Avery has been criticized recently for hand picking students to sit on the committee that will advise the Trust, a body that will dole out nearly $20,000 next year to women-focused groups.

"We had to start somewhere, and this is better than having me sitting there and saying here are the Ten Commandments of the Ann Radcliffe Trust," she said. "Some of this communication would have been better in the beginning. I guess I thought that we needed to get a committee and get going."

Lewis however said he felt comfortable with the committee, regardless of how it was chosen.

"I'm not all that concerned, there is a broad funnel of input," he said.

After a brief lesson from Lewis on the history of Radcliffe, administrators at last night's meeting focused on what the Trust will do for the campus.

"The Trust is not designed to replace RUS," Avery said. "The grants process is the one piece that the Trust takes over from RUS."

Avery and Lewis emphasized that the role of the Trust--including the grants process and selection process for future members--will be shaped by this first committee. But they also offered a vision of the Trust grounded in planning conferences and colloquia about women's issues.