Former Chair Melendez Still Working for Council

A former chairman of the Undergraduate Council who graduated in June has remained at Harvard this year to work as the student government's administrative secretary, drawing a salary and wielding his influence.

Brian R. Melendez '86, who served as chairman during the 1984-85 academic year, deferred from Harvard Law School for one year to continue to work for the council. The four-year council veteran served as its paid secretary his sophomore year, when he was also vice chairman, and again last year.

"I did it because I like the council so much," said Melendez, who was largely responsible for drafting the council's bylaws and hundreds of pages of reports.

Melendez continues to edit council reports and letters, and he helps with the accounting, he said. In addition, the council recently voted him the power to co-sign checks with either the chairman or the treasurer if both are not available.

"He's an excellent writer and editor," said Brian C. Offutt '87, who served as chairman last year. "He knows how to get things done and how to get things through Holyoke Center."

Current Council Chairman Richard S. Eisert '88 praised Melendez' work but downplayed his influence on the council. "It's very helpful to have Mr. Melendez around, but in the long run he's not indispensable," Eisert said.

The council pays Melendez $7.53 an hour for 20 hours a week, but he works a minimum of 24 hours each week. He also works 20 a week as a research assistant for a Harvard professor.

Unnecessary Expense

Some council members have said that Melendez is an unnecessary expense and asserted that representatives should do their own clerical work.

"I think his job should be redefined and the officers should do some of the work," said Evan J. Mandery '89, the chairman of the council's social committee. However Mandery said Melendez should be retained until the end of the academic year.

"He does a great job, but I really don't thinkthat's an issue," Mandery said.

Eisert said council members probably wouldn'tdo the work Melendez does.

"It's got to be done by someone, and I thinkthe officers already do too much," Offutt said."To ask them to do more might be a little bitextravagant."

Some council members have said that awork-study student should be hired to do the job.But Melendez said if a student were hired, "thequality of work would suffer immeasurably."

"If [Melendez] ever walks away without traininganyone else, we're going to have a definitedecrease in the quality of what we turn out,"Offutt said.

Melendez said he has not decided whether hewill remain in the council's employ next year.

The council has also authorized Melendez tohire a work-study student for up to $12 a week.

The Undergraduate Assembly at the University ofPennsylvania hires a work-study student at $4 anhour for about 10 hours a week, according tosenior Ronald D. Miller, who is on the studentgovernment steering committee.

Officers of the Undergraduate Council ofStudents at Brown University sometimes pays asecretary for a maximum of 10 hours a week,according to sophomore Steven E. Whinoker, acouncil representative. "All representatives doour own secretarial work," he said