N.Y. Harvard Club Approves Full Membership for Women

The Harvard Club of New York voted last night to admit women as full members.

A resolution calling for equal membership rights for women passed with 2097 members voting in favor and 695 against, 235 votes more than the two-thirds majority required for passage.

The same resolution had been rejected by 18 votes on May 3, 1972.

The approved resolution includes a stipulation that women continue to be prohibited from drinking at the Club's mens' bar.

Inevitable

George P. Kramer '50, secretary of the Club, said the decision was "inevitable." "No one felt it was a landmark happening. It had been building up for a long time," he said.

Kramer said that women have been allowed to use most of the Club's facilities for many years. He said that the 1972 refusal to admit women was due to "questions that had not been fully worked out."

The Club's previous policy was to allow women "signing privileges" or a partial membership if they were related to a Club member or if they belonged to the Radcliffe Club.

"The Yale Club took the action earlier in theory but not in practice." Kramer said. "Women are not allowed nearly so extensively there."

The Radcliffe Club of New York has not decided whether to merge with the Harvard Club as a result of last night's vote, Kramer said. He said that mans Radcliffe Club members would like to preserve their separate identity.

Kramer said that most voting on the resolution had been completed by press prior to last night's meeting which was attended by about 150 Club members. He said there were "reasonably impassioned speeches" both for and against the resolution delivered at the meeting.