RUS Opposes Full Co-residency Plan

The Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS)-at an open meeting of Dean May's sub-committee on co-residency yesterday-recommended that the CHUL abandon its plans for making all Harvard Houses co-ed for next year.

The RUS proposed instead that only a limited number of Harvard Houses be made co-residential so that a two-to-one male female ratio could be established. RUS said the CHUL's proposed five-to-one male-female ratio would be unsatisfactory.

The RUS also asked that a clause be added to the CHUL plan allowing movement between the Houses in special cases.

The sub-committee ratified the RUS request to extend the deadline for room applications to an undetermined future date because of "the incredible amount of confusion" in understanding the OHUL plan. Dean May said that the sub-committee would have to meet again to consider other proposals suggested by the RUS.

Dean Epps cautioned that the establishment of a two-to-one male-female ratio in a limited number of Houses could possibly involve forcing some men to move out of their current Houses.

Responding to some students desire for total flexibility in movement between the Houses, Bruce Chalmers, Master of Winthrop House, explained that if students were permitted to change House affiliations at will, no permanent ratios could be established.

One member of the sub-committee explained that the CHUL plan had sought to maximize happiness and to eliminate inequities between the Houses.

Gross Imbalance

Defending the position against full co-residency, one RUS member answered, "Given the four-to-one male-female ratio at Harvard, any housing plan geared to maximizing happiness will maximize the happiness of the men. If a limited number of Houses go co-ed with a two-to-one, or even a one-to-one ratio, then men in the other Houses will realize the gross imbalance in the University and fight with us to increase the number of women at Harvard."