Glazer Leads Inaugural Meeting

The new president and vice president of the Undergraduate Council addressed a large audience of representatives and friends at last night’s inaugural meeting before conducting elections to fill UC leadership positions.

Incoming president Matthew J. Glazer ’06 spoke briefly about structural changes to the UC—an issue that outgoing President Matthew W. Mahan ’05 crusaded during his last few weeks as president—and then focused the remainder of his comments on the UC’s responsibility to improve student life.

Mahan’s suggestions for restructuring included nearly doubling the amount of UC representatives and vastly decentralizing its three branches.

But Glazer suggested making a special commission to explore the issue of structural change so that the UC would not be consumed by the issue this semester.

“I don’t want the Council to spend the entire semester arguing amongst itself,” Glazer said of his decision.

The commission, which will be comprised of UC members and students selected by the UC’s executive board, is slated to make its proposal at the end of Spring Break and the UC will have until the end of the school-year to debate the proposed changes.

Mahan sounded enthusiastic about passing on the torch, but warned that “committees can get bogged down.”

He added that “as long as he [Glazer] can take an active role, it’ll be all right.”

Glazer also discussed two big projects that he believes the UC needs to tackle this year—the curricular review and Allston development—although the long-term effects of both initiatives might not be visible during the representatives’ time at Harvard.

“We may have to wait until returning for our Harvard reunion to see the results of this expansion,” Glazer said. “We need to work hand in hand with the UC representatives of the future.”

Glazer’s speech received a standing ovation.

Vice President Ian W. Nichols ’06 spoke about his five semesters on the UC, beginning with his freshman year campaign against Glazer and culminating in his split-ticket election to the vice presidency.

“How exactly does one celebrate when they know they didn’t get elected with their running mate?” he said of Glazer and his separate victory parties after December’s election. But Nichols added that he and Glazer and he were committed to leading the UC together on issues such as making representatives more accountable for their districts and pushing for more student space from the administration.

Following the inaugural addresses, enthusiastic spectators— including a student holding a sign calling for the return of lobster night—cleared out and officer elections began.

Matthew R. Greenfield ’08 won his bid for secretary, stressing that he would make cleaning the UC office a priority this semester.

Syed N. “Faraz” Munaim ’06 won an unopposed bid for treasurer, after other representatives, including last semester’s treasurer, Clay T. Capp ’06, turned down nominations.

The UC then divided into committees and held elections for chair positions.

Aaron D. Chadbourne ’06 won Student Affairs Committee (SAC) chair, a position seen as a springboard to the UC presidency. Four of the past five UC presidents have held this office, but as a junior, Chadbourne cannot run for next year’s presidency.

John S. Haddock ’07 captured the vice-chair spot, and Amadi P. Anene ’08 will become SAC’s new secretary.

Blake M. Kurusi ’07 will lead the Financial Committee (FiCom) and Lauren P. S. Epstein ’07 will take on the role of Campus Life Committee (CLC) chair.

FiCom and CLC adjourned early to allow representatives to watch the Superbowl, and will elect remaining officers at their next meeting.

—Staff writer Liz C. Goodwin can be reached at goodwin@fas.harvard.edu.