History 

In March of 1999, nineteen sophomore women congregated in Adams House to discuss the social situation at Harvard. The meeting was organized in order to address the fragmented and exclusive campus environment resulting from a randomized housing system and a strong presence of all-male clubs, or "final clubs" as they are known on campus. The final clubs, in particular, had had a serious impact on the shaping of undergraduate life, and were of principal concern to the meeting.

The eight final clubs were founded as early as the mid-19th century with Harvard's support - some of them were even linked to the school's utility grid. In 1984, Harvard declared that it would no longer recognize the clubs because they violated its modern anti-discrimination policies by refusing to admit women. Nevertheless, the clubs continue to maintain a membership of over 400 male undergraduates, and their presence makes a powerful impact on the Harvard community.

While many ideas were debated, it was concluded that forming a new women's organization was the most pro-active and feasible way to address the situation. We did not intend the club to be a female version of the male final clubs. Rather, we intended to create a different type of organization that would not only provide a support network for its members, but would also be active in improving the community of the entire undergraduate population by organizing social events and speakers for the campus. In this spirit, we sought to engender a more inclusive approach by developing an application process that was open to all female undergraduates, and also vowed to make any house we acquired open to other undergraduate student groups and individuals. The group named itself The Seneca after The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848.

In a later meeting with then Dean of Radcliffe, Tamar March, and other faculty and alumni, it became clear that the administration, and the Radcliffe Alumni Association, were sympathetic to the issue, but could offer only suggestions and guidance to address the social inequality. The Seneca could never be recognized as a Harvard student group so long as it was single sex, and so the administration could not assist our efforts to create a more equal social scene on campus.

By May, the founders had established by-laws, elected officers, initiated proposals for incorporation status with the help of Schnader, Harrison, Goldstein & Manello, and introduced themselves to the campus through the Harvard Crimson and a campus-wide barbecue. In November 1999, it completed its first application process, and the founding members welcomed new women into their ranks. The Seneca continues to work towards its mission and towards the raising of funds for the acquisition of a place on Harvard's campus for women.