Houses Granted $11,000 By UC

The Undergraduate Council voted last night to allocate $11,000 of left over funds from last year's budget for distribution to house committees, a move which diverged from previous council practices.

The house committee funding amendment to this year's council budget will provide funds to house committees in proportion to the number of delegates from each district. $127.90 per delegate was set aside for use on capital improvements, house formals and social events.

The number of delegates depends on the number of students in each district.

10 of 13 houses will receive $639.50 each, and the Freshman Caucus was allocated $2,685.90. According to the resolution, approved by a vote of 49-12, with three abstentions, allocations will be based on reimbursement. An exception was made for the Freshman Caucus appropriation, which is a grant.

The amendment, proposed by Anjalee C. Davis '95, would require house committees to attribute their events tocouncil sponsorship. "We want everyone in thehouses to know that the council is giving themmoney," Davis said.

"Not everyone can make it to campus-widecouncil events, especially if they live in theQuad, so this money extends what we provide toeveryone," she added.

The proposal prompted skepticism from councilmembers who voiced concerns that the money wouldbe wasted on house committees. "This money isgoing to be spread so thin that it won't make adifference," said Rudd W. Coffey '97. "If we keepit condensed within our budget we can do a lotwith it on campus."

Former residential committee Chair Jennifer W.Grove '94 said most house committees charge housemembers dues to fund their projects. "We don'tneed to give them money they're getting fromsomewhere else," she said. "Students don'tassociate house things with the council, so thisis not money well spent."

Council Secretary Cynthia D. Johnson '96 saidshe was concerned that house events funded by thecouncil would be unsuccessful, making the makingthe council "look bad."

Johnson was countered by Frank A. Pasquale '96."I don't think we're the U.C. forself-aggrandizement," he said. "Our overridingconcern is making students happy, and even if anevent is unsuccessful, it's not like our own trackrecord isn't worse."

In other business, the council approved an openletter to campus publications by campus lifecommittee member Denise A. Ebery '95 asking forstudent input on a potential interhouse facebookproposal.

The council also approved the allocation of$100 to pay Victor M. Thorne '94 for his servicesas a professional D.J. at the council-sponsoredYale tailgate party on November 21.

Council Treasurer Rene Reyes '95 distributedthe finalized grants package for this term. 122organizations applied and were awarded $32,511from council funds. The council also allocated$2,400 in loans.

Davis submitted a letter to council members onthe unfair concentration of power in the councilPresident Carey W. Gabay '94. "In our system theparliamentarian works for the president and makesquestionable, even absurd, parliamentary rulingsin support of the president's agenda," shecharged.

Council Parliamentarian David A. Smith '94responded that he would prepare an outline ofcommonly used parliamentary procedure for nextweek's meeting. "I don't want there to be moreconfusion--if members know how to approachdiscussion properly we won't have to makerulings," he said.

"I don't work for the president, I work for thecouncil," Smith added.

The council had earlier overturned apresidential ruling appointing Smith as chair ofthe re-evaluation committee. Gabay explained thatbecause 12 council members applied for 10committee seats, he "just wanted to get thingsorganized quickly. In the past ad hoc committeechairs have always been appointed."

The council decided that the committee itselfshould appoint its own chair.

Johnson quipped that she agreed, "even thoughthe committee may have voted for [former councilSecretary] Randy Fine last year."

Another member of last year's councilleadership, Michael P. Beys '94, drew a warninglast night from Vice President Melissa Garza '94.Beys and several other members may face expulsion,having each missed four meetings. Council policydictates that after five absences, membership isterminated.

The meeting was held in North House, the firstof Gabay's "rotational meetings" designed to makecouncil proceedings more accessible to interestedstudents throughout campus

"Not everyone can make it to campus-widecouncil events, especially if they live in theQuad, so this money extends what we provide toeveryone," she added.

The proposal prompted skepticism from councilmembers who voiced concerns that the money wouldbe wasted on house committees. "This money isgoing to be spread so thin that it won't make adifference," said Rudd W. Coffey '97. "If we keepit condensed within our budget we can do a lotwith it on campus."

Former residential committee Chair Jennifer W.Grove '94 said most house committees charge housemembers dues to fund their projects. "We don'tneed to give them money they're getting fromsomewhere else," she said. "Students don'tassociate house things with the council, so thisis not money well spent."

Council Secretary Cynthia D. Johnson '96 saidshe was concerned that house events funded by thecouncil would be unsuccessful, making the makingthe council "look bad."

Johnson was countered by Frank A. Pasquale '96."I don't think we're the U.C. forself-aggrandizement," he said. "Our overridingconcern is making students happy, and even if anevent is unsuccessful, it's not like our own trackrecord isn't worse."

In other business, the council approved an openletter to campus publications by campus lifecommittee member Denise A. Ebery '95 asking forstudent input on a potential interhouse facebookproposal.

The council also approved the allocation of$100 to pay Victor M. Thorne '94 for his servicesas a professional D.J. at the council-sponsoredYale tailgate party on November 21.

Council Treasurer Rene Reyes '95 distributedthe finalized grants package for this term. 122organizations applied and were awarded $32,511from council funds. The council also allocated$2,400 in loans.

Davis submitted a letter to council members onthe unfair concentration of power in the councilPresident Carey W. Gabay '94. "In our system theparliamentarian works for the president and makesquestionable, even absurd, parliamentary rulingsin support of the president's agenda," shecharged.

Council Parliamentarian David A. Smith '94responded that he would prepare an outline ofcommonly used parliamentary procedure for nextweek's meeting. "I don't want there to be moreconfusion--if members know how to approachdiscussion properly we won't have to makerulings," he said.

"I don't work for the president, I work for thecouncil," Smith added.

The council had earlier overturned apresidential ruling appointing Smith as chair ofthe re-evaluation committee. Gabay explained thatbecause 12 council members applied for 10committee seats, he "just wanted to get thingsorganized quickly. In the past ad hoc committeechairs have always been appointed."

The council decided that the committee itselfshould appoint its own chair.

Johnson quipped that she agreed, "even thoughthe committee may have voted for [former councilSecretary] Randy Fine last year."

Another member of last year's councilleadership, Michael P. Beys '94, drew a warninglast night from Vice President Melissa Garza '94.Beys and several other members may face expulsion,having each missed four meetings. Council policydictates that after five absences, membership isterminated.

The meeting was held in North House, the firstof Gabay's "rotational meetings" designed to makecouncil proceedings more accessible to interestedstudents throughout campus