Corporation Declares Women Eligible For Harvard Prizes and Fellowships

All but ten of Harvard's male-only prizes and fellowships are now open to undergraduate women after a decision earlier this week by the Harvard Corporation to enroll Radcliffe students simultaneously in Harvard College.

Dean Whitlock said yesterday that the decision allows Harvard administered fellowship committees to interpret the words :a man of Harvard College" in its generic sense.

James A. Sharaf '60, attorney in the office of the general counsel, said yesterday that the corporation decision would not have any effect other than the opening up of most fellowships and prizes.

The deeds of the ten remaining prizes and fellowships--including the Fiske and DeJersey--specifically state that only a male student be eligible for the awards.

Women became eligible for most of the undergraduate fellowships in 1972, following the absorption of Radcliffe into the University, by the interpretation of the word "student" at Harvard to include women.

President Horner said last night that 12 Radcliffe awards with remain restricted to women since male undergraduates will not be enrolled in Radcliffe. She added that the executive committee of the Radcliffe trustees gave their approval to the plan previous to the Corporation's decision.

Whitlock said that he and the general counsels office "are going into high gear to extend deadlines in each case where it is possible to include women this year." Most of the deadlines will probably be extended until April 15.

He said that the Office of Career Services and Off-Campus Learning will send out notices tomorrow to department and house staffs asking them to notify all women of their eligibility.