STUDENT COUNCIL ORGANIZED

Last evening the undergraduate committee, appointed by the class presidents at the request of the Athletic Committee, went before the Committee and presented the plan which it has drawn up to fulfill the promise made by the undergraduates in their petition to the Faculty. The proposal is to organize a student council, the purpose, scope and powers of which are fully explained in the constitution of the council which follows.

A mass meeting will be held in the Living Room of the Union tomorrow night at 8 o'clock at which the constitution will be explained, discussed and ratified.

The Athletic Committee then passed the following vote: "That in the opinion of this Committee it is not desirable to abolish intercollegiate contests from the date of the final football game until the spring recess." It was also voted "That this Committee approve the plan for a student council as presented by the undergraduate representatives appointed by the four class presidents, and that if this plan is accepted by the undergraduates the Committee will warmly welcome the co-operation of the council."

Following is the constitution of the proposed student council:

"STUDENT COUNCIL.

"The purpose of this council is thoroughly to co-operate with the Faculty in raising the general intellectual standard at Harvard as stated in the undergraduate petition to the Faculty dated April 29, 1908, to bring before governing bodies of the University expression of undergraduate opinions on subjects pertaining to the University, and to co-operate with the Athletic Committee in eradicating the specific evils in the conduct of athletics. The attainment of this purpose is to be effected in part by direct jurisdiction over individual students, the method of so doing to be explained hereinafter, and in part by creating the general sentiment that it is a question of individual and college honor to maintain a strict attention to scholastic duties.

"A. Composition of the Council.

"The Council is to be composed of not more than 21 members, selected as follows: (1) Four class presidents. (2) The captains of the four major teams. N.B.--The captain of the football team and the presidents of the three upper classes whose terms of office expire during the College year shall continue as members of the Council. (3) Two members to be elected at large from each of the three classes. (4) Three representatives to be elected by the Council from the College at large, a three-quarters vote of the entire Council to be necessary for election.

"B. (1) A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members. (2) This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the entire Council after three weeks' notice of such change has been given the undergraduates. (3) Each year at the final meeting of the Council a nominating committee of three, including the chairman, shall be appointed by the president; this committee shall publish on the first Monday after the opening of College in the following autumn a list of nominations for the delegates at large from each of the three upper classes (not more than six from each class to be nominated). Additional nominations for delegates from any one class may be made by petition of fifty members of that class. Such petitions must reach the nominating committee before 6 P. M. of Friday of that week. (4) Each class shall elect two delegates on or before the second Monday after the opening of College. (5) Within forty-eight hours of the election of the above delegates the temporary chairman shall convene the Council, at which meeting the annual election of officers shall take place. Also at this meeting the three representatives from the College at large shall be elected. (6) No undergraduate who is not in good standing at the College Office shall be eligible to membership. No member of the Council who fails to maintain good standing shall continue as a member of the Council. Vacancies arising from this or any other cause shall be filled by a three-quarters vote of the entire Council.

"C. Officers and Their Duties.

"The officers of the Council shall be a president, a vice-president and a secretary. (1) The president shall preside at all meetings, have the power to cast a vote only in case of a tie, and at the election of members to the Council. (2) The vice-president shall, in the absence of the president, assume all his powers. (3) The secretary shall perform the duties regularly pertaining to that office.

"D. Time of Meetings.

"(1) The Council shall meet at least once a fortnight during term time. (2) The president shall be empowered to call special meetings.

"E. Powers of the Council.

"(1) To advise the executive of any student organization open to competition as to the conduct of such organization. (2) To obtain through the College Office necessary information pertaining to the undergraduate body, such as marks, cuts, absences from Cambridge, etc. Note.--The purpose of the above is to enable the Council to have at all times exact data so that it may give warning to individuals, teams, etc., and to assist in the maintenance of the required standard. (3) To investigate any infringement of College rules that it may see fit, with the power of recommendation to the University executive. (4) To confer with any of the governing bodies of the University or any member thereof, upon any subject pertaining to the undergraduate body. (5) To regulate all mass meetings and student demonstrations, athletic, political or otherwise. (6) To prohibit any man who shows an indisposition to respect the recommendation of the Council from becoming and remaining a member of any athletic team, musical club, the-atrieal club, etc. (7) To confer with the Athletic Committee on athletic questions with power of recommendation as to schedules, etc."