A New System of Government

The committee set up to review College governance recommended this week in its report to Dean Fox the creation of a centralized student council with a $60,000 budget.

Headed by John E. Dowling '57 professor of Biology, the committee of eight members, four Faculty and four students, was formed by Fox last year following a written request by the Student Assembly which stated that "student participation in College governance needs to be better coordinated and more directed."

The new student council would consist of five committees dealing with educational policy, residential life, social life, communications and finance, and student services.

Eighty-five delegates would sit on the council--five representatives from each House and five representatives from each of the four sections of the Yard.

In addition, the new council would have access to a $60,000 budget, raised through a $10 surcharge to all undergraduate term bills. Only $6.50 of this fee would be refunded to those students indicating on their term bills that they did not wish to pay the charge, providing the council access to at least $20,000.

The report also recommends that the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life (CHUL) be divided into two smaller committees--the Committee on Housing and the Committee on College Life. The Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE), which the report calls a "very successful committee," would be retained.

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students and a member of the committee, said yesterday he will soon chair a committee--to be comprised of students from CUE, CHUL and the Student Assembly--which will draft a constitution based on the Dowling committee report, prepare a presentation to the Faculty Council and help draft legislation that may be needed to obtain Faculty approval. The constitution would also require the approval of a majority of the student body.

Nancy J. Northrop '81, a member of the committee, said yesterday the new council would provide students more power "because the system of government will be more organized and coordinated, allowing students the ability to offer weil-thought out suggestions that the Faculty can consider."