Council Denies New Funds

The Undergraduate Council defeated three resolutions to grant money for special student projects during a short meeting last night.

The council initially passed a measure that would finance mail balloting to elect council representatives of Dudley House. But the proposal failed to get the required two-thirds majority after two re-votes.

The bill was prompted by low turnout in the last Dudley House council election. Hillary K. Anger '93, who co-sponsored the bill, said between 20 and 25 out of 90 Dudley House students voted in contrast to a 50 to 60 percent turnout in the other houses.

Under the resolution, the Dudley House Committee would have been allowed to implement other election procedures "deemed more effectual in reaching House membership." The council would have covered a maximum of $20 per election for extra costs incurred, such as postage and photocopying.

But Carey Gabay '94 objected to the measure. He said the mailings would be ineffective because students living off-campus are "fragmented" from undergraduate life.

"[The resolution is] great in spirit, but I don't think it's realistic," Gabay said.

The council also rejected a resolution to give $850 in funding to the Caribbean Club for its April 24 Caribbean Carnival. This resolution, which passed the council's social committee, was defeated as "a matter of principle" because the club is also seeking a grant through the finance committee, according to Adam Hertzman '95.

The council traditionally hands out grants through its finance committee.

The council maintains a social budget for events it sponsors. But "since we felt it was their event, that it made more sense for them to go through the finance committee," Hertzman said.

Some members said it was unfair to other organizations if the club was allowed to apply for a grant and and also get funds directly.

The resolution's defeat, however, will not affect the club's grant application.

The council also last night voted down a proposal to pay $200 to the members of the Harvard student rock band Hot Spanky Porpoise, which opened the Council-sponsored Chucklehead concert in Quincy House last month.

Although band members did not incur any costs, social committee Chair Mark Connolly '96 said the council should extend an "act of goodwill" to the band for its role in drawing students to see the recent concert.

But representative Melissa Garze '94 said the council should not increase the loss sustained from the concert by giving out more funds. And she said the decision to allow the band to open for Chucklehead was done without a competitive search for other bands.

"This band could have been any band...I don't think [the payment] would be a good precedent to set," Garza said.