RUS Protests Final Clubs

The Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) launched a self-described "coalition building" effort to bring down Harvard's nine all-male final clubs Wednesday night, door-dropping strongly worded anti-club pamphlets at each upperclass suite.

Labeled only as "important information for Harvard-Radcliffe undergraduates regarding social life on campus," the four-page pamphlets contain a page of critically-worded information about the clubs, a summation of different anti-final club opinions and a page of suggestions for undergraduates who wish to avoid the clubs. In addition, the pamphlet details the locations, reputations and mascots of each club.

A Function?

"Do they have a function," the text reads, "Final clubs give parties, rent rooms to members (hourly or for the summer), have alumni connections for that hard-to-get-job during the recession, hold black tie dinners, and go on group trips to Wellesley, Simmons or other members' country homes."

RUS Co-President Kate Frucher '92-'93 said that her organization--which last spring approved in principle the idea of distributing the pamphlets--is hoping to include a wide array of student organizations in the campus-wide campaign against the clubs. The drop was timed to coincide with the beginning of the fall "punch" season, when sophomores are traditionally invited to join the clubs.

Orientation Week

The pamphlets were also dropped at the doors of first-year students early in Orientation Week.

Several final club presidents last night declined comment on the pamphlets, saying that they had not seen the publications.