IOP Committee Elects Chair Aims to Improve Review

The Student Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics (IOP) elected an Eliot House senior to its chairmanship earlier this month.

Peter T. Gelfman '85-86 a Government concentrator who took last year off to staff the Mondale Campaign, said his priorities as chairman will include increasing student involvement in politics revitalizing the Harvard Political Review, and getting other campus political groups to sponsor events with the IOP.

The committee also elected David C. Michael '83 as vice chairman and six other members to chair its various subcommittees.

Gelfman said the group composed of 28 undergraduates several graduate students, works to "bridge the worlds of academic and practical politics."

The student-run Committee uses its $100,000 IOP allocated annual budget to publish the quarterly Review and a newsletter of IOP events sponsor panel discussions bring visiting fellows of Harvard and provide stipends to students whose political activities merit reward.

This year, the committee will grant a new award to encourage undergraduates to write on political issues, Gelfman said. The student who submits the best article or paper will win a week-long externship with a political journalist of publication Gelfman added.

According to Christine M. Chambers '87 the communications coordinator for the committee the group will chose 15 to 17 new members on the basis of essays resumes and interviews at the end of January.

This spring the committee will continue its traditional programs Gelfman said. These programs include conducting about 15 study groups, inviting five of as resident fellows to the IOP and organizing a series of panel discussions added Gelfman.

Future panel discussions will include a retrospective discussion on the 20th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and a talk about the future of the Democratic Party, which the committee will cosponsor with the Harvard Democratic Club Gelfman said.