Assembly Focuses on Aid Cuts, Proposes New Advisory Group

The Student Assembly, batting low attendance and a lame-duck stigma last night urged the formation of a student advisory committee in the financial aid office to investigate how proposed cuts in federal tuition support could affect Harvard students and the College's admission policies.

The motion, introduced by Chairman Natasha Pearl '83, urges the office to set up a committee comprised of a student from each House and freshman district to address the issues raised by proposed reduction which could endanger Harvard's so-called "aid-blind" admissions policy. The College now guarantees that anyone admitted will receive enough financial aid to pay for tuition.

The Assembly also vowed to back the Harvard-Radcliffe Democratic Club's efforts to protest the cuts with a letter-writing campaign and a rally, tentatively scheduled for March 18. The Assembly contributed $50 toward expenses for the rally.

Democratic Club President Jess A. Velona '83 addressed the Assembly during the discussion of financial aid. "This is not an issue that's very narrow and only a few people are excited about," he said.

Citing numerous protests of the cuts across the nation be added. "We've been a little behind on this and I think we ought to try and catch up."

Constitution Drive

The Assembly also agreed to campaign for approval of the constitution for a new centralized and funded student government at a campus wide referendum March 15-17. The organization plans to distribute door-to-door next Sunday a leaflet advocating approval, which must come from two-thirds of students in a vote with at least a 50-percent turnout.

"I think we should act on the assumption that we're going to run a through and well-publicized campaign and that we're going to win this." Pearl said.

The Assembly also endorsed an attempt the Radcliffe Union of Students to get the Faculty to issue a public policy statement on the grievance procedures available for victims of sexual harassment.