Bonfili's Departure Hurts Reform Bid

Over the last two years, we've watched with interest the dogged efforts of David V. Bonfili '96 to improve the Undergraduate Council. Indeed, just two months ago, he co-founded the Movement to Reform the Undergraduate Council (MRUC) with Rudd W. Coffey '97.

So when he unexpectedly resigned after last week's council meeting, we sadly saw one of the most vehement advocates of much-needed change leave the organization.

We are sad to see a voice for change leave the council, mostly because it's much easier to change the system from within. By staying aboard, Bonfili would have been able to continue to express his opinions where the pertinent audience is forced to pay attention.

Of course, most of MRUC's proposals failed to win enough support within the council. The necessity of a three-quarters majority to pass any reform measure does present a formidable obstacle.

One of the major initiatives provided for the formation of a policy review committee composed of council members and other students. In a strange turn of events, council member Randall A. Fine '96, the former chair of the council's Reevaluation Committee, said "Students don't care about what we do."

You bet we do. After all, we send the council money every year.

Council President David L. Hanselman '94 '95 did cite unspecified "outside motives" to explain Bonfili's resignation. We'd really like to know if disillusionment or personal reasons precipitated his departure. By resigning. Bonfili has abdicated the responsibility which he had so impressively brought upon himself. As a public figure on campus, he has a duty to inform students about his abrupt decision to quit the council.

As the senior founder of MRUC, Bonfili became the focal point for progress on council reform. We trust that he didn't drop his responsibility merely because he lost interest Bonfili did not return repeated phone calls this week. We must say that we are disappointed.

We hope that Coffey, the other MRUC founder, will continue to push for change. Having a voting voice present at every council meeting gives far more emphasis to reform, especially when council members don't pay attention to the opinions of regular students. We just know that one fewer voice won't help the cause.