Council Gives Deans Power

The Undergraduate Council overwelmingly passed a resolution, last night, seeking to given more credibility to the council by giving the dean of the college and the dean of undergraduate education the power to endorse or veto certain resolutions passed by the council.

Under the amendment to the council's bylaws, passed 44-2, resolutions involving education will be forwared to Dean of Undergraduate Education Lawrence Buell, and all other bills will be submitted to Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68.

Upon considering the resolutions, the deans can either veto, sign or send the resolution back to the council with proposed amendments.

An endorsement from the dean would make "the resolution a proposal made on behalf of Harvard College by the council and the Dean," according to the amendment.

"I think this is a good piece of legislation," Lewis said at last night's meeting. "I am a big supporter of this because issues will get fleshed out with more communication."

Supporters of the bill felt that it would take care of a problem of ineffective legislation.

"In terms of legislation passed on the council floor, they don't go anywhere after they leave. This puts a dent in our credibility with the students," said bill sponsor Eric M. Nelson '99. "And the administration questions our credibility because we do not have the students behind us."

A proposal for a fourth option for the deans' appraisal of bills was voted down. Under the failed amendment, the deans would have been able to delegate responsibility for assessing legislation which they did not feel qualified to vote upon to other parties.

Several council members, however, said they did have some qualms about the failure to pass the fourth option.

"We're forcing the dean to make a value judgment [on an issue] even if it's not in the dean's realm," said Scott M. Singer '98.

Lewis said the limited options he was given would probably cause him to lean more towards vetoing legislation rather than giving it a lukewarm endorsement.

"I will be put in the position of having to use my limited political capital to push something that I am not particularly behind," he said.

In a marathon five-hour meeting during which the council was forced to vacate Harvard Hall and reconvene in the Science Center, the council also voted to reconsider the allocation of the $15,000 windfall from PepsiCo.

Though the council had passed a resolution last week to use the money, allocating it for a concert by A Tribe Called Quest, they decided to put the question to a survey of students.

Council members considered the issue of what should be done with money from a company many faulted for investing in countries known for human rights abuses.

"If this is an immoral company, then I don't want any of their money," said Elizabeth A. Haynes '98. "Either we take the money or we don't. Let's not sit in this middle ground."

But others disagreed saying the moral issue should not be a factor in the council's decision.

"Our job is to make this place a better place and not end all the troubles in the world," Singer said.

Concluding legislation proposed last week, the council attained a three-fourths majority by phone vote to pass a constitutional amendment to open the popular elections of the president and vice president to non-council members.

In other business, resolution to request University Health Services to allow the council to appoint representatives to the Student Health Committee passed unanimously.

Another major piece of legislation, an amendment after passage to strike the alcohol aspects of the proposed Casino Night, failed amid much debate.

Despite some representatives' objections to providing alcohol when only a small percentage of students can drink, the council ultimately decided to have a cash bar at the event

"We're forcing the dean to make a value judgment [on an issue] even if it's not in the dean's realm," said Scott M. Singer '98.

Lewis said the limited options he was given would probably cause him to lean more towards vetoing legislation rather than giving it a lukewarm endorsement.

"I will be put in the position of having to use my limited political capital to push something that I am not particularly behind," he said.

In a marathon five-hour meeting during which the council was forced to vacate Harvard Hall and reconvene in the Science Center, the council also voted to reconsider the allocation of the $15,000 windfall from PepsiCo.

Though the council had passed a resolution last week to use the money, allocating it for a concert by A Tribe Called Quest, they decided to put the question to a survey of students.

Council members considered the issue of what should be done with money from a company many faulted for investing in countries known for human rights abuses.

"If this is an immoral company, then I don't want any of their money," said Elizabeth A. Haynes '98. "Either we take the money or we don't. Let's not sit in this middle ground."

But others disagreed saying the moral issue should not be a factor in the council's decision.

"Our job is to make this place a better place and not end all the troubles in the world," Singer said.

Concluding legislation proposed last week, the council attained a three-fourths majority by phone vote to pass a constitutional amendment to open the popular elections of the president and vice president to non-council members.

In other business, resolution to request University Health Services to allow the council to appoint representatives to the Student Health Committee passed unanimously.

Another major piece of legislation, an amendment after passage to strike the alcohol aspects of the proposed Casino Night, failed amid much debate.

Despite some representatives' objections to providing alcohol when only a small percentage of students can drink, the council ultimately decided to have a cash bar at the event