Council Opposes Voting Changes for Overseers

The Undergraduate Council last night passed without dissent a stinging indictment of a Board of Overseers plan to change its election procedures, calling the proposal a "transparent attempt to disenfranchise the alumni."

The nine-page resolution condemns the Board of Overseers plan as undemocratic and calls on the chairperson, Kenneth E. Lee '89, to publicize the council's stance.

The Young Report, produced by an Overseers committee and released in September, calls for a more extensive administration role in selecting University-endorsed candidates for the Overseers. The 30-member Board is elected by alumni and, along with the Corporation, is one of the University's two governing bodies.

The Young Report calls for an increase in the number of signatures required for petition candidates to the Overseers, an official administrative voice on nominating committees and endorsements of official candidates included with the alumni ballots.

The Young committee said the report would increase voter participation and interest in elections to the Board. But critics charge that the report is a thinly veiled attempt to quash the agenda of pro-divestment alumni seeking to influence Harvard through Overseers elections.

The Board put off discussion of the proposed election changes in October but will likely take the issue up again next month.

The council resolution on the Young Report calls on Lee to publicize the student government's position by purchasing a full-page advertisement in The Crimson and by sending press releases to newspapers, including The Globe, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times.

The publicity strategy marks a shift from past council protests against University actions; such criticisms have traditionally taken the form of a flood of letters to administrators.

"We want to more effectively advertise our positions," Lee said after last night's session. Lee said press releases are being sent to newspapersaround the country to notify alumni of thecouncil's position.

The council resolution, which was authored byan ad hoc committee chaired by Frank E. Lockwood'89, calls the Young Report inconsistent foradvocating more alumni involvement in Boardelections while at the same time supportingproposals that "will only further ceremonializethe affair."

The council resolution supports moreinformative campaigns by Board candidates, opposesincreasing requirements for petition candidatesand agrees with the Young Report's proposal for anon-voting administrator to serve on nominationcommittees.

The council also passed resolutions calling forthe return of a two-week shopping period,advocating energy conservation in Universitybuildings and urging Harvard to eliminate the useof styrofoam cups in dining halls.

In addition, the council held a half-hour opendiscussion over a proposal by representativeMitchell A. Orenstein '89 to have the student bodyas a whole elect the council's chairperson