Word: rus
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Over the past few weeks, members of the Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) have called for a variety of measures to improve women’s social life and is organizing to make them a reality. Among the issues that have been discussed are establishing a “women’s center,” creating more women’s social groups and “swatting the Fly”—or trying to pressure final clubs such as the Fly to take on women as members...
...RUS decided to focus its scrutiny on the Fly because the club does not explicitly ban female members and recently gained tax-exempt status for some donations. But even if the Fly decided to take women as members, it would still exclude the vast majority of the student population. Final clubs need to make far more radical changes to bring themselves in line with an open, egalitarian society than letting in a few of their members’ girlfriends join. From the viewpoint of social exclusivity, admitting women will make little difference. We urge all students, not just women...
Because they are private organizations, the University cannot stop final clubs from continuing to represent patriarchy and exclusivity. Having the University put pressure on them to reform their punch process, as RUS has urged, would likely result in a situation similar to the one that exists now with the Hasty Pudding. Although the initial punch event will be open to all undergrads, the Pudding will most likely retain its traditional standards for entrance—standards that are antithetical to the College’s own beliefs in fairness and community. Such a move by the College is likely...
Rather than having the final clubs change, we wish they would simply cease to exist. Having them reform to be recognized by the College will simply officially sanction a system of social exclusion which harms all undergraduates, not just women. RUS was on the right track in targeting final clubs. They simply did not take their protest far enough...
Turszkowksa said RUS will also have a difficult time attracting the attention of administrators because the social life of students is not their prime concern...