RUS STATEMENT

We, the Radcliffe Union of Students, as the voice of undergraduate women in the Harvard Community, express concern that our rights are once again going to be overlooked in the implementation of the housing plan for next year. That such rights are in danger points directly to the fact that a 1:1 ratio in the student body is the only way to resolve the problems of co-residential housing.

We make the following statements:

1. The ratio at the Radcliffe Quadrangle must be maintained at a 1:1:1 women:men.

2. We are further opposed to any housing plan that does not at least maintain the present ratios at the "ratio" Houses (Adams, Dunster, Lowell, Quincy, and Winthrop). Many women currently residing in these Houses stipulated a desirable ratio as a necessary condition for their moving to Harvard. These Houses have begun to grow and develop as co-residential communities. We recognize the problems of those women who are dissatisfied with the ratios in the remaining River Houses in which they live. However, distribution of women in insignificant numbers throughout the Houses would do nothing to alleviate the problems in the "bad" ratio Houses, and would only aggravate problems in the "good" ratio Houses. This statement is a reaffirmation of the stand taken last Spring by the Radcliffe Union of Students.

3. A certain area in the Yard should be selected for the housing of freshman women. A 1:1 ratio should be established within entries and or dorm corridors in this area. Upperclass women should have a choice of optimal living conditions here as well. We consider that 50 upperclass women is the best possible number to live in the Yard with the freshmen.