired by Mrs. Bunting and includes the college deans, the president of RGA, and the chairman of the Board of Hall Presidents.

Under the present rules system, juniors' and seniors' overnight sign-out privileges are unlimited. Freshmen and sophomores must request permission from their head residents for each all-night sign-out.