87 Gain Council Seats As Voter Turnout Sags

Eighty-seven students won seats last week in the Undergraduate Council's second elections, in a contest marked by lower voter turnout and a smaller number of candidates than last year.

Nearly one-half--46.7 percent--of students in the College voted in this year's election, down from last year's figure of 54 percent. Turnout in the Houses ranged from more than 59 percent in Lowell and Winthrop Houses to slightly over five percent in Adams House, where only 22 of the House's 377 eligible students voted.

Election officials attributed the decreased voter turnout to the fact that elections in four Houses--Adams, Dudley, Kirkland and South--were uncontested.

"In the Houses where elections were contested, the turnout is the same as last year," said Winthrop House Representative Eliot T. Kieval '84, citing this year's 52 percent turnout for contested elections and the election of six write-in candidates.

Jeffrey M. Rosen '86, an Adams representative, blamed the low turnout in his House on poor organization at the polls. "The voting table was only open for one meal," said Rosen, adding "It's not the turnout that matters, but the fact that the elections were uncontested."

Last year, more than 200 students ran in the council's first elections, compared to this year's 130. After a year of debate and planing, the council was established after a campus-wide referendum in the spring of 1981 as the first student-funded government with representation on Faculty committees. The Undergraduate Council succeeded the Student Assembly, founded in 1978.

Getting Re-Started

With 27 returning members and the by-laws in place, this year's council will be better prepared to tackle issues when it convenes for the first time Wednesday to elect its four officers, several members said.

"This year we'll be able to get started on projects right away," said Kelly 1. Klegar '85, a representative from Winthrop House, adding. "We'll have more legitimacy because of our accomplishments last year."

Representatives cited renovations, sexual harassment, and the Core Curriculum as issues they wanted to see addressed by the council this year. Several representatives said a recently publicized harassment case against a professor in the Government Department will lend urgency to that issue.

"Last year was setting the policy, this year will be enacting and enforcing it," said Thomas C. Cronin '86, an Eliot House representative. Victor G. Freeman '84, a returning representative from Winthrop, said he hopes to work with the Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) on the issue. "In general, we'll be consolidating all the networks of student organization," he added.

Continued renovations of the Houses and the effect on students will also be an issue, said Brian R. Melendez '86 Kira R. Diaz '86, a Mather House representative who was on the Academics Committee last year, said that the committee report on the Core would continue to be evaluated "when we're not so hurried."

Day-to-day student concerns were also priorities among members William Berkman 87 of the North Yard district said he hoped to get a stop sign or a speed bump placed at the crosswalk on Quincy St. which leads to the Freshman Union.

John G. McCallister '85 of Lowell House said he wanted to extend weekend hours at the Indoor Athletic Building and plan a campus wide party. "My approach is to tackle do-able things," he said.

But Timothy J. Keating '85, a representative from Leverett House said he believes the council's handling of finances can be improved by giving students a greater say in how the money is spent. "[Friends of the] Spartacus [Youth League] received funding last year, but not the rugby league--which upset some people. It needs to be more publicized where the money goes," Keating said.

On the Trail

While competition was scant in some uncontested districts, other Houses had lively campaigns, with posters and slogans ranging from the vehement to the light-hearted.

Dunster House resident Michael Heller '84's posters read. "Heller is pissed at the ad- ministration's foot-dragging and cover-up on issues of sexual harassment. "Toni Tease '87, elected from the Canaday/Union district, promised, "I won't live up to my name."

And campaigning became rivalrous in the Southeast Yard district when one freshman candidate accused another of taking down his posters.

Chadwick Allen '87 was admonished by election officials after Daniel Oran '87 charged him with taking down campaign posters from the walls of Weld Hall. According to Allen, Oran saw one of Allen's roommates taking down a poster. Allen said his roommate apologized after the incident. Oran eventually withdrew the accusation.

Council members are elected under a proportional system in which a candidate must receive a minimum number of votes to be elected. Once a candidate reaches this threshold, additional votes are transferred to the next choice marked on the ballot. Thirty-one candidates were elected on the first round of balloting.

New Council RepresentativesAdams House:  Leverett House:  South House:David "Ches" Chesler  Vincent Chang  Phil GardnerFrank Childress  Vanessa Davita  Michael J. GeorgeDuncan Jeffrey Griffin  Timothy Keating  Kerry KlagarJeff Rosen  Keith Knuuti  Brian MelendezLiese Schwartz  Ferced Mangalji  Betsy WangerCurrier House:  Elizabeth Tafe  Winthrop House:Richard A. Bennett  Lowell House:  Jerry BrownPhyllis Bursh  Adam Augustynski  Victor FreemanStu Raphael  Marshall Chin  Eliot KievalDavid Scott  Allx Coulter  Kelly KiegarTrevor Sutton  Erica Eisenberg  W. Stephen WatersDudley House:  John G. McCallister  Canaday/Union Dorms:Frank Brincheiro  Mather House:  Eric KoideSteven A. Colarossi  James Chiavelli  Jessica LevinMichael LaCascia  Kira Diaz  Gina LevyVivian Sogor  Rafael Lopez  Dudley McClellanDavid Vendler  Steven Nussbaum  Toni TeaseDunster House:  Jake Stevens  Bentley TolkMichael Heller  North House:  North YardGary Ivens  Catherina Celosse  Bill BerkmanDebby Landau  Paul Choi  Baltasar D. CruzJ. Russell Schmeidel  Roland Dunbrack  Stephen DavisDavid Traum  Dave Finn  Susan HendricksonEliot House:  Greg Lyss  Julie SchragerJohn Coburn  Quincy House:  Southeast Yard:Tom Cronin  Ben Broder  Pam DoughmanFelicia Eckstein  Ethan Cohon  Buddy FletcherScott Falk  Sarah Glimp  Ki IngersolMichael Okwu  Sesha Paratap  Brian C. OffuttKirkland House:  Warren Shlomchik  Ray VasvariMark Eichorn  Doug Winthrop  Southwest Yard:Angela Ferry  Paul BokotaAlison Harrington  Maureen BroeMartin J.Herman  Tara DealRebecca Rozen  Mitchell Elkind  Luke Fleckenstei