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Welcome Travelers
Radcliffe
Classmates' News
12/04/06:
The Radcliffe Class of 1955 invites you to join in support of the
newly established Harvard College Women's Center.
Harvard has taken a very long time to recognize that its undergraduate
women would benefit greatly from programs tailored to their special
needs and interests. In 1997, thanks to a small endowment, the Ann
Radcliffe Trust was established to raise awareness of women's issues
by sponsoring leadership awards, guest lectures and symposia. The
Trust has now become an integral part of the Harvard College Women's
Center, newly established under the leadership of Susan Marine.
Several members of Radcliffe '55 have visited
the Center and have met with Ms. Marine to learn about its activities.
We want to share the news with all Radcliffe alumnae.
The Harvard College Women's Center opened September '06 in the basement
of Canaday Hall, a freshman dorm at the edge of the Harvard Yard.
The allocated space, though modest, is bright and cheerful, with
a living room, a kitchen, a small library with computers, and a
conference room.
Director Susan Marine described the activities which are already
ongoing and the plans which she hopes to implement in the future.
She oversees the Ann Radcliffe Trust and its student advisory committee,
stretching its limited resources to make grants which support student
programs such as a magazine for women, called "Freeze,"
and a dinner and keynote featuring Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun.
Responsibility for the Radcliffe Institute's highly successful mentoring
program has been transferred to the Women's Center, and Ms. Marine
has been asked by the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality
Studies to establish a program of field placement internships for
students.
There has been enthusiastic response to the Women's Leadership Program,
which provides training to undergraduate women leaders in public
speaking, fund-raising, and legal issues. Ms. Marine looks upon
leadership skills as extremely important for the enhancement of
women's career development and hopes to expand this program.
Radcliffe '55 would like to encourage support of the Harvard College
Women's Center by alumnae from other Radcliffe classes and from
Harvard classes as well. Gifts will automatically receive Harvard
class credit; we are opening discussions with the Radcliffe Institute,
hoping that support of the Center will earn credit toward Radcliffe
reunion giving.
To make a contribution to the Harvard College Women's Center, you
can check "Other designation" on the gift slip you receive
from Harvard and designate your gift to "The Ann Radcliffe
Trust in Harvard College ." Or you can write a check to "Harvard
College Fund" and fill in the memo line with "Ann Radcliffe
Trust." Mail to E.V. Sweeney at: Harvard College Fund, 124
Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Becky Ketchum Richardson,
co-secretary (Massachusetts), writes:
"George and I attended an inspiring conference in Washington
DC held by the Spiritual Progressives, http://www.spiritualprogressives.org/.
Unitarian-Universalists, Jews, Muslims and various Christian faiths
from 32 states were represented among the 1200 attendees. Let me
know if you are interested in joining a local chapter.
"I also attended the Association of Harvard College Class Secretaries
and Treasurers as a guest of Renny Little and Dick Zwetsch
(Harvard '55). The Dean of Harvard College, Benedict Gross, spoke
about the efforts to improve the social environment at Harvard with
the new Women's Center, a Pub featuring soft and hard drinks, huge
campus fairs from time to time, and coffee shops on campus that
will be open far into the night in a few locations including the
Hillis library. We were told that there are nearly 140 extra-curricular
activities at Harvard and these will have offices at Hilles as well,
freeing up the use of the Common Rooms in the Houses for informal
gatherings."
Vaughan Barton, Phyllis Beineke, Rosemary Bonanno,
Joan Canzanelli, Ellie Drachman, and Becky Richardson
(Regina was unable to come) met with Associate Dean Judith Kidd
and E. V. Sweeney regarding the new Women's Center on the Harvard
Campus. We were told that the Ann Radcliffe Trust, with income totaling
$300,000 annually will be used to pay costs of running the center.
The construction cost of the Women's Center is $3 million and will
come from the Harvard College Reserve Funds. The Center might be
named the Ann Radcliffe Center. The new Director is Suan Marine,
who currently leads Harvard's anti sexual assault center. We might
ask the new Director if she could speak with us at Craigville this
fall.
The Center will not support political activities nor provide services,
but will be full of activity. The Center is to address the social
needs of women at Harvard. Some Harvard men have control of the
final clubs and their social life is there. Some people participate
in the 140 or so extra-curricular activities and sports. Generally
speaking, however, a sense of community on the campus is found to
be lacking. For quite a few women this is a painful problem, and
the Women's Center plus the other community activities described
by Dean Gross are designed to improve the social milieu on the Harvard
Campus for both women and men.
09/09/05:
Kathy Sreedhar was awarded the 2005 Radcliffe Alumnae
Recognition Award, which recognizes the achievements of individual
alumnae who have made outstanding contributions to society and to
the Institute. Since 1984 Kathy has been director of the Unitarian
Universalist Holdeen India Program (UUHIP). UUHIP strengthens and
supports the most impoverished and vulnerable groups in India, in
particular Dalits (untouchables), tribals and women, in their efforts
to promote economic and social justice and build enduring institutions.
UUHIP has worked with an organization in Maharashtra for many years
that frees and rehabilitates bonded laborers and tribals, none of
whom have returned to slavery. A residential school has been established
there and named for Kathy. For more information, please visit http://www.uua.org/international/holdeen/
or contact Barbara Wilson.
UU Holdeen India Program
1320 18th St. N.W. Suite 300B
Washington, D.C. 20036
202 296 4672 x14
Holdeen@aol.com
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