MIT: 'Fear of Flying' Now Playing

Names, sex, newspapers. They don't mix.

Two MIT women have learned that lesson in recent weeks, as fellow engineers continue to react to the women's article, published in an MIT newspaper, evaluating the sexual performance of three dozen identified male partners.

Roxanne Ritchie's and Susan Gilbert's Consumer Guide to MIT Men appeared in the April 28 issue of "thursday," an alternative MIT weekly, has touched off a controversy downriver, including dark hints of disciplinary action by the university against either the authors, the paper, or both.

"thursday" fears it may lose the office space the university provides.

The article put "star" ratings and obscene comments on the quality, longevity and versatility of the effort next to the names of 36 MIT students. Together, the two women claim to have sampled all 36 men.

"Like sleeping with a small Texas longhorn. Yes, he takes his boots off first," the description of one "two star" performance-denoting "Mediocre but maybe worth trying"--read

'"I did it,' he said. 'Did what?' I asked," was of one of the less complimentary comments.

The student named in that evaluation said yesterday he was "pissed off about my name being used." But, he added, "MIT is out to get 'thursday'--something it's wanted to do for a long time."

Other students named in the article said last week they found it "amusing" but had heard rumors of a possible law suit and complaints to administrators.

Ritchie, who said she resented "the immaturity of the response of the MIT community" to the article, claims to have been continually harassed by other students since the story appeared.