Referendum Voting Starts Today

Voting begins today on an Undergraduate Council referendum on divestment.

Students will have the opportunity to vote in their house dining halls or in the Freshman Union during lunch and dinner through Friday night. Non-resident students can vote in the Dudley House library from 2 to 5 p.m.

The referendum is composed of two resolutions:

."Harvard University ought to divest completely from any institution that does business in the Republic of South Africa."

."The Undergraduate Council shall support and encourage the majority view on the preceding proposition through appropriate means."

Several council members, including Melissa S. Lane '88 of Dunster House, who is seeking the student government's chairmanship, last month gathered more than 700 signatures on a petition calling for the referendum. Council officers say the referendum is costing the student government approximately $150.

A group of 18 Council members, who initiated the referendum, signed a letter saying that the referendum is a response to the direction of current Chairman Brian C. Offutt '87 and Vice Chairman Steven B. Smith '87. They say that a vote of yes on the second question is a vote of no confidence in Offutt's handling of the council this year.

Offutt has drawn criticism from some council members because of his alleged refusal to take stands on political issues which do not directly affect student life.

Even if a majority of voters pass both questions, the outcome would not necessarily represent the opinion of the entire student body, according to some council members. The people who strongly favor divestment "are those most motivated to vote," said Dudley House representative Steven A. Colarossi '86.

Council members are divided over the possible outcome of the referendum. Some said they believe the referendum will pass on both counts.

"I think and hope that the outcome will be positive," said Steven A. Nussbaum '86, a council delegate from Mather House. "I don't think there should be any controversy around the second question."

"I think the outcome will be similar to 1983, and that a majority of students will support divestment," said Kamala S. Lakhdhir '85-'86 of Adams House, a Lane supporter.

"I think both parts will pass, the first one pretty strongly," Lane said.

But others were not so sure that the measure would gain student support.

"I suspect it will not be a clear consensus," Offutt said.

"Both questions will either be very close or won't pass," said representative Arthur D. Goldman '86 of Quincy House.

Unless a strong majority of students vote, the referendum will not be able to provide a "definitive answer" to the question of divestment, Goldman said. He and several other council members said they doubted more than half the student body would vote on the referendum.

Council members also did not agree on the effects the alleged political motivation behind the second question will have on the student vote.

"I don't think the students really care about the petty politicking within the Undergraduate Council," said former council Chairman Brian R. Melendez '86 of Cabot House.

"I do think people have gotten polarized against this issue," said Goldman.

Lane said she was sure the controversy will affect how students vote in the referendum but said that "hopefully it will make people think about [the issues involved]."