HSA Agrees to Give Students More Say

The board of directors at Harvard Student Agencies (HSA) Tuesday reached a compromise on the board's future composition after student members demanded more say in the organization's management.

The agreement, subject to approval next Wednesday, adds three student representatives to the board, bringing the total number to 10. HSA workers said it will probably give students equal voting power to that of the professional administrators and alumni who make up the board's majority.

Seven students, seven HSA alumni and seven Harvard administrators and professors make up the existing board. But HSA workers said the 14 professional members do not always attend meetings.

Beginning two weeks ago, students staged a desperation bid to reverse what they called increasing professional control of the student-run corporation. They planned to use the annual general meeting on November 9 to increase the number of students on the board.

That meeting, similar to a shareholders' vote, allows about 360 HSA members who meet wage-earning minimums to elect board representatives and vote on changes in the bylaws, managers said. Students said the general meeting offered them their only chance this year to affect the governing body's membership.

Originally, the undergraduates called for placing a total of 15 students on the board. But they later withdrew that proposal when senior directors said such a change might jeopardize HSA's tax-free status as an educational organization by reducing the ratio of older members to students.

Students told Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, a 17-year member of the board, of their plans last week. Epps then suggested an emergency executive council meeting, which took place Friday.

At Tuesday's full board meeting, also an emergency session, the whole panel approved the modified amendment with one abstention and no opposing votes, students said. It is also considered almost certain to pass at the general meeting next Wednesday.

In addition to putting three more students on the board, the amendment would let undergraduate directors place items on the agenda without consulting the student president. Any three directors may now formally bring up a proposal for discussion.

Students said President Vivian Hunt '89, who works closely with the professional general manager, has blocked student managers' proposals from the agenda in the past.

Sources close to HSA management disclosed the events of the board discussions. The directors themselves said they could not comment on them.

Student managers of HSA's 12 agencies said this week they have feltincreasingly powerless and intimidated byprofessional staff members. Since 1983, when thedirectors doubled the number of professionals tosix, they have played a growing role in directingthe company's fortunes and helping it show aprofit after several money-losing years.

"For the first time [the board of directors]heard students weren't happy about things and feltthey had to do something drastic like this tosolve the problem," said Publishing Manager MarkSelwyn '90, "I think they were stunned."

Several student employees also welcomed thecompromise and predicted easy passage for theamendment Wednesday. Hunt said the agency maileddescriptions of the amendment to the qualifiedstudent voters this week.

"People have been waiting for something to bedone and finally something was, and they'reexcited about it," said Travel Manager Jennifer E.Brumage '90.

That enthusiasm appears to follow a long periodof student disillusionment with the professionalemployees, particularly General Manager HopeSpruance.

Several managers said they feared Spruancecould destroy their chances with business schoolsby writing poor letters of recommendation. Theysaid they felt manipulated because of this fear."I'm almost positive you couldn't find a studentmanager who is happy to work with her," said one.

Spruance could not be reached for comment lastnight.

HSA employs more than 1300 students and earnsover $2 million each year, with net incomesbetween $20,000 and $50,000 in each of the pastfive years, Selwyn said. HSA is also requiredunder its charter to provide a fixed number ofwork-study jobs