Lowell House Committee Votes Not to Hold Assembly Election

The Lowell House Committee last night voted 22-10 to refuse to hold a House-wide election to fill a vacant Lowell House seat on the Student Assembly.

The committee, which voted to make its debate on the assembly off the record, will decide on further action next week.

"This is really an issue that needs discussion. It's too much a power struggle between the people on the House Committee and the people on the Student Assembly." Mary Pat May '82, a House committee member, said after the meeting.

Sanjiv Kapur '82, another House committee member, said last night, "Some people are dissatisfied with the Student Assembly and are groping to effect change, but don't know how." He added he favors continuing House-wide election for assembly member.

Michael Pontrelli '81 added, "There is a better way to say to the Student Assembly that we affirm their existence than by voting within the House committee not to hold any elections at all."

Pontrelli recommended a House-wide referendum on whether Lowell House residents would like to boycott the Student Assembly seat.

"People think the Student Assembly is non-representative, ineffective, and gives only an illusion of student representation," Gregory D.N. Pearson '81 said last night.

However, M. Susan Kish '80, who is on both the House committee and the assembly, defended the assembly by saying the two-year-old group is beginning to bring about change within the University by discussing the lengthening of library hours, asking for review of the Administrative Board and bringing different issues to the attention of the administration.

The House committee debate centered around the assembly seat resigned by J. Wyatt Emmerich '80, a Crimson editor, who said yesterday he gave up his seat because Student Assembly meetings conflicted with other responsibilities.