Convention Begins Writing Constitution

The Harvard-Radcliffe Constitutional Convention passed three motions last night that essentially declared the new constitution would establish an independent student government.

Two and one-half hours of vigorous debate centered around the question of how the new student government would interact with the student-faculty advisory committee presently existing.

John D. Relman '79, a delegate from Winthrop House, said during the debate, "If we gain ascendancy through effectiveness and through our representation of the students, the fate of CHUL will take care of itself."

But many of the convention delegates unsuccessfully pushed for motions which declared that the new student government should supercede the existing advisory committees by creating their own sub-committees that would take over the existing committees' functions.

However, this step would require approval of the Faculty, which controls the elections of student members to the advisory committees and could lead to unnecessary confrontation, delegates who voted on the prevailing side said.

"Let CHUL clean its own house," Peter M. Lustiber '79, a convention delegate from Dudley House, said. "Our poll shows that CHUL is unpopular with the students. Why tie ourselves to that group?"

After months of establishing procedural guidelines for writing the new constitution, last night's meeting was the first at which the actual writing of the constitution was discussed.

William A. Groll '80, a delegate from Adams House, said that one possible way to gain official recognition for the new student government would be to appeal to the Board of Overseers.

The convention should finish writing the new constitution by April, officers of the convention said yesterday