Consensus Eludes UC On Funding Changes

The Undergraduate Council (UC) erupted into what one member called “chaos” last night over a controversial piece of legislation that would relax the council’s anti-discrimination rules that determine its guidelines in allocating grants to student groups.

Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Vice Chair Matthew R. Greenfield ’08 introduced legislation calling for the UC to approve funding for student groups that are either recognized by the College or adhere to the council’s own anti-discrimination policy.

Despite two attempts to consider the legislation, Greenfield failed to bring the proposal to a vote.

In the past, the UC has traditionally denied funding to student groups that impose restrictions on its membership. Last November, the council voted to suspend its bylaws and award a grant to the Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Christian Fellowship, despite the group’s constitution which stipulates that its executive board members be Christian.

The UC’s current policy is to grant funding to student groups that comply with the council’s anti-discrimination guidelines. According to Finance Committee (FiCom) Chair Lori M. Adelman ’08, “the College has a lower threshold for discrimination than the UC’s policy does.”

Greenfield said the legislation and an accompanying proposal amending the council’s discrimination policy were passed in the UC’s Rules Committee, but tabled by the UC’s Executive Committee so that it could be considered with a third piece of legislation that would make it more difficult to change council bylaws.

But even though the legislation was not slated to be discussed, to the surprise of many council members—including UC President John S. Haddock ’07—Greenfield introduced the proposed new guidelines at the meeting using parliamentary rules. Greenfield said last night that he did so because he hoped that the FiCom could use the proposed guideline in allocating its grants for student groups.

Several UC members said last night that the Finance Committee would soon allocate “a big” grant package to student groups.

After the legislation was introduced, the council appeared to dissolve into disorder, and members darted across the room conferring with one another.

Several times a clearly agitated Haddock had to bang his gavel and call for order over the chatter of council members.

At one point, Greenfield made a motion to have SAC Chair Ryan A. Petersen ’08 ejected “out of the chamber for being out of order.” Haddock rejected the motion.

“People are being offensive... I think it is appalling,” UC Vice President Annie R. Riley ’07 could be overheard telling Haddock during the meeting.

Seemingly at the direction of Adelman, several council members used parliamentary tactics to delay a vote while other council members frantically called student group leaders to attend the council meeting.

By the time they had exhausted parliamentary procedure, UC members had successfully courted several members of the Black Students Association and Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance Co-Chair Ryan R. Thoreson ’07 to lobby against the legislation. Both student groups have said they do not support granting UC funding to student groups that discriminate in their membership.

Former UC Vice President Clay T. Capp ’06 also showed up in the middle of the meeting to vote against the legislation. According to Haddock, Capp is eligible to vote in any spring term council meeting as a former vice-president.

Haddock said last night after the meeting that he believed the council should look at the way it determines funding for student groups.

“I personally think that we need to look at why legit groups are not receiving funding,” Haddock said.

—Staff writer Alexander D. Blankfein can be reached at ablankf@fas.harvard.edu.