Leave aside the gender and final-club wrapping; it distracts us from what the president and dean of Harvard are claiming in the school’s new policy on single-gender social organizations. This is nothing less than the authority to stigmatize any student for any behavior of membership that is deemed wrong, even if it has nothing to do with the university.

Nothing is potentially excluded by the structure claimed. If I shop at Costco, or belong to boat club, or eat meat, or go to the Church of the Advent, or travel to North Korea, that can simply be ruled out ex post facto and a variety of opportunities unfairly denied me.

No one should have such power over other people. This must be stopped, or Harvard will cease to be a free institution.

Arthur Waldron

Gladwyne, Pa.