Newly-Elected Reps. Introduced to Council

Sporting more than 50 new members, the 80-seat Undergraduate Council held its annual orientation meeting in Boylston Hall last night, where new members were introduced to all aspects of council protocol, from parliamentary procedure to attendance to officer elections.

In other council news, Robert M. Hyman '98 announced today he will seek the council presidency this fall.

Hyman served last semester as chair of the council's Finance Committee.

Overall, new council members seemed fairly upbeat about the group's prospects for success in the upcoming year.

"I don't know exactly what the council was like in the past, but it seems like this year people are more enthusiastic about what the U.C. can do," said Andwele J. Lewis '98, a new representative from Currier House. "Especially with the influence of PUCC [Progressive Undergraduate Council Coalition] people seem ready to get things going."

According to Nathaniel A. Malka '98, a veteran council member, the high number of new members is likely to stir things up on the council.

"It should give a new perspective to old issues like the council-wide elections," Malka said. "It'll be interesting to see if [new members] feel the same about them."

While an infusion of new energy takes place every year with each election, PUCC should set this group apart, Malka said.

"So many of the new people are from PUCC there should be a lot of new issues that haven't come up in the past," he said.

Ian T. Simmons '98, a new representative from Kirkland House who ran on the PUCC ticket, said he felt the PUCC ticket, said he felt the PUCC contingent of the council will have a significant impact on the status quo.

"So many people on PUCC wouldn't have run otherwise that you can expect unexpected events that probably wouldn't have taken place otherwise," Simmons said.

Still, Simmons warned people should not expect too much from PUCC too soon.

"Just like any new council members, it's going to take us a bit to get up to speed on council proceedures to learn how best to affect legislation," Simmons explained.

PUCC member Joe A. Sena '99 said he was eager to make changes in the way the council works as soon as possible.

"It seems even from this meeting the stereotype of the U.C. as unorganized--that it's just there to organize dances--is the way it's starting off," Sena said. "I hope we can change that and get people on administrative boards and change undergraduate living."

But not everyone is excited about the coming of PUCC. New representative Eric M. Nelson '99 said he is concerned about the group's influence on the council.

"PUCC seemed very worrisome to me," Nelson said. "I'm wary of student government becoming politicized. That worried me a lot when I ran, and I hope to help prevent it from becoming that way."

Overall, new members are looking forward to getting involved and having some say in the process.

"I felt like as a first-year, I hadn't been doing much and I wanted to find more ways to get involved," said Mark A. Price '98, a new representative from Pforzheimer House. "I didn't know much about the U.C., but I figured the best way to find out was to get involved in it."

"The U.C. has a lot of power money-wise, and I wanted to have some control over how my money was spent," he added.

Nienke C. Grossman '99, a new representative from the Southeast Yard, said she thought a new perception of the council would help it accomplish a number of student affairs goals, such as reform of the core curriculum.

"I heard a lot of bad things about the U.C. before I came here," Grossman said. "But I think we as a class are not-that negative. People have been very supportive.

Ian T. Simmons '98, a new representative from Kirkland House who ran on the PUCC ticket, said he felt the PUCC ticket, said he felt the PUCC contingent of the council will have a significant impact on the status quo.

"So many people on PUCC wouldn't have run otherwise that you can expect unexpected events that probably wouldn't have taken place otherwise," Simmons said.

Still, Simmons warned people should not expect too much from PUCC too soon.

"Just like any new council members, it's going to take us a bit to get up to speed on council proceedures to learn how best to affect legislation," Simmons explained.

PUCC member Joe A. Sena '99 said he was eager to make changes in the way the council works as soon as possible.

"It seems even from this meeting the stereotype of the U.C. as unorganized--that it's just there to organize dances--is the way it's starting off," Sena said. "I hope we can change that and get people on administrative boards and change undergraduate living."

But not everyone is excited about the coming of PUCC. New representative Eric M. Nelson '99 said he is concerned about the group's influence on the council.

"PUCC seemed very worrisome to me," Nelson said. "I'm wary of student government becoming politicized. That worried me a lot when I ran, and I hope to help prevent it from becoming that way."

Overall, new members are looking forward to getting involved and having some say in the process.

"I felt like as a first-year, I hadn't been doing much and I wanted to find more ways to get involved," said Mark A. Price '98, a new representative from Pforzheimer House. "I didn't know much about the U.C., but I figured the best way to find out was to get involved in it."

"The U.C. has a lot of power money-wise, and I wanted to have some control over how my money was spent," he added.

Nienke C. Grossman '99, a new representative from the Southeast Yard, said she thought a new perception of the council would help it accomplish a number of student affairs goals, such as reform of the core curriculum.

"I heard a lot of bad things about the U.C. before I came here," Grossman said. "But I think we as a class are not-that negative. People have been very supportive.