Petition Could Reverse Fee Hike

A college-wide petition that will begin circulating today may ultimately give students the option to rescind the Undergraduate Council's recent term-bill hike and institute other reforms.

The drive, spearheaded by former council member Anjalee C. David '96, calls for the council to submit five issues to student referendum.

If the petition is signed by ten percent of Harvard's approximately 6,600 undergraduates, the council's constitution requires that it be put to a campus-wide vote.

And according to Undergraduate Council bylaws, only a three-fourths majority of the council can overturn the results of such a student referendum.

The petition first calls for a referendum on the council's Sunday decision to raise the fee it charges on student term bills from $20 to $30.

Davis indicated that she was upset by the council's 35-14 rejection Sunday of a motion to submit the fee hike to a student referendum.

"Basically, this is the referendum they refused to have," she said.

Davis added that she disliked "the back door way" the fee hike was implemented.

Council Vice President Joshua D. Liston '95 defended the council's right to make decisions about the fee hike and other issues for itself.

"You're not always the best judge of what's best for yourself," Liston said of the student body.

He urged students unhappy with the council's performance to use powers already at their disposal. "If people don't think we're doing our jobs, they should vote us out," Liston said.

The second issue on Davis' petition is the status of the check box option on student term bills, which currently allows students to waive $16.66 of their $20 council fee.

The council approved a resolution last spring requiring undergraduates to write a letter to the Dean of Students in order to receive a partial refund of their council fee. The resolution requires the approval of the Faculty Council, which has not yet deliberated it.

Davis' possible referendum could rescind the council's proposal.

The petition also calls for a referendum on thecouncil's March 13 decision to keep all moneyremaining unspent at the end of each academic yeasas roll-over funds.

A clause in the council's by-laws altered bythe March 13 vote had required all unspent fundsto be distributed to the house committees.

The fourth measure would allow students to voteon holding general elections at the beginning ofeach semester. The council currently holdselections only at the beginning of the academicyear.

"Dead weight, then, would not be an issue,"Davis said, noting that each representative wouldface a re-election campaign just a few months intohis or her tenure. "It's not an issue ofmicromanagement. It's an issue of democracy."

Election Reform

Finally, Davis' petition would allow areferendum on the annual popular election of thecouncil's officers--president, vice president,secretary and treasurer.

Officers are presently elected at the beginningof each semester by and from the council itself.

"Representatives from the houses serve theirconstituents," Davis said. "This gives anincentive for officers to think of issues on acampus-wide basis, to take a broader view."

"It would give instant legitimacy to thecouncil," Davis added.

Davis said she plans to table in various housesand to contact various house committees in aneffort to enlist their support in tabling.

The petition specifies that the referendumwould be held on April 19, 20 and 21 of this year.

Council President Carey W. Gabay '94 was notavailable for comment yesterday

The petition also calls for a referendum on thecouncil's March 13 decision to keep all moneyremaining unspent at the end of each academic yeasas roll-over funds.

A clause in the council's by-laws altered bythe March 13 vote had required all unspent fundsto be distributed to the house committees.

The fourth measure would allow students to voteon holding general elections at the beginning ofeach semester. The council currently holdselections only at the beginning of the academicyear.

"Dead weight, then, would not be an issue,"Davis said, noting that each representative wouldface a re-election campaign just a few months intohis or her tenure. "It's not an issue ofmicromanagement. It's an issue of democracy."

Election Reform

Finally, Davis' petition would allow areferendum on the annual popular election of thecouncil's officers--president, vice president,secretary and treasurer.

Officers are presently elected at the beginningof each semester by and from the council itself.

"Representatives from the houses serve theirconstituents," Davis said. "This gives anincentive for officers to think of issues on acampus-wide basis, to take a broader view."

"It would give instant legitimacy to thecouncil," Davis added.

Davis said she plans to table in various housesand to contact various house committees in aneffort to enlist their support in tabling.

The petition specifies that the referendumwould be held on April 19, 20 and 21 of this year.

Council President Carey W. Gabay '94 was notavailable for comment yesterday