Give Credit to U.C. First-Years

It is a travesty that an on Feb. 28, 1994. The Crimson dedicated a page and a half to discussing the Undergraduate Council's problems with uncommitted representatives but failed to mention the amazing efforts of the first-year Council members in organizing the Class of 1997 Formal.

Over 700 students (nearly half of the first-year class) took advantage of the Council-provided gate-to-door trolley service and fully-catered Formal in the four-star Boston Park Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom. While only three names appeared on the resolution authorizing this event, it was the combined commitment of all first-year Council members that made the event the success that it was.

Undoubtedly, the Undergraduate Council suffers under the fetters of what The Crimson called "dead weight." However, by ignoring success stories like the Class of 1997 Formal, The Crimson portrays but part of the picture. The distribution of dead weight on the Council is far from random. In fact, it is concentrated in the cluster of members who served on last year's Council. The cause, I believe, is not so much "seniorities," as UC President Carey Gabay suggested, as "apathy;" an apathy that is an understandable byproduct of serving on a Council that seemed to accomplish too little and bicker too much. With the election on Gabay and Garza in the fall of 1993, the UC witnessed a welcome changing of the guard.

To a large degree, the enthusiasm and commitment that these two officers brought to the Council leadership was captured by new members of the UC. As demonstrated by events like the Class of '97 Formal, this bodes well for the future of the Council.

Former council member, Anjalee Davis was certainly right to caution the Council against "an orgy of self-congratulation." But no one is suggesting that we're a paragon of successful student government. Clearly, the lack of commitment demonstrated by a number of Council members is a cause of concern.

I think it's a shame though that The Crimson saw fit to recognize the "do-nothings" to the exclusion of the rising stars. If abdicating one's responsibility to the student body is worthy of page one coverage, surely embracing this responsibility is as well. David V. Bonfili '96   Member, Undergraduate Council