Athletic Departments Merge Officially

The merger of the Harvard and Radcliffe athletic departments has become official, The Crimson learned yesterday.

The official notification, in the form of a letter from Robert E. Kaufmann '62, assistant to the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for Financial Affairs, to director of Athletics Robert B. Watson '37 came early this week.

Writing on behalf of Dean Rosovsky, Kaufmann directed Watson to "raise questions and develop answers to problems that currently exist in athletics which have tended to prevent equal opportunity and access for men and women at all levels of athletic endeavor."

The letter is tantamount to official merger of the two athletic departments. "While the letter didn't specifically make Watson head of both departments," Kaufmann said, "it implied that we are moving toward a circumstance where he would be in principle and practice the director of athletics for men and women."

Watson, who two weeks ago said that he was expecting "any day now" a letter from Rosovsky which would empower him to oversee both Harvard and Radcliffe athletics, yesterday refused to comment on the Kaufmann letter. "I think there should be a press release on this matter from the Dean's office," Watson said. "I have no comment whatsoever."

While Watson was characteristically tight-lipped about discussing matters that have not been officially announced, others in the University athletic community acknowledged that the fusion of the two departments had become official.

Baaron Pittenger, associate director of Athletics, said yesterday afternoon that the Harvard athletic department had received the Kaufmann letter. "We have a letter saying that the Harvard athletic department is now responsible for both Harvard and Radcliffe," Pittenger said.

Mary Paget, assistant to the director of Athletics, also confirmed the official merger. "The final mechanics of this still have to be worked out, but this is so," Paget said. "I've been given a new title, assistant to the director of Athletics for Radcliffe, with particular emphasis on development of women's varsity sports."

Paget said that she has already begun work on the mechanics of the new arrangement. She said that she has been requested to prepare "a sort of illuminating paper" which would outline ways of upgrading opportunities for women to a level comparable to opportunities offered for men.

Rosovsky said last night that the letter represents no new policy with regard to Harvard and Radcliffe athletics. "As a result of the treaty between Harvard and Radcliffe, there are two types of activities: Radcliffe-retained activities and Radcliffe-non-retained activities.

Under the agreement of the Harvard-Radcliffe non-merger-merger, Radcliffe-non-retained activities would come under the control of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Rosovsky said that from the beginning Radcliffe athletics have fallen into the non-retaaned category. Kaufmann's letter to Watson is simply the final step in the movement toward total fusion of the two athletic departments.

"We have assumed full control of Harvard and Radcliffe athletics," Rosovsky said. "Mr. Watson is now in fact in charge of both Radcliffe and Harvard athletics."

Rosovsky said that the letter also stressed the need for equity between opportunities offered men and women in the field of athletics.

"My intention is equal treatment for men and women with regard to Harvard and Radcliffe athletics. We've got to move toward equality and that presents some very great problems," Rosovsky said.

As the athletics picture shapes up now, Harvard will assume control of intercollegiate and intramural Radcliffe athletics. Radcliffe will maintain control of its creative and performing arts programs. "We still maintain control over some intramurals and skills programs," Paget said. "But I just don't know what their future is at this point."

One thing that could happen very soon is some sort of redistribution of resources in the athletic department. Pittenger said that the Harvard athletic department is "looking into the possibility of redistributing funds" to improve athletic opportunities at Radcliffe.

Paget said that there could be implementation during the upcoming academic year for a redistribution of resources. She said that Radcliffe could gain most significantly in terms of people--coaches and instructors--and facilities.

Rosovsky, pointing out renovations to accommodate women made in places like Hemenway Gymnasium and the Palmer-Dixon tennis courts, also stressed the need to make facilities available to women.

"Women have as much right and claim to these facilities as men do," Rosovsky said.