Melendez Still Leads Council

Vowing to continue advancing his first term's agenda, Brian R. Melendez '86 last night held on to the Undergraduate Council's chairmanship Melendez staved off a challenge by a Mather House representative who went on to capture the council's second highest slot

Melendez said in a pre-election speech that his second term would see no major changes in his approach to student governance. Melendez has argued that the council should carefully research and document undergraduate concerns for administration consideration.

"I do not have a different agenda than the one I've been pursuing," he said Melendez has cited the establishment of a new freshman peer advising system and simplificant council accomplishment of his first term

Melendez said he hoped the council would make progress this spring in determining its position on divestiture of funds from companies doing business in South Africa.

A Woman At The Top

Contending the council has low touch with the undergraduate it represents and has developed a "parent-child relationship" with the College administration, Elizabeth M. Touhey "86, a first term representative, challenged Melendez's reelection bid.

After losing to Melendez Touhey took the vice-chairmanship from Thomas C. Cronin '86 and became the highest ranking woman in the council's three year history.

"I'll keep Mr. Melendez on his toes. It's going to be good," Touhey said in an interview after the election.

Touhey told the council that she had a different view of student government than Melendez. "You can put a conscience and a heart and a soul in the council," she added in an interview.

She criticized the council for its poor relationship with the Radcliffe Union of Students, inaction on the issue of race relations and what she considered its poor record of following up on issues.

The new vice-chairman said she intends to insure that the most controversial topics surface in full council meetings rather than remain in committee.

Last year's Chairman, Gregory S. Lyss '85, responded to Touhey's criticisms by saying, "It's not true that the council does not follow up on issues," and cited a report on summer storage as an example of productive opposition to the administration.

Lyss cautioned the council against unproductive activism saying," the administration holds all the cards."

Also night, the council clected Ethan H. Cohen 86 as treasurer. Cohen defected Kyung B. Lec '86 and Ellen Havdaln '83, who ran in abstentin, to fill the sent of Kenneth Shen, Shen plans to study in Tokyo next semester Melissa S. Lane '88 defeated incumbent Anne T. Robinson '88 to become the council's secretary