Freshmen Seek Representation On Student Council Committee

The fledgling Undergraduate Council will consider its first constitutional amendment Sunday, which would guarantee freshman representation on the council's administrative committee.

But several freshmen and upperclassmen on the 89-member council said yesterday that they doubt the proposal will receive the three-fourths vote needed to pass an amendment.

Many council members suggested that the amendment will be killed because of concern that it would become a precedent for guaranteed minority representation on the council's committees.

The question of whether the council's constitution should guarantee seats for minority students was a highly controversial issue last spring, when the new student government was being designed.

The administrative committee, which sets the council's weekly agenda, currently consists of the four council officers and the chairmen of the five council committees, all of whom are upperclassmen.

Council Chairman Michael G. Cotantuono, who proposed the amendment at last Saturday's meeting, explained yesterday, "I'm afraid if there are no freshmen in the administrative committee, there will be no freshmen with a larger picture of the Undergraduate Council. "Without council members familiar with the committee, the Council could become bogged down in administrative details from year to year.

But council member Jamin B. Raskin '84 said there is no need to guarantee freshmen positions on the administrative committee to teach them the nuances of the council's government because committee meetings are open to all council members.

The amendment would also establish the 23 freshmen council members as a formal committee.

The freshmen representatives have been meeting informally this term as the Freshman Caucus to help the six jurisdictions of the Yard work better as a group.