Class of 2003 Pays Scant Regard to Merger

Radcliffe College's announcement that it plans to merge with Harvard made waves among former undergraduates last week--but among incoming students, it caused barely a ripple.

Most prospective students and parents interviewed this weekend said they do not understand Radcliffe's relationship with Harvard or the role Radcliffe has played in students' lives.

"It was very ambiguous," said high school senior Emily Ludmir. "I didn't get it--I thought it was all meshed together...It was just longer names on the envelope."

Saturday's Presidents' Welcome in the Science Center did little to clear up that confusion. Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson discussed Tuesday's merger but offered the overflow crowd few specifics about the institute Radcliffe will become--mainly because many details, including the future of undergraduate programs, have not yet been determined.

Wilson said that women need not be concerned about the merger: "In terms of opportunity, there's no less--indeed there's a multiplying of opportunity."

Wilson said prospective students should choose Harvard because they will have a voice in shaping the new Radcliffe.

Despite the shortage of details, many pre-frosh and parents expressed hope that the status of female undergraduates at Harvard would now be crystal clear.

When his daughter Heather, a prospective student, originally realized that women are currently affiliated with Radcliffe, Kenneth S. Crossner said she was "really disturbed," grumbling to her parents, "You mean I won't get a Harvard diploma?"

"She came here because of Harvard," Crossner said.

While the admissions office routinely touts the "dual citizenship" of women at Harvard and Radcliffe, most pre-frosh said that "value-added" status had little impact on their applications.

"Radcliffe didn't play a major part in my decision to apply," Derisa J. Grant said.

Director of Admissions Marlyn McGrath Lewis '70-'73 confirmed that "dual citizenship" is of negligible help in recruiting female applicants.

"There's no evidence that it's been a positive thing," Lewis said. "We have not found that particular aspect of the relationship a plus."

Lewis said the admissions office had told pre-frosh "only what the statement itself said, that Radcliffe has declared an intention to merge with Harvard."

But she added that few students had questions about the deal.

"Not surprisingly, we have been asked very little by prospective students," she said. "There are quite a lot of details, but I don't think anyone who hasn't spent time as a student already has any understanding of that."

Nevertheless, a few prospective students and parents said they were sad to see Radcliffe go.

"I kind of would like 'Radcliffe' on my diploma. I don't really understand why it won't be there," said prospective student Tania R. James.

Vikas M. Varkud said his daughter had been looking forward to attending both Harvard and Radcliffe. He said she took special pains to explain the difference between the two institutions to her grandfather.

"She did have an identity with Radcliffe," Varkud said.

In particular, parents said they hoped the merger would not quash special programs for women.

"Sometimes girls are not as confident and are a little more shy," said parent Reena Racki.

Rosalind M. Vaz, whose daughter visited campus this weekend, said she would write a letter of protest if programs disappeared.

"My personal feeling is that I hope this won't stifle the process of women mentoring women," Vaz said.

But most parents agreed with B.J. Harris, who was pleased by the announcement of the merger.

"As far as we're concerned, our daughter applied to Harvard," he said. "We've been telling people that she's going to Harvard. Now we don't have to tell everyone that we lied."

--Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to the reporting of this story.