Panel Debates U.C.'s Proposed Term Bill Hike

Two of the leading figures in the Undergraduate Council term bill debate went head-to-head last night in a panel discussion of the $10 hike and the referendum tomorrow which could repeal it.

Undergraduate Council President Carey W. Gabay '94 and former council member Anjalee C. Davis '96 were the leading players in the discussion on the hike and the referendum, held at the Kennedy School of Government.

Gabay defended the council's March 20 decision to raise the term bill fee to $30 as "a need, not a want."

The steady decrease in the council's annual roll-over, or funds which remain unspent at the end of each year, would cause a reduction in council services, Gabay said.

"Usually the roll-over allows us to do things like a "They Might Be Giants' [concert], [a performance by comedian] David Spade and a raise in our grants," Gabay said. "But now it's rapidly decreasing from $40,000 four years ago to a projected $9,000 this year."

Gabay said that without the termbill hike, a reduction in the council's grants would be necessary and would cause "a lot of pain for a lot of groups."

But in her remarks, Davis objected to the fact that the additional termbill fee would not be covered by students' financial aid.

"No one is going to stand up and admit that $10 is a lot for someone," Davis said. "But we need to remind ourselves of that."

Davis also said the council's questionable conduct in handling her petition, as well as in its administration of the referendum, rendered it unworthy of additional funds.

Davis presented a petition to the council last Sunday that called for a referendum on five council issues, including the term bill fee hike.

Last week, the council voted to strike four of the issues from the referendum,primarily because, in Gabay's words, the petitionwas "packed"--students did not have the option topick which of the questions they wanted to seecommitted to a referendum.

"There's no prohibition in the councilconstitution about needing to sign three times forthree issues, five times for five issues," Davissaid.

"Even the one question they've taken, they'rechanging," said Davis, noting that her petitionpresents rescinding the term-bill hike as the"yes" option, while the council referendum willpresent upholding its decision as "yes."

Davis also notes that although the council isadministering the election, its members are"actively campaigning" to let the term-bill hikego through.

"I couldn't believe that they didn't barcampaigning in the dining halls, or five feet fromthe voting booths," Davis said. "Are we going toreward this kind of conduct?"

The debate gradually evolved into a discussionof the nuts and bolts of Davis' petition.

"The intention of the constitution isn't tohave an omnibus bill," Gabay said. "[It's] to givestudents a voice to combat paternalistic effortsand pick what they want to see."

Gabay accused Davis of "manipulating studentdiscontent" about the term bill hike in order toget the other four issues on a referendum.

Davis called the charges "an insult to theintelligence of Harvard students to say that theycan't read five questions and say they want avote."

During the discussion, moderator Sarah Bianchi'95 moved the panelists to talk about thecouncil's role on campus, and Gabay and Davis wereno less divided.

Davis said he council has been silent on issuesof importance to students, such as the ROTCdebate.

Gabay defended the council's record in servingstudent wishes, pointing to council efforts toextend Science Center stockroom hours and tolengthen the time the Coop allows forundergraduates to return books.

Michael P. Beys '94, former council chair whosat in the audience, asked how Davis and WhitneyD. Pidot '96, another panelist, could "justify thearrogance to claim to know better than 80 or 81representatives."

Pidot, the president of the Salient, respondedtersely.

"The question is backwards," Pidot said. "Thequestion I'm puzzled by is why the U.C. feels itknows better than the student body."

Winthrop House Committee Co-Chair Nathaniel F.Grove '95 was also on last night's panel.

The debate was held by the Harvard PoliticalUnion and co-sponsored by the council and TheCrimson.CrimsonDavid E. RosenUndergraduate Council president CAREY W.GABAY '94 debates former council member andpetition organizer ANJALEE C. DAVIS '96 during apanel discussion at the Kennedy School ofGovernment last night.

"There's no prohibition in the councilconstitution about needing to sign three times forthree issues, five times for five issues," Davissaid.

"Even the one question they've taken, they'rechanging," said Davis, noting that her petitionpresents rescinding the term-bill hike as the"yes" option, while the council referendum willpresent upholding its decision as "yes."

Davis also notes that although the council isadministering the election, its members are"actively campaigning" to let the term-bill hikego through.

"I couldn't believe that they didn't barcampaigning in the dining halls, or five feet fromthe voting booths," Davis said. "Are we going toreward this kind of conduct?"

The debate gradually evolved into a discussionof the nuts and bolts of Davis' petition.

"The intention of the constitution isn't tohave an omnibus bill," Gabay said. "[It's] to givestudents a voice to combat paternalistic effortsand pick what they want to see."

Gabay accused Davis of "manipulating studentdiscontent" about the term bill hike in order toget the other four issues on a referendum.

Davis called the charges "an insult to theintelligence of Harvard students to say that theycan't read five questions and say they want avote."

During the discussion, moderator Sarah Bianchi'95 moved the panelists to talk about thecouncil's role on campus, and Gabay and Davis wereno less divided.

Davis said he council has been silent on issuesof importance to students, such as the ROTCdebate.

Gabay defended the council's record in servingstudent wishes, pointing to council efforts toextend Science Center stockroom hours and tolengthen the time the Coop allows forundergraduates to return books.

Michael P. Beys '94, former council chair whosat in the audience, asked how Davis and WhitneyD. Pidot '96, another panelist, could "justify thearrogance to claim to know better than 80 or 81representatives."

Pidot, the president of the Salient, respondedtersely.

"The question is backwards," Pidot said. "Thequestion I'm puzzled by is why the U.C. feels itknows better than the student body."

Winthrop House Committee Co-Chair Nathaniel F.Grove '95 was also on last night's panel.

The debate was held by the Harvard PoliticalUnion and co-sponsored by the council and TheCrimson.CrimsonDavid E. RosenUndergraduate Council president CAREY W.GABAY '94 debates former council member andpetition organizer ANJALEE C. DAVIS '96 during apanel discussion at the Kennedy School ofGovernment last night.