In Reversal, U.C. Says Undergrads Can Withhold Fee

The Undergraduate Council last night returned the controversial term bill fee check-off option to its constitution, allowing students to easily withhold most of their annual $20 contributions to the council.

But undergraduates will still have to write letters to Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III if they want the last $3.33 of that $20 refunded.

The council could not muster the 3/4 vote for a resolution that would have done away with those letters. Under the proposal, students could have checked the box and automatically received all of their money back.

Last night's resolutions on the check-off were offered by the two leaders of the Movement to Reform the Undergraduate Council (MRUC), Rudd W. Coffey '97 and David V. Bonfili '96.

The two formed the group this year to urge reform after a series of council setbacks last year, including a botched student referendum over a $10 term bill fee hike that would have increased the annual student contribution to $30.

Last night, some council members opposed making it easier for students to withhold their money when ostensibly all students benefit from the council's work.

"This proposal really stems from cynical people who don't believe the council helps certain people," said Joe Evangelista '95. "If a lot of people don't pay we'll have a problem with 'free riders.'"

Council Vice President Brandon C. Gregoire '95 proposed a "free rider amendment": students who paid their council fees would get free admission or reduced rate access to council functions.

Students who didn't pay their council fees would have been charged higher admission rates for the events they chose to attend.

But because of a constitutional guarantee of confidentiality for students who withhold their council contributions, the amendment was tossed out.

In recent years, about 16 percent of Harvard's undergraduates have withheld their council fees. Council Treasurer Jay L. kim '95 said this year's statistics aren't available yet.

Kim adamantly opposed the elimination of the letters Epps requires from students who want their entire council contributions refunded.

The letters, by making it difficult for students to withhold all funds, are supposed to provide a buffer between the council and complete bankruptcy.

"Assuming that most people don't bother collecting those last few dollars, why should we make ourselves lose money?" Kim asked the council.

Coffey responded that the council shouldn't take any money students wouldn't give voluntarily. "We're here to represent, not to antagonize," he said.

Coffey and his resolution won only 48 of the 64 votes needed for the constitutional change.

Also at Coffey and Bonfili's urging, members approved a constitutional amendment that will earmark at least 60 percent of a minimum council budget for student group grants.

But another resolution offered by the reformers lost. It would have reduced the vote required to put new business on the council docket from 2/3 to a simple majority.

The resolution, which would have come in the form of an amendment to the council by-laws, missed its mark--support by 2/3 of the council--by three votes.

Despite publicizing it last week, MRUC leaders failed to get one of their most potentially controversial resolutions on last night's docket: mandating council elections every semester rather than just once a year.

But MRUC's Bonfili said after the meeting last night that he expects the reforms that failed to be back.

"Obviously, I'm not entirely pleased with the result of tonight's vote. These issues, however, are not dead," Bonfili said. "I'm confident that these issues will return to the council floor and pass. Absolutely a clear majority of the council supports these reforms."

Council president David L. Hanselman '94-'95, who is a declared supporter of the MRUC, and last night that while he was disappointed some resolution didn't pass, the council took a step towards restoring its credibility among students with the stands it did take.

But Hanselman said he plans to move the council away from constitutional reform in coming weeks. Instead, he wants to focus more on serving students.

"We need to get back to our real purpose now and leave internal reform alone," Hanselman said.

The council last night also approved a budget plan for this academic year. The budget, sponsored by Hanselman and Kim, outlines the allocation of $135,474 in council funds.

Of that money, $76,642 will be set aside for grants to student organizations, $46,832 will fill the coffers of council committees and $12,000 will cover the council's operating costs.

The money for council committees will be used to fund projects like comedy concerts, a tailgate party for this year's Yale game, Yardfest and the Freshman Formal.

The only change to proposal budget figures came from a motion by Coffey to strike $400 the council had set aside for internal social events.

"If we want to buy ourselves kegs and party we should just collect $5 from everyone and not use students' money," he said.

The budget resolution was approved by acclamation after a contentious debate on parliamentary procedure.

In other business, Hanselman appointed Elizabeth Haynes '98 as parliamentarian and Gregory Corbett '96 as press liaison. Both Haynes and Corbett are new to the council.

Hanselman also suggested appointing a first-year representative to the council's executive board. That resolution will be considered by the council next Sunday

Students who didn't pay their council fees would have been charged higher admission rates for the events they chose to attend.

But because of a constitutional guarantee of confidentiality for students who withhold their council contributions, the amendment was tossed out.

In recent years, about 16 percent of Harvard's undergraduates have withheld their council fees. Council Treasurer Jay L. kim '95 said this year's statistics aren't available yet.

Kim adamantly opposed the elimination of the letters Epps requires from students who want their entire council contributions refunded.

The letters, by making it difficult for students to withhold all funds, are supposed to provide a buffer between the council and complete bankruptcy.

"Assuming that most people don't bother collecting those last few dollars, why should we make ourselves lose money?" Kim asked the council.

Coffey responded that the council shouldn't take any money students wouldn't give voluntarily. "We're here to represent, not to antagonize," he said.

Coffey and his resolution won only 48 of the 64 votes needed for the constitutional change.

Also at Coffey and Bonfili's urging, members approved a constitutional amendment that will earmark at least 60 percent of a minimum council budget for student group grants.

But another resolution offered by the reformers lost. It would have reduced the vote required to put new business on the council docket from 2/3 to a simple majority.

The resolution, which would have come in the form of an amendment to the council by-laws, missed its mark--support by 2/3 of the council--by three votes.

Despite publicizing it last week, MRUC leaders failed to get one of their most potentially controversial resolutions on last night's docket: mandating council elections every semester rather than just once a year.

But MRUC's Bonfili said after the meeting last night that he expects the reforms that failed to be back.

"Obviously, I'm not entirely pleased with the result of tonight's vote. These issues, however, are not dead," Bonfili said. "I'm confident that these issues will return to the council floor and pass. Absolutely a clear majority of the council supports these reforms."

Council president David L. Hanselman '94-'95, who is a declared supporter of the MRUC, and last night that while he was disappointed some resolution didn't pass, the council took a step towards restoring its credibility among students with the stands it did take.

But Hanselman said he plans to move the council away from constitutional reform in coming weeks. Instead, he wants to focus more on serving students.

"We need to get back to our real purpose now and leave internal reform alone," Hanselman said.

The council last night also approved a budget plan for this academic year. The budget, sponsored by Hanselman and Kim, outlines the allocation of $135,474 in council funds.

Of that money, $76,642 will be set aside for grants to student organizations, $46,832 will fill the coffers of council committees and $12,000 will cover the council's operating costs.

The money for council committees will be used to fund projects like comedy concerts, a tailgate party for this year's Yale game, Yardfest and the Freshman Formal.

The only change to proposal budget figures came from a motion by Coffey to strike $400 the council had set aside for internal social events.

"If we want to buy ourselves kegs and party we should just collect $5 from everyone and not use students' money," he said.

The budget resolution was approved by acclamation after a contentious debate on parliamentary procedure.

In other business, Hanselman appointed Elizabeth Haynes '98 as parliamentarian and Gregory Corbett '96 as press liaison. Both Haynes and Corbett are new to the council.

Hanselman also suggested appointing a first-year representative to the council's executive board. That resolution will be considered by the council next Sunday