College Could Conduct Referendum, Epps Says

In a strong admonition to the Undergraduate Council, Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III indicated yesterday that the College will likely administer a referendum on whatever questions raised by a recent petition that the council fails to put on its own ballot.

Epps said he will call a meeting of the Committee on College Life (CCL) if the council sends only its proposed term bill increase to referendum, rather than all five issues specified in the petition signed by 1,128 students.

The council's executive board decided Wednesday night to strike four issues from the referendum and to include only a vote on the council's recent $10 term bill fee hike.

Epps said in an interview yesterday that he has met with the petition's organizer, Anjalee C. Davis '96, as well as with council President Carey W. Gabay '94 and other figures in the dispute several times in the past week.

I could tell that the U.C. wasn't prepared to accept the other questions offered by Ms. Davis," Epps said. "At that point I told them of my plans to convene a meeting of the [CCL].

The results of that meeting would probably be that the College itself would put forth these issues for a student vote, which would then be binding for the Undergraduate Council," Epps added.

The CCL has control over the establishment and regulation of student organizations.

In an interview last night, Gabay stood by the ruling of the council's executive board.

"I have faith in the decision the executive board made," said Gabay. "I agree that it's a matter of interpretation, and if we're wrong, then fine, we'll abide by what [the CCL] says."

Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57, who chairs the CCL, said yesterday that there may be grounds on which to overturn Davis' petition if there was a real question about whether people were endorsing all the things.

But Jewett said he didn't know enough about the petition itself, council procedures or Davis' position to comment further.

The council's constitution specifies that "any question may be committed to a referendum or poll by the Council or by a petition signed by one-tenth of the undergraduates."

Gabay has charged that the petition was "packed," since it did not allow students to choose which of the five questions they wanted on the referendum.

Epps said last night that he thinks "it's hard to disregard the original petition" in its entirety.

Davis, a former council member, has labeled Gabay's interpretation a "specious challenge, self serving and designed to delay the officer elections."

She initiated a second thrust to the petition drive yesterday.

"We will continue to get signatures until the council accepts the will of the students, Davis said.

Ignoring the executive board's objections toher original drive, Davis said she will bedistributing the same petition, which does notallow students to pick specific questions theywould like to see on the referendum.

Tara H. Arden-Smith contributed to thereporting of this story.

Ignoring the executive board's objections toher original drive, Davis said she will bedistributing the same petition, which does notallow students to pick specific questions theywould like to see on the referendum.

Tara H. Arden-Smith contributed to thereporting of this story.