Lyss Likely to Be Reelected; Council's First Two-Term Chair

Tomorrow night's election for chairman of the Undergraduate Council will probably not be hotly contested, according to Council representatives, since only one member is thinking of challenging incumbent Gregory S. Lyss '85

Jeffrey M. Rosen '86, Council representative from Adams House, said yesterday that he is considering running against Lyss, but declined officially to confirm his bid.

Should Lyss be re-elected on Sunday, he would be the first chairman in the Council's two year history to hold the post for two consecutive semesters.

Stability

"The Council needs stability and credibility with the administration, both in leadership and the way we act," Lyss said Thursday, adding that the current officers have a "comfortable working relationship with University Hall, and it would be a shame to have to reintroduce ourselves to the administration right now."

But Rosen said last night that "there's nothing sacred about continuity. The committees work hard but the council as a whole is mired in rules and is talking past the important issues," he added.

"With vigorous leadership, the Council could really inspire" more students than it does now, Rosen added.

The Council's current vice chair, Brian R. Melendez '86, is also facing only new challenger, Kelly L. Klegar '85 Klegar yesterday stressed the importance of a "fresh angle and new input" among council officers.

"I wish more people would run for positions--that's s sign of interest" in the council, Lyss said.

Council insiders said they expected Lyss to have little problem maintaining a majority in Sunday's election "there's nothing Greg's done wrong that you can really pin him down on," Melendez said last week.

Lyss is basing his candidacy largely on the issues on which he originally ran in September, particularly the need for the council to move away from "begin" as last year's on various national and international issues, towards issues of greater "credibility."

"The Council's word on lofty resolutions means nothing. What matters are the issues they can talk to faculty and administrators about and effect some change," he said Thursday.

In his report on the fall semester, to be released shortly, Lyss says he will stress the problem of communication between representatives and their constituents. "I'd like to see us as a resource for campus organizations," he said," rather than just a place to come to for grants."

The other positions to be filled at tommorrow's meeting are council secretary, contested by Richard A. Bennett '85 and Kira R. Diaz '86, and treasurer, for which Stuart A. Raphael '86 is unopposed. Neither of the incumbents for these positions have chosen to run again, council members said yesterday.

In other recent action, five new council members were elected yesterday to fill midyear vacancies in the North Yard and Eliot, Leverett, Mather and Currier Houses.

Roughly 35 percent of eligible students in the upperclass elections voted, though turnout in the North Yard was only 23 percent. Melendez said last night that these figures were "comparable" to turnouts in previous interim elections.

Until now new representatives were elected as vacancies appeared, but a recent amendment to the bylaws enabled the Council to reduce the process to a single interim election each year.

"Last year we had to have five special elections for Leverett House alone," Melendez said. "That turned off voters and detracted from the council's image," he added.

The new representatives are Evan T. Barr '85 (Mather); Rosemary E. Basile '85 (Eliot)' Thomas S. Heintzman '86 (Curner); Gregory V. McCurdy '87 (North Yard); and Ford E. O'Neil '85 (Leverett House).