U.C. OKs Funding for Student Groups

The Undergraduate Council unanimously approved a package of $35,215.52 in grants for student groups at last night's meeting, fulfilling what many council members feel to be its most important role.

Finance Committee Chair Clay M. West '96 introduced the committee's recommendation of $34,775.52 in grants, $1,224.48 short of what it was authorized to spend. The council received $95,125.35 in requests from 149 student groups.

Big winners last night were the Harvard Computer Society, which received $1,275, the most of any student group, and the Blood Program, which received $750.

Last night four groups appealed their allocations, three of which were voted increases by the council.

The two groups that sparked the most debate were the Blood Program and the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association.

The groups highlighted three controversial elements of the Finance Committee process: the emphasis it places on benefits to Harvard undergraduates, the stipulation that consideration be merit-blind and the council's requirement that groups spend the money they are given in the semester it is allocated.

The Blood Program, which organizes Red Cross blood drives on campus, appealed its grant of $650, asking the council to give it the full $1,650 it requested to provide free t-shirts to blood donors.

The council initially refused to increase its allocation to this group, largely because a high percentage of those who give blood and receive the shirts are not undergraduates but reconsidered after all other groups were given the chance to protest their grants.

"The reason why we're switching it now is because we have more money, and I think that's a bad reason," Blais said. "What we're doing here is judging it based on the other groups and we can't do that."

Christopher R. McFadden '97, a council member who is also a Crimson editor, said the council should spend the money it has.

"The point of having money is to spend it," McFadden said. "A hundred dollars in a $35,000 budget is squat nothing. I say we give it to them."

The council voted to give the Blood Society an extra $100.

Former council vice-president Justin C. Label '97 said that based on the new activist focus the council has taken up this semester, it should reconsider its rules about how grants money affects Harvard students.

"It seems students are yearning for an increase in public interest activities, and that's exactly what the blood drive is," Label said. "I think the council used too narrow and too antiquated a notion of affecting undergrads."

West said he disagreed, warning council members not to let personal bias interfere with their decisions.

"Anytime you're in a large group looking at these things, you're inherently biased," West said. "We have to look at how it benefits Harvard students, not think about the benefits of watching Arnold Schwarzeneger movies or helping inner-city kids. We can't make those kinds of distinctions."

The Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association requested additional funding for its Gameathon, an event it holds during intersession.

The Finance Committee refused to fund the event because the event will take place after this semester is over, West said.

According to Finance Committee rules, groups cannot receive grants unless they spend the money during the semester it is allocated.

Finance Committee member Jeremy R. Jenkins '97-'98 said about 30 groups such as the Kumba Singers and the Black Students Association were also refused funding due to this rule.

"If we fund this group, we have to fund all of them," Jenkins said.

West said the Finance Committee is contemplating amending its rules to better fund such groups whose budgets are year-long rather than semesterly.

In other council business, a measure was passed repealing the compromise the council made last week to fund its Freshman Formal.

Since the council's committee funds are unexpectedly low this year, the council approved a measure last week that authorized the council to borrow money from its spring semester grants to pay for advance expenses.

According to Council Treasurer Edward B. Smith III '97, this move amounts to deficit spending, which he said is unsound fiscal policy for the council.

Smith revealed new figures for the council's committee fund last night based on $5,634.31 of rollover the council received from grants it allocated last spring that was never picked up, showing a current balance of $5,800.31.

Smith said under the previous compromise, the council appeared to have $17,100 in its committee fund, which was misleading.

"If we don't freeze all of our expenditures for the Freshman Formal, we allow ourselves to double spend our money, and that puts us in a position where we could potentially run a deficit," Smith said. "I have made it clear that this council will run a deficit over my dead body."

The bill was passed with no debate and only one vote against.

The council also approved a bill endorsing a "Youth Vote" conference to be held in the spring, which is designed to encourage college students to vote.

The council also allocated $50 to refurbish its "ride-sharing" board currently located in the basement of Lamont Library and to move it to Loker Commons.

Finally, the council passed a bill calling for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to allow the council to select student representatives to the Committee on Public Service instead of Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68

The Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association requested additional funding for its Gameathon, an event it holds during intersession.

The Finance Committee refused to fund the event because the event will take place after this semester is over, West said.

According to Finance Committee rules, groups cannot receive grants unless they spend the money during the semester it is allocated.

Finance Committee member Jeremy R. Jenkins '97-'98 said about 30 groups such as the Kumba Singers and the Black Students Association were also refused funding due to this rule.

"If we fund this group, we have to fund all of them," Jenkins said.

West said the Finance Committee is contemplating amending its rules to better fund such groups whose budgets are year-long rather than semesterly.

In other council business, a measure was passed repealing the compromise the council made last week to fund its Freshman Formal.

Since the council's committee funds are unexpectedly low this year, the council approved a measure last week that authorized the council to borrow money from its spring semester grants to pay for advance expenses.

According to Council Treasurer Edward B. Smith III '97, this move amounts to deficit spending, which he said is unsound fiscal policy for the council.

Smith revealed new figures for the council's committee fund last night based on $5,634.31 of rollover the council received from grants it allocated last spring that was never picked up, showing a current balance of $5,800.31.

Smith said under the previous compromise, the council appeared to have $17,100 in its committee fund, which was misleading.

"If we don't freeze all of our expenditures for the Freshman Formal, we allow ourselves to double spend our money, and that puts us in a position where we could potentially run a deficit," Smith said. "I have made it clear that this council will run a deficit over my dead body."

The bill was passed with no debate and only one vote against.

The council also approved a bill endorsing a "Youth Vote" conference to be held in the spring, which is designed to encourage college students to vote.

The council also allocated $50 to refurbish its "ride-sharing" board currently located in the basement of Lamont Library and to move it to Loker Commons.

Finally, the council passed a bill calling for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to allow the council to select student representatives to the Committee on Public Service instead of Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68