Several House Reps Question Minority Representation Clause

In a meeting last night with members of the constitutional committee for the proposed student council, several House Committee chairmen raised questions about the newly drafted constitution's provision for minority representation on the council's administrative committee.

Although some of the chairmen questioned the method prescribed by the constitution for selecting representatives of each minority population, Alan Khazei '83, Currier House Committee chairman, said there was general agreement with the provision's "intent."

"After the constitutional committee people explained the history of the plank--why and how it was put in--people were pretty receptive," Khazei said.

But Evan Powell '82, Winthrop House Committee chairman, disagreed, saying, "I have major quibbles with the philosophy behind" the assurred minority seating.

Powell added that "there is no way the constitution with the minority representation clause in it is going to pass in Winthrop."

Some committee chairmen also raised questions about the funding provision, which allows a majority of the undergraduate council to veto the budget proposed by the grants committee, but requires three-quarters of the council to ratify a change in the budget.

"Some people felt a majority might vote against the budget because of a specific provision it contained, but then wouldn't have enough votes to change it," Khazei added.

Strike One

And in an unofficial vote taken at a meeting of the Internal and External University Relations Committee of the Student Assembly last night, students supported two to one a resolution calling on the Student Assembly to strike the minority representation clause from the constitution, provided that all recognized student organizations be invited to send permanent non-voting representatives to the council's administrative committee.