Radcliffe College. Archives

From the 1930's, the College Library served as a repository for primary source material about Radcliffe College history, including records of early student organizations and alumnae books and pamphlets. In 1956 a records survey of College offices was conducted and the college archives office established. Records were moved to a storage vault in the basement of Agassiz House. No permanent staff was appointed until 1978.

From the description of Records of the Radcliffe College Archives, 1955-1985 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 232006509

In 1879 a non-degree program for "Private Collegiate Instruction for Women by Harvard Professors" was instituted to provide women with access to Harvard teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level. In 1882 it was incorporated as the Society for the Collegiate Instruction of Women under the presidency of Elizabeth Cary Agassiz and empowered to grant A.B. certificates. The hope of the founders was that Harvard would take over the program (known as the Harvard Annex) and administer it as a "woman's" department. This did not happen. Instead, Radcliffe College was chartered in 1894, named in honor of the first woman donor to Harvard, Ann Radcliffe (1576-1661). All the teaching was provided by Harvard professors, the President and Fellows were appointed Visitors of Radcliffe and the Radcliffe A.B. and A.M. degrees were co-signed by Harvard's President signifying equivalence to the Harvard degree. In 1902 Ph.D. degrees were also awarded. All Harvard courses were officially opened to Radcliffe students in 1943, and the Harvard degree awarded to Radcliffe students from 1963. A 1971 agreement integrated the House systems of both institutions and Radcliffe delegated to Harvard responsibility for the management of student residence, extra-curricular life and athletics. In addition, administrative functions such as accounting, payroll and personnel were unified.

Since 1975 women have been admitted by a joint admissions office and are enrolled as Radcliffe students with the rights and privileges of Harvard undergraduates. In 1963 the Radcliffe Graduate School merged with the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; women graduate students were gradually admitted to the other Harvard professional schools between 1920 and 1969. A 1977 agreement confirmed that Radcliffe is a coordinate institution of Harvard University with its own endowment, students, property, and special programs, including the Mary Ingraham Bunting Institute, the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, the Henry A. Murray Research Center, Radcliffe Career Services, and Education for Action. Radclifffe currently transfers all tuition funds to Harvard, contributes to financial aid, and jointly supports the Office for the Arts. Radcliffe's President participates in establishing policies affecting undergraduates and consults in key administrative appointments in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

From the description of Radcliffe College records overview, 1878-1985 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 232006504