U.C. Elections Begin After Recruiting Effort

Undergraduate Council elections begin at mignight this evening, but the average undergraduate might not know that.

Although first-year candidates have plastered Harvard Yard with campaign posters promising everything from cable TV for all first-years to lower course book prices, many upper-class students said they have heard little about the vote.

Former council member Mary L. Naber '98, who is also a Crimson executive, said she was unaware that elections were approaching.

But according to council election commission Chair Benjamin W. Hulse '99, upperclass students do not know about the elections simply because the election committee does not begin postering until the morning before the election.

"There's no point in putting up posters too early," Hulse said. "They'll just get taken down."

Hulse added that the council election commission will be postering twice daily until elections end on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 11:59 p.m. For the second year, voting will take place on-line when students log into their Internet accounts.

This year's dearth of upperclass interest in the council elections is nothing new, students said.

"A lot of freshmen voted because we didn't know any better," said Jason R. Stevenson '00, recalling his first year.

First-years may flock to announce their candidacy, but many upperclass houses face difficulty even filling their rosters.

"Competition tends to start slow in the Houses," Hulse said.

According to council officials, as of last night the Cabot House election roster was three candidates short of its allotted five representatives; Dunster House had only three council hopefuls for five slots; and Lowell House was two short of its six-candidate slate.

The council is planning a get-out-the-vote effort starting today and continuing throughout the election. Undergraduate council President Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 said she is continuing to recruit candidates actively, visiting student groups such as Latinas Unidas, Girl Spot, the Radcliffe Union of Students, UNITE and Diversity & Distinction.

Rawlins emphasized that students can continue to declare a candidacy until 5 p.m. today. Position papers were due yesterday, but students can still be listed on the ballot by contacting Rawlins, she said.

However, the number of candidates in other Houses-especially Mather and Kirkland-has risen dramatically since last year.

Stephen E. Weinberg '99, outgoing finance committee chair, said that he spent two fruitless days tabling in Dunster to encourage candidates to run.

Weinberg said he feels that the council has a general image problem that has contributed to its difficulty in recruiting members.

"We eventually did get some people to run [from Dunster], but we had to talk to them individually-postering and tabling didn't work," Weinberg said.

Hulse also said that personal attention to potential candidates paid off.

"I've been pushing everyone who's ever shown any interest in the U.C.," Hulse said.

Recent efforts from the council, women's advocates and campus organizations such as the Asian American Association to recruit candidates appear to have been successful, Hulse said.

"What looked like it might have been a real disaster now looks O.K.," Hulse said.

Many students said they do not feel any need to follow the activities of the council.

"The U.C. does some good things, but it's just a token," Stevenson said. "It's not given as much power of the purse as other college undergraduate councils."

Although the council distributes annual grants to student organizations, it does not have authority over student groups or over disciplinary matters, as at other colleges

The council is planning a get-out-the-vote effort starting today and continuing throughout the election. Undergraduate council President Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 said she is continuing to recruit candidates actively, visiting student groups such as Latinas Unidas, Girl Spot, the Radcliffe Union of Students, UNITE and Diversity & Distinction.

Rawlins emphasized that students can continue to declare a candidacy until 5 p.m. today. Position papers were due yesterday, but students can still be listed on the ballot by contacting Rawlins, she said.

However, the number of candidates in other Houses-especially Mather and Kirkland-has risen dramatically since last year.

Stephen E. Weinberg '99, outgoing finance committee chair, said that he spent two fruitless days tabling in Dunster to encourage candidates to run.

Weinberg said he feels that the council has a general image problem that has contributed to its difficulty in recruiting members.

"We eventually did get some people to run [from Dunster], but we had to talk to them individually-postering and tabling didn't work," Weinberg said.

Hulse also said that personal attention to potential candidates paid off.

"I've been pushing everyone who's ever shown any interest in the U.C.," Hulse said.

Recent efforts from the council, women's advocates and campus organizations such as the Asian American Association to recruit candidates appear to have been successful, Hulse said.

"What looked like it might have been a real disaster now looks O.K.," Hulse said.

Many students said they do not feel any need to follow the activities of the council.

"The U.C. does some good things, but it's just a token," Stevenson said. "It's not given as much power of the purse as other college undergraduate councils."

Although the council distributes annual grants to student organizations, it does not have authority over student groups or over disciplinary matters, as at other colleges