Confusion Dominates U.C. Finale

In what was a test of the dedication of its members, the Undergraduate Council held its final meeting of the year last night.

The meeting, which lasted five-and-a-half hours, was filled with confusion, last-minute legislation, occasional lack of quorum and was punctuated by the continual sound of the gavel straining to keep order.

But in the end, the council managed to select three new members for its Election Commission, pass 14 bills and inaugurate its new president and vice-president.

Quorum was a particular problem throughout the night.

As it was the last meeting of the year, President Robert M. Hyman '98-'97 suggested that council members who were leaving the meeting resign so that the council could maintain quorum with a smaller number of people.

Council members technically serve until the election of new members at the beginning of the fall semester, but the council does not meet during that time.

Several council members expressed disgust at the way the meeting was conducted, saying that the council should not conduct business in such a haphazard manner.

"To ask people to resign to maintain quorum is truly appalling," said Justin E. Porter '99. "It does not allow for representation of the student body."

Council members attempted to maintain quorum and defeated several motions to adjourn because they wanted to address legislation rather than put it aside until next year.

One cause of the confusion last night was a dispute over the Election Commission.

The three members of this year's commission, which oversaw the recent popular elections of next year's council president and vice president, all resigned within the last week.

Thus, the council needed to seat an entirely new Election Commission to run the fall general elections.

Although the council approved the three members selected by the executive board earlier this week, a motion was later made by Rudd W. Coffey '97 to reconsider the decision because he felt he was not adequately considered for a post on the commission. Coffey ran unsuccessfully for council president in the popular elections held several weeks ago.

Some members of the council said it should not reconsider something it had already approved, but others questioned the process by which the executive board selected the commission members.

Hyman acknowledged that the executive board's voting procedure was irregular because the Campus Life co-chairs, who usually split one vote, had two votes in this decision.

Others said that the challenge was personally motivated and that the council should stick with its original decision.

"I think it's ridiculous that the council is being held hostage by one person's ego," said William E. Rehling '86-'96.

In a unusual move, the council closed the meeting to all non-council members so they could discuss the merits of the candidates in private.

In the end, the council supported its original decision to seat commission members Gregory M. Heestand '98, Stephen E. Weinberg '99, Robert B. Wolinsky '97 and alternate Saadi Soudavar '99.

Coffey, Elizabeth A. Haynes '98, Matthew Mayers '97 and Eric D. Albert '98, all of whom had expressed interest in serving on the commission, were not chosen.

Fourteen bills were passed last night as the council attempted to resolve last-minute business before the end of the year.

The most controversial was a resolution to ask the administration to listen to student requests for a multicultural student center.

The resolution passed with 23 yes votes, seven nos and nine abstentions.

Those who voted against it said they feared the center would encourage self-segregation among different racial and ethnic groups.

Others argued that such a center would be unnecessary.

"We already have a multicultural center and it is Harvard College," said John J. Appelbaum '97.

But supporters of the bill said it would encourage people to learn from other groups.

"We don't see this as an exclusionary thing, but as a way to highlight the diversity of the backgrounds on campus," said Coffey, a sponsor of the bill.

The council passed other bills to reform the terms of the Election Commission, to conduct an annual survey of the students, to support rent control in Harvard-owned apartments in Cambridge and to allow the Harvard Computer Society and Digitas to conduct student services projects on the council's computer.

At the end of the meeting, the new president and vice president, Hyman and Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 were formally inaugurated into office.

"I thank you for everything you've been doing and all that you've done," said Hyman. "To those of you who want to come back with a vengeance, there's still a lot to do.

Some members of the council said it should not reconsider something it had already approved, but others questioned the process by which the executive board selected the commission members.

Hyman acknowledged that the executive board's voting procedure was irregular because the Campus Life co-chairs, who usually split one vote, had two votes in this decision.

Others said that the challenge was personally motivated and that the council should stick with its original decision.

"I think it's ridiculous that the council is being held hostage by one person's ego," said William E. Rehling '86-'96.

In a unusual move, the council closed the meeting to all non-council members so they could discuss the merits of the candidates in private.

In the end, the council supported its original decision to seat commission members Gregory M. Heestand '98, Stephen E. Weinberg '99, Robert B. Wolinsky '97 and alternate Saadi Soudavar '99.

Coffey, Elizabeth A. Haynes '98, Matthew Mayers '97 and Eric D. Albert '98, all of whom had expressed interest in serving on the commission, were not chosen.

Fourteen bills were passed last night as the council attempted to resolve last-minute business before the end of the year.

The most controversial was a resolution to ask the administration to listen to student requests for a multicultural student center.

The resolution passed with 23 yes votes, seven nos and nine abstentions.

Those who voted against it said they feared the center would encourage self-segregation among different racial and ethnic groups.

Others argued that such a center would be unnecessary.

"We already have a multicultural center and it is Harvard College," said John J. Appelbaum '97.

But supporters of the bill said it would encourage people to learn from other groups.

"We don't see this as an exclusionary thing, but as a way to highlight the diversity of the backgrounds on campus," said Coffey, a sponsor of the bill.

The council passed other bills to reform the terms of the Election Commission, to conduct an annual survey of the students, to support rent control in Harvard-owned apartments in Cambridge and to allow the Harvard Computer Society and Digitas to conduct student services projects on the council's computer.

At the end of the meeting, the new president and vice president, Hyman and Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 were formally inaugurated into office.

"I thank you for everything you've been doing and all that you've done," said Hyman. "To those of you who want to come back with a vengeance, there's still a lot to do.