Vice Chair Prabhu Resigns Council Post

Less than a week after surviving an impeachment attempt against her, Maya G. Prabhu '94 resigned her post as vice chair of the Undergraduate Council yesterday and assumed responsibility for the invalid results of a social committee election she conducted.

Prabhu did not admit to tampering with the ballots, but a source close to the investigation said she confessed her involvement privately to the four person committee probing the election fraud.

"Maya's resignation should be interpreted as an admission of guilt," the source said. "She admitted [to the panel] that she had tampered with the results of the social committee election."

The resignation, which is effective immediately, came in the form of a letter to council Chair Malcolm A. Heinicke '93. It followed nearly two weeks of Prabhu's repeated denials that she tampered with the results of the vote.

"Someone needs to take responsibility for the events which have occurred," Prabhu wrote. "It is clear that my remaining in this Council is an obstacle to its true objectives in guiding student policy and providing student services."

In the October 21 election she conducted for social committee co-chair, Prabhu declared Danielle D.Do '93 and Tree F. Loong '94 winners over Marc D.McKay '94 and Spyros Poulios '95 by a vote of seven to six.

Poulios contested the result and Heinicke asked Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 to conduct a re-vote. The second election favored McKay and Poulios.

In an interview with The Crimson just after the re-vote, Prabhu, a resident of Dunster House, said she did not understand what had led to the discrepancies.

"I absolutely did not tamper with the ballots," Prabhu said then. "I would never jeopardize the trust that people have in me as a [council representative] and this new mandate that I've been given as vice chair, over something as insubstantial as a social committee co-chair election."

Prabhu maintained her innocence before the full council last Sunday, vigorously defending herself against a motion for her recall brought by McKay. She would not comment on those statements last night.

The third term representative--who had served as vice chair for just two weeks beforeher resignation--refused to say whether shepersonally fixed the election.

"All I'm saying in that letter is that I mademistakes that night, I mismanaged the election,and I'm taking responsibility for that," Prabhusaid. "I'm not going to say anything more."

But Prabhu did not deny that the results of theelection were fraudulent. "Ballot tampering didoccur," she said. "I'm not going to claim moreresponsibility than I need to."

Prabhu said she resigned because she grew tiredof the pressure caused by the scandal.

"It's preventing me from getting on and doinganything," Prabhu said. "It's preventing thecouncil from getting on and doing anything."

The former vice chair said she regretted thatseveral of her friends felt obligated to speak outin her behalf.

"One of the reasons why I'm trying to put anend to all this now is so that people won't feelthe need to say anything more," Prabhu said.

But McKay said yesterday that he thinks theinvestigatory panel's decision to have aprofessional graphologist analyze the ballots ledto Prabhu's resignation.

On Wednesday, the panel collected handwritingsamples from Prabhu and members of the socialcommittee.

"I think she wanted to come forward, do it onher own accord, before she got fingered," McKaysaid.

Prabhu denied that the impending handwritinganalysis affected her decision.

Heinicke said that he is pleased the councilwill finally be able to proceed with its agenda.

"I was disappointed with the developments, butat the same time I respect her for coming forwardand taking responsibility," Heinicke said. "It'sdefinitely the right thing to do."

The council chair said the investigatory panelwill continue to probe unanswered questions raisedby the election, including the origin of ananonymous letter claiming responsibility for thevote tampering and several prank phone callsallegedly received by Poulios and Prabhu.

Heinicke said he doubts the council will askfor Prabhu to be punished by the AdministrativeBoard. Jewett, who is the chair of the Ad Board,could not be reached for comment last night.

In an earlier interview, however, Jewett saidthat the issue was under the jurisdiction of thecouncil, and that the Ad Board would only becomeinvolved at the council's request or if anindividual involved with the tampering actuallylied to a college official.

McKay said he would not attempt to have thecase tried before the Ad Board. "I feelvindicated," he said. "My personal interest in itis now finished."

But the Kirkland House representative said heis disappointed that Prabhu's statements do notresolve the questions raised by the votetampering.

"She no longer denies that she did it, but shedoesn't admit to it either," McKay said.

Mather House representative Michael P. Beys,Prabhu's opponent earlier this year for vicechair, agreed.

"I think that regardless of whether she did itor not this is the honorable thing [to do]," Beyssaid. "On the other hand, I'd like to know whathappened that Wednesday night with the socialcommittee elections."

Prabhu said last night that she believes theissue will never be entirely resolved.

"I think it'll be very difficult for anyone toknow [exactly what happened]," Prabhu said. "Isthe council going to be left hanging? I think thecouncil will be no matter what."

Heinicke said he will appoint an interim vicechair this weekend and that Prabhu's permanentreplacement will be voted on by the full councilat a meeting on November 8.

Dunster House representative Victor Chiu willreplace Prabhu as chair of the Dunster Housedelegation, Heinicke said

"All I'm saying in that letter is that I mademistakes that night, I mismanaged the election,and I'm taking responsibility for that," Prabhusaid. "I'm not going to say anything more."

But Prabhu did not deny that the results of theelection were fraudulent. "Ballot tampering didoccur," she said. "I'm not going to claim moreresponsibility than I need to."

Prabhu said she resigned because she grew tiredof the pressure caused by the scandal.

"It's preventing me from getting on and doinganything," Prabhu said. "It's preventing thecouncil from getting on and doing anything."

The former vice chair said she regretted thatseveral of her friends felt obligated to speak outin her behalf.

"One of the reasons why I'm trying to put anend to all this now is so that people won't feelthe need to say anything more," Prabhu said.

But McKay said yesterday that he thinks theinvestigatory panel's decision to have aprofessional graphologist analyze the ballots ledto Prabhu's resignation.

On Wednesday, the panel collected handwritingsamples from Prabhu and members of the socialcommittee.

"I think she wanted to come forward, do it onher own accord, before she got fingered," McKaysaid.

Prabhu denied that the impending handwritinganalysis affected her decision.

Heinicke said that he is pleased the councilwill finally be able to proceed with its agenda.

"I was disappointed with the developments, butat the same time I respect her for coming forwardand taking responsibility," Heinicke said. "It'sdefinitely the right thing to do."

The council chair said the investigatory panelwill continue to probe unanswered questions raisedby the election, including the origin of ananonymous letter claiming responsibility for thevote tampering and several prank phone callsallegedly received by Poulios and Prabhu.

Heinicke said he doubts the council will askfor Prabhu to be punished by the AdministrativeBoard. Jewett, who is the chair of the Ad Board,could not be reached for comment last night.

In an earlier interview, however, Jewett saidthat the issue was under the jurisdiction of thecouncil, and that the Ad Board would only becomeinvolved at the council's request or if anindividual involved with the tampering actuallylied to a college official.

McKay said he would not attempt to have thecase tried before the Ad Board. "I feelvindicated," he said. "My personal interest in itis now finished."

But the Kirkland House representative said heis disappointed that Prabhu's statements do notresolve the questions raised by the votetampering.

"She no longer denies that she did it, but shedoesn't admit to it either," McKay said.

Mather House representative Michael P. Beys,Prabhu's opponent earlier this year for vicechair, agreed.

"I think that regardless of whether she did itor not this is the honorable thing [to do]," Beyssaid. "On the other hand, I'd like to know whathappened that Wednesday night with the socialcommittee elections."

Prabhu said last night that she believes theissue will never be entirely resolved.

"I think it'll be very difficult for anyone toknow [exactly what happened]," Prabhu said. "Isthe council going to be left hanging? I think thecouncil will be no matter what."

Heinicke said he will appoint an interim vicechair this weekend and that Prabhu's permanentreplacement will be voted on by the full councilat a meeting on November 8.

Dunster House representative Victor Chiu willreplace Prabhu as chair of the Dunster Housedelegation, Heinicke said