Council to Reform Internal Elections

The Undergraduate Council voted last night with virtually no debate to institute internal election reforms to take effect next fall.

The council agreed to form a committee to verify and to count ballots at every election held for council offices. Each candidate will choose a representative to serve on the committee for that particular election, preventing cases where only one person counts the ballots in a general or committee election.

The reforms come in the wake of last fall's scandal involving then-Vice Chair Maya G. Prabhu '94 who admitted to rigging the social committee chair election. According to council members, the social chair election was the only contest in which one person counted the ballots. Prabhu resigned after the incident.

After passing the election reform amendment, the council voted to suspend the rules and to vote on the entire resolution with no debate. The original amendment called for a committee of three appointed by the presiding officer in the general elections, and a committee of the chair, the vice chair and the secretary for the committee elections.

Last week, Vice Chair David L. Hanselman '94 oversaw the five committee chair elections. Two members from each committee aided Hanselman in counting ballots for their committee's election.

Committee chairs who joined the executive board this semester include: Sean M. Becker '94 and Brandon C. Gregoire '94, academics; Rene Reyes '95, finance; Jennifer W. Grove '94, residential; Cynthia D. Johnson '96 and Rossana G. Lo '94, services; and David V. Bonfili '96 and Mark P.Connolly '96, social.

In other business, the council narrowly approved the creation of an adhoc committee for environmental affairs.

The council also voted to institute a statute of limitations of two terms for filing requests for grant payments, and to give committees the power to

recall their delegates on student- faculty committees.

Tomorrow, the council will form the re- evaluation committee on the basis of applications now available in the council office. The council approved the committee last fall to review its structure and activities. The committee will include four non- council representatives

recall their delegates on student- faculty committees.

Tomorrow, the council will form the re- evaluation committee on the basis of applications now available in the council office. The council approved the committee last fall to review its structure and activities. The committee will include four non- council representatives