THE NEWS IN BRIEF: After Low Application Turnout, Deadline Extended for Senior Gift Executive Committee

Seniors have until midnight tonight to apply for positions on the Senior Gift executive committee, after a busy midterm season led organizers to extend the deadline.

Applications for the position were supposed to be due last Friday, but Senior Gift co-chair Brooks E. Washington ’06 said there was an unexpectedly low number of applicants. They extended the deadline by a week, blaming the problems on bad timing.

“It’s been a busy week, what with midterms as well as seniors applying for jobs and interviews,” Washington said.

“We wanted to make sure that everyone who wanted a chance would have the chance to apply,” he added.

In the annual Senior Gift program, Harvard seniors raise money from their peers in conjunction with the Harvard College Fund. The money can be designated either for general use on things like buildings and facilities, or it can be earmarked especially for financial aid.

Last year, student activists asked classmates to withhold their donations until Harvard sold its shares in PetroChina, a Beijing-based oil firm with ties to the Sudanese government. Harvard eventually did sell the shares. But Senior Gift raised its lowest total since 1998, and many believe the efforts of the activist group, Senior Gift Plus, were responsible.

Washington said he’s confident that the controversy is not affecting seniors’ participation this year.

“I have not talked to a single person who has said he did not want to get involved in the Senior Gift because of last year,” he said.

Seniors interviewed in dining halls last night agreed that last year’s controversy had not change their perspectives on the fundraising.

“Basically, I have the same opinions that I did before,” said Amara G. Madu ’06, who said she didn’t intend to give money because Harvard is already so wealthy.

Despite the delay in choosing board members, however, Washington said he was optimistic. This year, the program is being restructured so that the House Competition—the time during which houses vie with each other for the highest rate of participation by seniors—will begin only after spring break.

They said this will allow plenty of time to plan and prepare.

“Even with the extension, we’re off to a great start,” Washington said. “We’ve got a lot of energy and enthusiasm and by the end of the recruitment effort, we’ll be well-staffed as well.”