UC Welcomes Pudding Takeover, Hopes to Influence Repairs

When Associate Dean of the College David P. Illingworth '71 announced last week the recently acquired Hasty Pudding building would be used for student space, some Undergraduate Council leaders said they felt their prayers had been answered.

Over the past several years, the council has agitated for Harvard to build a student center--even offering administrators $25,000 to look into such a project.

"I e-mailed [Student Affairs Committee Chair (SAC)] Mike Shumsky and said, 'Look, we might get a student center and get to keep our $25,000!'" said SAC Vice Chair Paul A. Gusmorino '02.

But in the days since Illingworth's announcement, some of the council's initial enthusiasm has waned as members expressed concern they might be shut out of the discussion of how to use the new space

Many of the council's leaders said yesterday they will insist on student representation on the committee that will decide how to renovate and slice up the building.

Council President Fentrice D. Driskell '01 met yesterday with lllingworth to discuss the future of the Pudding structure, which will be renovated early next year.

Driskell said she is excited about the takeover but wary that it will be mishandled if the council does not take action in ensuring that students have a say in the process.

"It would be a shame if the council didn't take advantage of the opportunity," Driskell said Sunday.

Other council members echoed Driskell's sentiments, stressing the need for students to make their voice heard.

"We all know half the negotiation is before the contract and half is after," said Council Treasurer Sterling P. A. Darling '01.

A primary concern among council leaders, some say, is Illingworth might go back on his word and allow the Faculty to use a portion of the building.

"What we forget is how every single department on campus wants space," said Campus Life Committee Chair Stephen N. Smith '02.

But Illingworth yesterday repeated his assurance that none of the Pudding space would be given to the Faculty.

"This is space for students," Illingworth said, not space to be turned into classrooms.

"Faculty might be allowed to attend a performance there," he joked.

But while he said that "student voice is definitely going to be heard" on the subject of splitting up usable space, he said he is "not sure" how such a process will work. Illingworth said he could not guarantee students will sit on the committee he plans to form.

While Driskell and others hope for direct representation, they also acknowledge the council cannot make demands on administrators without doing its homework.

"The most important thing is to find out what students and student groups need," said Darling.

Most council leaders, however, said they believed there is a more pressing need for offices and meeting places for student groups.

"A place where students can go to work is more important than a place they can go to chill," said council member Todd E. Plants '01.

But those leaders admit the structure--which has long been used as a social club and theater--is not presently set up to accommodate offices. And Driskell and Illingworth both acknowledged they have not explored the entire building yet.

In addition, other council members have said they would like the building to provide students with additional social space.

Driskell, for example, said she would like to see a big-screen TV, some couches and a cafe in the building.

But Plants--who has been one of the council's most vocal advocates of creating a student center--said he was concerned the administration would do a mediocre job renovating the building and call it a full-fledged student center.

"If it becomes a really crappy student center, then there's obviously still a battle to be fought," Plants said.

According to Illingworth, however, Plants' fears cannot necessarily be avoided. Even if all the space outside of the Pudding theater--which administrators have promised to keep as a theater--were used for social space, Illingworth said, it still might not be enough to meet students' expectations.

"[The Pudding building] can't be all things to all people," Illingworth said. "But it's big enough to accommodate everybody."