Aronberg Elected Chair of Council

David A. Aronberg '93 of Currier House was elected last night to be the chair of the 10th Undergraduate Council.

Aronberg defeated Steven N. Kalkanis '93 of Quincy House in a two-way race, despite several harsh questions from the floor and what Aronberg acknowledged was a strong campaign speech by his opponent.

Malcolm A. Heinicke '93 of Eliot House defeated two opponents to become council vice chair. Nhan T. Vu '92 was elected secretary and April Osborg '92 was elected treasurer.

In their speeches, both candidates for chair stressed the importance of student services, reiterating themes from their respective campaigns.

Aronberg--who last semester served as the council's vice chair--emphasized his two-year council tenure and his experience in finance and campus security issues. He said that the council needs to reform its financial and accounting practices.

"The first step towards financial accountability to our constituents is financial accountability to ourselves," he said.

In order to "streamline [the council's] financial bureaucracy," Aronberg called for a voucher system in which council money would be disbursed by University accountants in Holyoke Center.

Kalkanis--the first of the two speakers--read a rapid-fire list of accomplishments and proposed projects which emphasized what he called "a back-to-the-students" platform.

"We must focus our energy on students and improving tangible benefits to help undergraduate life," Kalkanis said, adding that he would be "a team leader" rather than a "cheerleader... working from the sidelines."

But despite his apparent popularity in the council, Aronberg drew fire from the floor during the question-and-answer period.

Referring to a letter printed in The Crimson last Saturday, Aretha D. Davis '93, who is not a member of the council, asked Aronberg to account for his behavior at an exec utive board meeting to review allegations of campaign wrongdoings by a newly elected council member.

Davis charged that Aronberg was "a source of misinformation" who "also attempted to discredit [her] complaint to the executive board."

After outgoing chair Robert C. Rhew '92 ruled Davis's lengthy question out of order, Aronberg responded angrily to the allegations.

"It was perhaps the worst hatchet job I've ever seen," he said of Davis's charges. "I knew there was something behind it--a political tactic."

Daniel H. Tabak '92 of Mather House said he was disappointed by the attacks on Aronberg.

"I though I'd seen enough character assasination on Capitol Hill," said Tabak. "I would at least hope if somebody is out to destroy the integrity of another council member that they would do it personally and not have other people ask the questions."

Heinicke won the race for vice chair by defeating Vu and Jennifer W. Grove '94.

Heinicke ran on a platform of pragmatism--"someone who will enact creative leadership"--emphasizing the importance of enforcing the council's attendance policies in a fair and understanding manner.

Heinicke said that Aronberg and he have had a close relationship which started in their first-year section of Expository Writing.

Heinicke quoted liberally from "the overweight lover Heavy D.," drawing lessons from the rapper's words and applying them to the council.

"What are we going to do? What can we do," Heinicke said, borrowing lyrics from the rapper. "Roses are red and violets are blue."

April Osborg, who managed a $3 million budget as a cost accountant for the Navy, won the election for treasurer over veteran campaigner Adam Taxin '92 and Yared Belai '92.

"I think it's time for me to leave electoral politics," said Taxin, who has in the past lost races for chair and other positions on the council.

Vu won the race for secretary after earlier losing the race for vice chair. "I know the computer well," he said spelling out his platform. "In fact, I bought it.