May  6,  2016   Dear  President  Faust,       I  write  today  to  convey  the  College’s  recommendations  for  addressing  the  problems   created  for  our  community  by  the  discriminatory  membership  policies  of   undergraduate  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social  organizations,  including  Final   Clubs.           Harvard  has  a  long  and  complex  history  of  grappling  with  gender  discrimination,   dating  back  to  before  Radcliffe  was  chartered  by  the  Commonwealth  of   Massachusetts  in  1894  and  stretching  into  the  present,  when  Harvard  has  resolutely   taken  steps  to  remove  the  antiquated  barriers  to  women’s  full  participation  in  the   University’s  academic  and  extracurricular  opportunities.  In  every  era,  change  has   come  slowly  and  often  with  fierce  opposition.  Even  in  recent  decades,  as  our   community  has  undergone  a  dramatic  and  positive  transformation,  the   unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social  organizations  have  lagged  behind  in  ways  that   are  untenable  in  the  21st  century.  At  a  time  when  Harvard  is  preparing  citizens  and   citizen-­‐leaders  to  bring  people  together  and  embrace  an  increasingly  diverse  and   interconnected  world,  these  organizations  contribute  to  a  social  life  and  a  student   culture  that  for  many  on  our  campus  is  disempowering  and  exclusionary.       In  the  1970s,  as  Harvard  opened  many  opportunities  to  women,  Harvard  College   objected  to  the  discriminatory  practices  of  the  undergraduate  male  Final  Clubs  on   the  basis  that  gender-­‐based  exclusion  would  undermine  the  intellectual  and  social   environment  of  the  College.  In  1984,  the  male  Final  Clubs  chose  to  maintain  their   discriminatory  practices,  which  led  to  the  College’s  decision  to  no  longer  recognize   them  as  part  of  Harvard’s  community.    At  that  time,  the  College  hoped  that  cutting   ties  with  these  organizations  would  either  lead  them  to  become  gender  inclusive  or   stem  their  impact  on  the  student  culture  and  social  life  at  the  College.    Instead,  in   what  has  been  described  as  an  effort  to  counter  the  male  dominated  dynamics  of   Harvard’s  social  scene,  more  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social  organizations  have   emerged.  Ultimately,  all  of  these  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social  organizations   are  at  odds  with  Harvard  College’s  educational  philosophy  and  its  commitment  to  a   diverse  living  and  learning  experience.         Discrimination  is  pernicious.  Stereotypes  and  bias  take  hold,  normalizing  in  a   community  behavior,  which  should  be  unacceptable.  In  this  case,  the  discriminatory   membership  policies  of  these  organizations  have  led  to  the  perpetuation  of  spaces   that  are  rife  with  power  imbalances.  The  most  entrenched  of  these  spaces  send  an   unambiguous  message  that  they  are  the  exclusive  preserves  of  men.  In  their   recruitment  practices  and  through  their  extensive  resources  and  access  to  networks   of  power,  these  organizations  propagate  exclusionary  values  that  undermine  those   of  the  larger  Harvard  College  community.  And  while  the  history  of  these   organizations  is  similar  to  those  at  some  of  our  peer  institutions,  organizations  on   all  of  those  campuses  began  to  admit  women  decades  ago,  rendering  the  situation  at   Harvard  not  just  untenable,  but  also  uniquely  anachronistic.       Although  they  are  private  organizations,  these  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social   organizations  are  comprised  principally,  if  not  exclusively,  of  Harvard  College   students  and  undermine  Harvard’s  campus  culture.  At  the  same  time,  their   fundamental  principles  are  antithetical  to  our  institutional  values.  Harvard  has  the   obligation  to  establish  the  general  regulations  and  standards  governing  Harvard   students,  faculty,  and  staff  that  are  consistent  with  our  educational  philosophy.  As   importantly,  the  College  must  ensure  that  when  it  permits  its  resources  to  be   expended,  when  it  allows  its  name  to  be  used,  and  when  it  endorses  the  actions  of   its  students,  it  does  so  in  a  way  that  is  consonant  with  its  core  value  of  non-­‐ discrimination  and  of  fostering  a  diverse  community  where  students  are  educated   through  experiences  with  individuals  of  different  genders,  gender  identity,  sexual   orientation,  and  racial  and  ethnic  background,  among  other  attributes.     With  these  factors  in  mind,  the  College  respectfully  submits  the  following   recommendations:     1. For  students  matriculating  in  the  fall  of  2017  and  thereafter:  any  such   students  who  become  members  of  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social   organizations  will  not  be  eligible  to  hold  leadership  positions  in  recognized   student  organizations  or  athletic  teams.  Currently  enrolled  students  and   those  who  are  matriculating  in  the  fall  of  2016  will  be  exempt  from  these   new  policies.       2. For  students  matriculating  in  the  fall  of  2017  and  thereafter:  any  such   students  who  become  members  of  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social   organizations  will  not  be  eligible  to  receive  the  Dean’s  endorsement  letters   for  those  fellowships  that  require  such  endorsements.  Currently  enrolled   students  and  those  matriculating  in  the  fall  of  2016  will  be  exempt  from   these  new  policies.       3. Procedures  for  implementing  these  new  policies  will  be  developed  by  an   advisory  group  comprised  of  faculty,  students,  and  administrators  at  the   College.     4. The  College  will  work  with  those  currently  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social   organizations  transitioning  to  gender  inclusive  and  open  membership  to   identify  opportunities  to  engage  and  support  their  positive  functions  of   providing  more  inclusive  social  events,  student  leadership  experiences  and   professional  mentoring  opportunities  for  their  members.  In  all  these  cases,   support  may  include  access  to  and  use  of  certain  Harvard  facilities,  among   other  possibilities  to  be  determined  by  the  advisory  group.    The  College  will   also  continue  to  create  and  invest  in  programs  to  support  gender  equity  on   campus  through  existing  organizations  and  centers.   5. The  College  will  continue  to  invest  in  social  alternatives  and  increase  its   social  programming  budgets  for  the  Freshman  Dean’s  Office,  House  Life,  and   the  Office  of  Student  Life  (programming  budgets  for  these  areas  have  already   increased  73%  over  the  past  two  years,  and  are  expected  to  increase  an   additional  15%  in  the  next  academic  year).  These  investments  will  allow   students,  working  closely  with  Faculty  Deans,  Resident  and  Assistant  Deans,   and  administrators,  to  reimagine  their  social  options  while  reinforcing   community  values  of  inclusion.   6. These  policies  and  other  associated  issues  will  be  monitored  regularly  and   formally  reviewed  three  years  after  taking  effect  to  assess  whether  additional   steps  should  be  considered  and  implemented.       These  new  policies  will  not  prevent  undergraduates  from  choosing  their  own  paths   while  at  Harvard.  They  are  not  designed  to  regulate  the  internal  affairs  of  the   unrecognized  social  organizations;  the  organizations  retain  the  authority  to  set  their   membership  criteria,  even  as  the  College  will  continue  to  urge  them  to  adopt   inclusive  and  non-­‐discriminatory  policies.  Likewise,  students  will  be  able  to   continue  to  join  these  organizations  and  remain  in  good  academic  standing  with  the   College.  The  recommendations  are  instead  focused  exclusively  on  decisions   belonging  to  the  College  about  what  it  funds,  sponsors,  endorses  or  otherwise   operates  under  its  name.       The  College  developed  these  recommendations  with  careful  deliberation.  Over  the   past  two  years,  we  have  engaged  with  students,  including  those  who  are  members  of   unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social  organizations  and  those  who  are  not;  with  our   alumni,  including  members  of  these  organizations  and  non-­‐members;  with  faculty;   and  with  administrative  staff,  including  those  involved  with  extracurricular   activities  on  campus.  We  also  carefully  considered  analyses  on  the  impact  of  gender   exclusionary  practices  on  our  campus  climate,  including  The  Final  Report  of  the   Task  Force  on  the  Prevention  of  Sexual  Assault,  2015;  Report  of  the  Committee  on   Social  Clubs,  2007;  The  Final  Clubs,  1998;  Report  on  the  Final  Clubs,  1997.     In  making  these  recommendations,  the  College  recognizes  that  for  many   stakeholders  –  current  club  members,  club  alumni,  students  in  unrecognized   fraternities  and  sororities,  and  the  University  community  more  broadly  –  these   organizations  have  provided  a  place  of  comfort  and  identity.  We  have  heard  heart-­‐ felt  statements  from  students  about  the  benefits  they  have  experienced  by   belonging  to  a  Final  Club,  fraternity  or  sorority,  and  we  are  not  questioning  their   experiences.  But  we  do  expect  leaders  of  our  athletic  teams,  our  recognized  student   groups,  and  those  seeking  a  Dean’s  endorsement  to  share  in  the  College’s   responsibility  of  fostering  a  non-­‐discriminatory  culture  at  Harvard.         Moments  of  institutional  change  are  sometimes  accompanied  by  a  sense  of  loss  and   fear,  but  they  are  also  crucial  turning  points  for  growth  and  renewal.  Harvard  faced   criticism  when  Radcliffe  College  was  created,  when  Harvard  College  first  awarded   degrees  to  women,  and  when  the  two  Colleges  were  merged.    Yet  few  current   members  of  the  Harvard  community  would  choose  to  return  to  the  policies  and   practices  in  place  prior  to  those  reforms.  Today,  we  have  reached  another   crossroads,  and  it  is  time  to  move  Harvard  College  forward  by  fostering  a  campus   culture  that  respects  the  dignity  and  rights  of  all  our  students.  Previous  generations   of  Harvard  students  have  risen  to  overcome  the  challenges  posed  by  exclusionary   practices  to  create  a  better  Harvard  for  our  current  students.  I  am  confident  that  our   current  students  will  use  this  moment  to  do  the  same  for  the  College’s  future   generations.     Respectfully  submitted,     Rakesh  Khurana     Danoff  Dean  of  Harvard  College                   May  6,  2016         Dean  Rakesh  Khurana   Harvard  University   University  Hall   Cambridge,  MA    02138     Dear  Dean  Khurana:       Thank  you  for  your  recommendations  concerning  unrecognized  single-­‐gender  social   organizations,  including  the  final  clubs  (male  and  female),  fraternities,  and  sororities.    I  very   much  appreciate  your  thoughtful  work,  together  with  that  of  others  in  the  College,  and  write   now  to  convey  my  acceptance  of  the  recommendations.       Throughout  its  history,  Harvard  has  worked  to  broaden  its  educational  reach,  to   enhance  the  effectiveness  of  its  teaching,  and  to  ensure  that  its  students  are  prepared  for   the  diverse  world  into  which  they  will  graduate.    We  undertake  this  work  purposefully,  as   part  of  our  commitment  to  self-­‐examination,  reassessment,  adaptation,  and  innovation.     Tradition  is  important,  especially  to  an  institution  with  our  long  reach  into  the  past,  but  we   must  measure  it  against  the  contemporary  needs  of  a  dynamic,  modern  academic   community.       Over  time,  Harvard  has  transformed  its  undergraduate  student  body  as  it  has  wel-­‐ comed  women,  minorities,  international  students,  and  students  of  limited  financial  means   as  an  increasing  proportion  of  its  population.    But  campus  culture  has  not  changed  as   rapidly  as  student  demography.    In  recent  months,  we  have  been  forcefully  reminded  that   diversity  is  not  equivalent  to  inclusion  and  belonging,  and  we  have  rededicated  ourselves  to   achieving  a  campus  where  all  members  fully  belong  and  thrive.    For  us  to  make  progress  on   this  shared  endeavor,  we  must  address  deeply  rooted  gender  attitudes,  and  the  related   issues  of  sexual  misconduct,  points  underscored  by  the  work  of  the  Task  Force  on  the   Prevention  of  Sexual  Assault.           As  noted  in  your  report,  these  realities  have  informed  the  College’s  recommenda-­‐ tions.    They  are  also  central  to  my  decision  to  accept  them.    A  truly  inclusive  community   requires  that  students  have  the  opportunity  to  participate  in  the  life  of  the  campus  free  from   exclusion  on  arbitrary  grounds.    Although  the  fraternities,  sororities,  and  final  clubs  are  not   formally  recognized  by  the  College,  they  play  an  unmistakable  and  growing  role  in  student   life,  in  many  cases  enacting  forms  of  privilege  and  exclusion  at  odds  with  our  deepest   values.    The  College  cannot  ignore  these  organizations  if  it  is  to  advance  our  shared  com-­‐ mitment  to  broadening  opportunity  and  making  Harvard  a  campus  for  all  of  its  students.     Nor  can  it  endorse  selection  criteria  that  reject  much  of  the  student  body  merely  because  of   Page  2  of  2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          May  6,  2016   gender.    As  reflected  by  the  University’s  decision  to  withdraw  recognition  of  the  male  final   clubs  in  1984,  those  practices  are  inconsistent  with  the  educational  environment  the   College  seeks  to  create.    They  encourage  a  form  of  self-­‐segregation  that  undermines  the   promise  offered  by  Harvard’s  diverse  student  body.    And  they  do  not  serve  our  students   well  when  they  step  outside  our  gates  into  a  society  where  gender-­‐based  discrimination  is   understood  as  unwise,  unenlightened,  and  untenable.       I  join  you  in  urging  the  unrecognized  social  organizations  to  discard  their  gender-­‐ based  membership  practices,  to  adopt  an  open  application  process,  and  to  establish  greater   overall  transparency.    I  recognize,  however,  that  not  all  the  organizations  will  accept  our  call   for  reform  and  that  some  Harvard  College  students  will  still  seek  membership  in  those   organizations.         I  agree  with  the  judgment  that,  at  this  time,  the  College  should  not  adopt  a  rule   prohibiting  students  from  joining  unrecognized  social  organizations  that  retain  discrimina-­‐ tory  membership  policies.    Students  will  decide  for  themselves  whether  to  engage  with   these  organizations,  as  members  or  otherwise.    But  just  as  students  have  choice,  so  too  the   College  must  determine  for  itself  the  structure  of  activities  that  it  funds  or  endorses   (including  through  fellowship  recommendations  from  the  dean),  or  that  otherwise  occur   under  its  auspices.    Captains  of  intercollegiate  sports  teams  and  leaders  of  organizations   funded,  sponsored,  or  recognized  by  Harvard  College  in  a  very  real  sense  represent  the   College.    They  benefit  from  its  resources.    They  operate  under  its  name.    Especially  as  it   seeks  to  break  down  structural  barriers  to  an  effectively  inclusive  campus,  the  College  is   right  to  ensure  that  the  areas  in  which  it  provides  resources  and  endorsement  advance  and   reinforce  its  values  of  non-­‐discrimination.         As  your  recommendations  acknowledge,  it  will  be  important  for  the  College  to   monitor  the  changing  relationship  between  the  single-­‐gender  social  organizations  and  our   students.    I  am  mindful  in  particular  about  concerns  that  unsupervised  social  spaces  can   present  for  sexual  misconduct  and  alcohol  abuse.    I  ask  that  you  report  to  me,  at  the  end  of   each  of  the  next  three  academic  years,  about  the  College’s  assessment  of  the  role  the  single-­‐ gender  social  organizations  are  playing  in  College  life  and  whether  the  College  should  be   considering  any  further  action  to  advance  our  core  institutional  values.     Culture  change  is  not  easy,  and  members  of  our  community  will  inevitably  disagree   about  how  to  move  forward.    No  action  is  likely  to  prove  a  perfect  solution  to  the  complex   array  of  issues  of  gender  equity,  equality  of  student  access  to  powerful  social  resources,   student  choice,  and  other  factors,  including  the  well-­‐being  of  our  students,  that  are  at  play   here.    But  we  have  as  our  touchstone  an  educational  experience  in  which  students  of  all   backgrounds  come  together,  learn  from  each  other,  and  enjoy  the  transformational   possibilities  presented  by  sustained  exposure  to  difference.    By  reinforcing  core  principles   of  non-­‐discrimination  and  inclusion,  the  recommendations  of  the  College  represent  an   important  next  step  in  our  ongoing  progress  toward  that  goal.     Sincerely,         Drew  Gilpin  Faust