Council Reconsiders Final Clubs

Acting against the recommendation of a lower committee, the Undergraduate Council leadership on Wednesday cleared the way for consideration of a resolution calling on the nine all-male final clubs to let in women.

The measure, which cites the council's mandate to "discourage discrimination," comes more than two months after the body considered a pair of resolutions on the final clubs.

At that time, the council voted not to endorse a complaint filed by a Mather senior against one of the clubs. Later, a resolution was passed which gave Lisa J. Schkolnick $250 to help pursue her discrimination complaint against the Fly Club. The proposal slated to be considered this week does not mention Schkolnick's complaint.

On Wednesday, the council's services committee approved the new final club measure without dissent. But the 18-member body, which had endorsed both earlier measures against the final clubs, in a rare move, voted four to three not to consider it until next year.

Immediately after the services meeting, however, the council's executive board, which sets the agenda for each council session, decided to place the anti-sexism bill on this week's agenda.

Council Chairman Evan J. Mandery '89, who is a voting member of both commitees, was part of the majority which recommended against considering the resolution this semester. But by not voting against it in executive board he allowed it to came before the full council by the slimmest of margins.

Mandery said yesterday that he had tried to convince the measure's backers that the "cause "of anti-discrimination would be better served by putting the vote off but that "if they don't buy that, I don't want to stand in their way."

Mandery, who supports the resolution, said that it would be easier build a "clear consensus" behind the measure next fall. He added that many council members will likely be absent Monday night--the last council meetingof the year--because of reading period.

Services Committee member Daniel Schorr '91agreed with Mandery, saying, "I just think thatthe turnout is going to be so low--that it's a bigissue."

But the resolution's sponsor, Council SecretaryFrank E. Lockwood '89, said the timing of the votewas important.

"I don't want to leave the council without thecouncil having said something aboutdiscrimination," he said.

He added that some committee members who wereopposed to the resolution tried to use thescheduling question to kill the proposal.

"No one was willing to publicly state theiropposition to the resolution, so they tried alittle slick maneuvering to kill the thing," saidLockwood, who sponsored February" anti-final clubresolution.

Services Committee member Noam Bramson '91 saidthe council's decision two months ago not toendorse a student's sexism complaint against theall-male Fly Club was a "tremendous blemish on thecouncil."

"It's a real mistake not to erase that blemishin some way while the council is still present,"said Bramson.

Schkolnick spoke in favor of the measure atboth Wednesday committee meetings