Council Chair Candidates Square Off

Charisma, enthusiasm and excitement are qualities required of the next chair of the Undergraduate Council, the two candidates said last night in a debate sponsored by The Crimson.

Although numerous issues were brought up in the debate--among them council reform, financial restructuring and student services--personality may be the deciding factor, they said.

And both candidates said they have the necessary characteristics to "enthuse" this year's council and win next Monday's chair election.

David A. Aronberg '93 of Currier House said the chair should be "the loudest cheerleader" in the council.

"You need a chair who's going to inspire the students," he said. "I think I'm energetic to the point of being spastic."

Steven N. Kalkanis '93 of Quincy House said that council members needed the chair to give them "momentum" and inspiration to perform their duties as student representatives.

"The chair helps council members take the extra step to internalize the excitement about issues," said Kalkanis.

And one political issue that has been a hotly debated topic in recent years is whether Harvard should continue to administer Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships.

During the question-and- answer period, the candidates agreed that the status quo should be maintained.

Their position contrasts with that of the Faculty Council, which plans to terminate any ROTC affiliation with the College next spring if the military does not change its current policy excluding gay students.

"It's wrong for Harvard to deprive 150 students of a college education," said Aronberg. "Harvard's got so many other channels to make a political statement."

And Kalkanis made clear that the council needs to fully investigate the issue to represent students' opinions.

"It's our role to form a committee and have them decide whether to recommend to the administration whether to keep the status quo or not," Kalkanis said.

Other issues in the candidates' campaigns are largely non-political, such as student services that have dominated the council's agenda in the past two years.

"The UC is most effective when it's providing student services," said Kalkanis.

Council Credibility

But reporters from The Crimson, The Independent and the Salient, who sat on the panel, devoted much time questioning the candidates on the larger issue of the council's credibility, which has come under fire in recent years.

When questioned about student disillusionment with the council, Aronberg blamed campus publications and students themselves while also agreeing that the council must act to put its own house in order.

"There's an attitude of Why should I have someone represent me when I can represent myself?'" he said, claiming that Harvard students resent the notion of having someone represent them.

"Show me a popular student government, I'll show you a Democratic president," quipped Aronberg. "They just don't exist.