Council Plans Bid For Springfest

He may not be Dave Matthews, but last night the Undergraduate Council declared Wyclef Jean of the hip-hop group the Fugees its first choice for Springfest at a busy meeting during which the council also approved $54,176.96 in student group grants.

If Jean does not accept the council's $25,000 offer, the council's next choices in order are Third Eye Blind, Violent Femmes, Rusted Root, Squirrel Nut Zippers and Springfest veteran De La Soul.

The band choices were the product of a 800-student Campus Life Committee (CLC) survey conducted by council representatives in House dining halls, said CLC Co-Chair Ryan E. Dorris '00.

Proponents of the bill said the council is doing the best it can with limited resources.

The funds to pay for the band will come from the $32,665.50 budgeted to the CLC by the council this year. Council representatives decided not to tap into the recently-discovered $40,000.

The council is willing to bid $25,000 for Third Eye Blind, Violent Femmes and Rusted Root, $20,000 for Squirrel Nut Zippers and $10,000 for De La Soul.

"While these bands are not the caliber of the Indigo Girls or Matchbox 20 or the Rolling Stones...this is a lot better than what we've had in the past," said Dorris, who sponsored the bill. "Let's make this a real school and have a good band for once," he added.

Past Springfest performers include Pharcyde in 1996 and God Street Wine in 1997.

Last spring, student bands performed atSpringfest, and some council members said themoney should be spent on student bands forSpringfest this year, too.

"Last year, Springfest went off without a bigband," said council representative Rachel E.Barber '99. "We should take this money and use itfor free fried dough or more jousting bats forpeople to hit each other with."

But outgoing council President Beth A. Stewart'00 said most students are "never ever, ever goingto get drawn by fried dough or sumo suits orwhatever."

Though the Dave Matthews Band was originallythe council's first choice, that effort wasabandoned last month after the Council determinedthat the cost of bringing the band would beprohibitively high and that a large enough venuewas not available.

Sharing the Wealth

The council also unanimously approved$54,176.96 in grants to student groups, up from$44,016 last year.

The 127 grant recipients include the FunkAppreciation Society, the Harvard Badminton Cluband Mr. J's Midnight Croquet, in addition to 11publications.

To qualify for funding, groups must berecognized by the College and submit anapplication to the council.

Before passing the bill, council members votedto amend the grants bill to increase the fundingof two student groups--the University LutheranHomeless Shelter and the Expressions DanceCompany.

In a separate bill, the council also allocatedfunds to the first-year formal.

In a moment of activism, it also passed aresolution to support congressional hate crimeslegislation. The bill requires the council to sendletters to congressional committees, lobbyinggroups and other colleges expressing the council'sstance.

In its final item of business, the councilendorsed the creation of a concert commission thatwould try to bring bands to campus around sixtimes a year.

The concert commission is negotiating a meansof funding the concerts with Dean of the CollegeHarry R. Lewis '68, according to the resolution'ssponsor, Jaylaan N. Ahmad-Llewellyn '00.Ahmad-Llewellyn said she and Lewis have discusseda new term-bill fee as one means to fund theseconcerts

Last spring, student bands performed atSpringfest, and some council members said themoney should be spent on student bands forSpringfest this year, too.

"Last year, Springfest went off without a bigband," said council representative Rachel E.Barber '99. "We should take this money and use itfor free fried dough or more jousting bats forpeople to hit each other with."

But outgoing council President Beth A. Stewart'00 said most students are "never ever, ever goingto get drawn by fried dough or sumo suits orwhatever."

Though the Dave Matthews Band was originallythe council's first choice, that effort wasabandoned last month after the Council determinedthat the cost of bringing the band would beprohibitively high and that a large enough venuewas not available.

Sharing the Wealth

The council also unanimously approved$54,176.96 in grants to student groups, up from$44,016 last year.

The 127 grant recipients include the FunkAppreciation Society, the Harvard Badminton Cluband Mr. J's Midnight Croquet, in addition to 11publications.

To qualify for funding, groups must berecognized by the College and submit anapplication to the council.

Before passing the bill, council members votedto amend the grants bill to increase the fundingof two student groups--the University LutheranHomeless Shelter and the Expressions DanceCompany.

In a separate bill, the council also allocatedfunds to the first-year formal.

In a moment of activism, it also passed aresolution to support congressional hate crimeslegislation. The bill requires the council to sendletters to congressional committees, lobbyinggroups and other colleges expressing the council'sstance.

In its final item of business, the councilendorsed the creation of a concert commission thatwould try to bring bands to campus around sixtimes a year.

The concert commission is negotiating a meansof funding the concerts with Dean of the CollegeHarry R. Lewis '68, according to the resolution'ssponsor, Jaylaan N. Ahmad-Llewellyn '00.Ahmad-Llewellyn said she and Lewis have discusseda new term-bill fee as one means to fund theseconcerts