Dean Approves 'Yardfest' Plans

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III has approved the major elements of "Yardfest," a gala festival for undergraduates to be held in the Yard April 30, John Mann '92-'94 and Mark P. Connolly '96 announced at the Undergraduate Council meeting last night.

The council also unanimously approved three free comedy concerts, the first of which will be held this Friday.

And Anjalee C. Davis '95, who spent a semester crusading for reform measures to increase the council's legitimacy, announced her resignation from the council to take a political internship.

In her resignation memo to the council, Davis criticized council President Carey W. Gabay '94 for orchestrating an "orgy of self-congratulation" which she says will fail to improve the council's image as long as fundamental flaws exist.

Yardfest Approved

Mann and Connolly, co-chairs of the council's campus life committee said they discussed the basic blueprint for the Yardfest with Epps this past Tuesday.

"He said that pretty much everything is okay with his office," Mann said after the meeting.

Connolly said the Yardfest will include several carnival events, such as sumo wrestling and jello wrestling, as well as various bands playing on the steps of Memorial Church.

The "Yardfest" will be part of a weekend which will include the annual Arts First Festival as well as the council-sponsored They Might Be Giants concert on April 28.

Council members said they were surprised that Epps approved use of the whole Yard for the event.

"We didn't think Dean Epps was going to say no," Connolly said, "but we were a little surprised at the accessibility of the Yard. We thought they'd be really strict about using the Yard."

Epps' approval of the event's ambitious format was a major step in making the Yardfest a reality, said Connolly, adding that he and Mann will meet with Epps later this week to discuss the event's details.

Voting on last night's only docket resolution, the council approved 51-0 a $3,000 proposal to hold three free comedy shows throughout the semester.

The first "Evening of Comedy," which will take place Friday in the Science Center, will feature Mike Bent, Greg Fitzsimmons and Tom Brown.

The two other shows will take place on April 15 and May 6. The performing comedians have not yet been determined.

Davis' Resignation

Davis said last night that she will take a leave of absence from school this semester to work on a political campaign, but that she plans to continue her efforts to reform the council.

In a memorandum to the council, Davis says that in the coming months she hopes to "organize the growing disgust of Harvard students" into her movement for reform of student government at Harvard.

In the letter, Davis criticizes Gabay for ignoring what she calls much-needed reforms in the council. "No amount of self-promotion is going to make a difference as long as the U.C. remains fundamentally unrepresentative and undemocratic," Davis writes.

Davis has advocated popular election of executive board officials and semiannual general elections to increase the council's responsiveness to the student body.

Gabay said last night that he didn't think Davis' absence would affect the council's reform efforts.

"It was good to have her as an oppositional force, but I don't think her presence or absence makes much of a difference," Gabay said.

"She would bring up various charges but no oneto my knowledge took her seriously," Gabay added.

In other business, the council welcomed newmembers Robert R. Zamacona '95 of Lowell House andW. David Williams '95 of Leverett House, who eachwon special elections in their respective houseslast week

"She would bring up various charges but no oneto my knowledge took her seriously," Gabay added.

In other business, the council welcomed newmembers Robert R. Zamacona '95 of Lowell House andW. David Williams '95 of Leverett House, who eachwon special elections in their respective houseslast week