U.C. Passes $42K Grant Package

The Undergraduate Council unanimously passed a $42,100 fall grants package last night, the first time grant proposals have ever been secured before Thanksgiving.

In addition to the 11 grants altered at Wednesday's amendment meeting, representatives of eight campus organizations successfully appealed their grant recommendations before the full council, adding a total of $2,443 in grants and a $325 loan to the package.

The initial finance committee report distributed last Sunday allocated $32,500 in grants and $2,400 in loans to most of the 122 student groups which submitted applications before the October deadline.

On Wednesday $4,600 in grants and a $700 loan were added by the committee. The grand total, which includes both grants and loans, exceeds the committee's fall budget by $1,100.

But council policy dictates that each grant must be considered on its individual merits, without regard to the running total of council funds already allocated.

The Asian American Association (AAA), the Harvard Cheerleading Squad, the Harvard Forensics Society, Kuumba Singers, the Cambridge Afterschool Program, the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations, the Harvard Outdoor Program and Points of Reference magazine each had their funding augmented by the council last night.

In the three-hour-long meeting, council Treasurer Rene Reyes '95 repeatedly emphasized financial responsibility, the number of Harvard students involved and the activity's impact on theHarvard community in speaking against every motionfor additional funds.

Arguing against a $500 grant to the HarvardOutdoor Program to help defray the costs of a skitrip for Harvard students and underprivilegedchildren, Reyes said that factors the councilconsidered in deciding grants should not include"warm fuzzies and good feelings."

"Putting 20 people who want to go skiing on theU.C.'s bill is not a very responsible use of ourmoney," he said.

Other considerations which weighed against theappealing organizations included the age of thegroup and its demonstrable efforts to fund itself.

In proposing a smaller grant allocation to theAAA, finance committee member Jay I. Kim '95 saidthat the AAA should be moving towardself-sufficiency.

"They have been around for as long as we have,"said Kim, who is an AAA member. "They shouldn'thave to ask us for money."

But council member Frank A. Pasquale '96cautioned the council against creating anenvironment conducive to "small groups splittingoff merely so that they can solicit money."

"There is a centrifugal tendency that wecontradict with this policy," Pasquale said. "Thisis clearly not constructive, so we should helpestablished organizations who have proven theirvalue to the student body."

The only group whose pleas were unsuccessfulwas HQ magazine, which was denied considerationafter submitting its application late.

Finance committee Chair Jamila A. Braswell '95consistently asked that the council adhere to thecommittee's recommendations, except in cases wherean exceptional need or change in circumstance wasdemonstrated.

In other business, council President Carey W.Gabay '94 announced the results of last Thursday'sgroundbreaking summit with leaders of the PhillipsBrooks House Association (PBH).

The meeting, organized by councilAdministrative Liaison Andrew J. Ehrlich '96,inspired council officials to consider theintensity of experience for participants whendetermining funding, and raised the possibility ofproviding grants to PBH summer programs, Gabaysaid.

Parliamentarian Elected

Gabay also announced the election of councilParliamentarian David A. Smith '94 as chair of thereevaluation committee. Committee member Hassen A.Sayeed '96 told the council that the committee'sagenda for the remainder of this semester includesbudget evaluation and election reform

Arguing against a $500 grant to the HarvardOutdoor Program to help defray the costs of a skitrip for Harvard students and underprivilegedchildren, Reyes said that factors the councilconsidered in deciding grants should not include"warm fuzzies and good feelings."

"Putting 20 people who want to go skiing on theU.C.'s bill is not a very responsible use of ourmoney," he said.

Other considerations which weighed against theappealing organizations included the age of thegroup and its demonstrable efforts to fund itself.

In proposing a smaller grant allocation to theAAA, finance committee member Jay I. Kim '95 saidthat the AAA should be moving towardself-sufficiency.

"They have been around for as long as we have,"said Kim, who is an AAA member. "They shouldn'thave to ask us for money."

But council member Frank A. Pasquale '96cautioned the council against creating anenvironment conducive to "small groups splittingoff merely so that they can solicit money."

"There is a centrifugal tendency that wecontradict with this policy," Pasquale said. "Thisis clearly not constructive, so we should helpestablished organizations who have proven theirvalue to the student body."

The only group whose pleas were unsuccessfulwas HQ magazine, which was denied considerationafter submitting its application late.

Finance committee Chair Jamila A. Braswell '95consistently asked that the council adhere to thecommittee's recommendations, except in cases wherean exceptional need or change in circumstance wasdemonstrated.

In other business, council President Carey W.Gabay '94 announced the results of last Thursday'sgroundbreaking summit with leaders of the PhillipsBrooks House Association (PBH).

The meeting, organized by councilAdministrative Liaison Andrew J. Ehrlich '96,inspired council officials to consider theintensity of experience for participants whendetermining funding, and raised the possibility ofproviding grants to PBH summer programs, Gabaysaid.

Parliamentarian Elected

Gabay also announced the election of councilParliamentarian David A. Smith '94 as chair of thereevaluation committee. Committee member Hassen A.Sayeed '96 told the council that the committee'sagenda for the remainder of this semester includesbudget evaluation and election reform