Clubs Given One More Month To Discuss Admitting Women

The College's nine exclusive, all-male final clubs yesterday got a one-month reprieve from potential College sanctions when the student-faculty Committee on College Life(CCL) voted to allow them more time to consider admitting women.

The clubs on October 22 said they would not admit women, but nevertheless asked for more time to discuss the issue. A special CCI subgroup met with the nine undergraduate club presidents Tuesday night, and yesterday recommended honoring the request.

The eight-member subgroup offered the clubs a two-week extension, but the club presidents asked for four weeks so they can complete their "punching season," during which they select new members, said a CCL source who spoke with the club presidents on Tuesday and asked not be identified.

Not Trivial

"The question raised are not trivial, " said Dean of the College John B. Fox Jr. 59, the committee's chairman. "To make a recommendation-on a topic on which there's considerable strength of feeling on both sides-without giving people a chance to say what concerns them doubles the problem."

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, the committee's secretary, will draft a letter asking the clubs to justify their request to retain ties with the College despite refusing to adhere to its non discrimination policy.

Epps said the committee is asking the clubs for an explanation of what they see as their purpose, their role in the College, and their reasons for deserving exemption from the College's policy.

The club presidents have met for talks with Epps several times during the summer and the fall. They sent a paragraph-long letter to the first committee meeting stating that their members.

had voted and "a substantial majority" did favor admitting women

But they requested that the college not sever its ties with them, because they "value (their) association with Harvard and wish to remain part of the community."

Aithough the clubs are not of ficially, recognized student groups, they nevertheless enjoy benefits from the college, including low-cost steam heading and centers phones.

Fair Hearing

Last Year's CCL resolved last May 9 that if the clubs did not admit women by October 1 it would consider recommending that the college sever its with them. However this year's members, some of whom are new to the committee, have expressed unwillingness to take swift action without hearing the views of club members.

"(The club members) felt they really didn't have the time between the beginning of school and October 1" to discuss the issue, said committee member Dr.Wassen E.C Wacker. Director of University Health Services, who participated in Tuesday night's meeting and called it "a very good, perfectly same dialogue."

Other Business

In other business, the committee appointed a task force to examine student-faculty contact, including the results of its college-wide survey of student and faculty opinions, and it approved the creation of eight new student groups.

The new groups are Cookin'- The Cabot House Nightclub: The Freshman Guide to the Houses. The Harvard Press Club: The Cynthia Stanton Memorial Cancer of Harvard Redclifie, Jazz for Life Harvard Students for Hendgun Control. The Association for the Improvements of Minority images Harvard Debate Forum and Mozart Society Orchestra