Democrats Disappear (On Paper)

Missing a deadline does not always result in getting a lower grade-- sometimes it means getting snuffed out of existence.

At least that was the case for the Harvard-Radcliffe College Democrats (HRCD), which has not been recognized as a student organization since earlier this winter.

The student organization, which boasts about 150 active members, failed to hand in its re-registration form to the Office of the Dean of Students by the October 18 deadline, and so was not officially recognized as one of the College's clubs.

"Any student organization which does not re-register with the Dean of Students' office is contacted several times," said Laurie A. Harriman, assistant to the dean of students. "For whatever reason, we could not get in contact with them."

Clubs not recognized by the College do not have permission to reserve rooms, poster or apply for University funding.

But HRCD President Eric S. Olney '98 said the organization did not do any of those things during the months in which they were not recognized.

Citing HRCD's decades-old existence, he said, "Even if we had, there's an understanding between our organization and the Dean's office that everything's okay."

According to Harriman, many student groups fail to re-register, but they just need to contact her to be recognized again.

Olney credited the error to the changing of the guard at HRCD, which took place around the time the form was due.

In a transition things can get confusing," he said. "It was just a simple mistake--obviously nothing intentional."

Other club members said they were surprised to find out they belonged to a phantom organization.

"We assumed that we were part of a club that existed, but then we found out that we were like Tinkerbells in fairyland," said Board member Dorian S. Berger '00, who just found out about HRCD's status Monday.

Olney explained that he thought the previous president had handed in the form, but discovered the club's status just before intersession.

"It's obviously my fault," former president Seth D. Hanlon '98 said.

Hanlon says he does not remember ever receiving a re-registration form from the Dean's office.

However, Olney insists that the error is not a big deal.

"I'm surprised that it's news at all," said Olney, who plans to file the form today. "It was a human error.

In a transition things can get confusing," he said. "It was just a simple mistake--obviously nothing intentional."

Other club members said they were surprised to find out they belonged to a phantom organization.

"We assumed that we were part of a club that existed, but then we found out that we were like Tinkerbells in fairyland," said Board member Dorian S. Berger '00, who just found out about HRCD's status Monday.

Olney explained that he thought the previous president had handed in the form, but discovered the club's status just before intersession.

"It's obviously my fault," former president Seth D. Hanlon '98 said.

Hanlon says he does not remember ever receiving a re-registration form from the Dean's office.

However, Olney insists that the error is not a big deal.

"I'm surprised that it's news at all," said Olney, who plans to file the form today. "It was a human error.