U.C.Condemns Kidd Choice

The Undergraduate Council will send a letter to Harvard administrators "condemning" the process by which Judith H. Kidd was chosen Dean of Public Service and Director of Phillips Brooks House (PBH).

Along with this resolution, which occupied most of its time, the council passed five other resolutions--three unanimously--and tabled a seventh.

The PBH resolution, co-sponsored by six members of the council, charged that the selection process illustrates a continuing trend of "blatant disregard for student voices."

Phillips Brooks House Association President Vincent Pan '95-'96 addressed the council for more than 20 minutes in support of the resolution. Pan charged that the administration appointed the new dean without appropriate attention to background in university-level public service administration or specific experience with PBH.

"I hope what this resolution doesn't express is that we hate this person," Pan said. "I'm hoping that the U.C. will recognize that student input was completely disregarded and that this is a problem."

"There is a fundamental difference in what PBH wants to do and what the Harvard corporation wants to do," Pan said. "Our methods are very different."

Pan said the association's next step will be to explore the possibility of self-sufficiency and cutting official ties with the University. For the present time, however, he said PBH hoped the council would support its protest.

Toby Kasper '97, who co-sponsored the resolution, argued that because two-thirds of the undergraduate population is involved with PBH, it is important for the council to represent those students to the administration.

"It behooves the council to recognize that this has affected so many people," Kasper said.

Elizabeth A. Haynes '98 spoke against the resolution, saying that the council needed to speak with the administration before making any statement about its appointment.

"I think it's deplorable that we are ignoring administrative input on this issue," Haynes said. "There are two sides to this issue, and we are only hearing from one."

The resolution passed with a vote of 59 for, four against and seven abstentions.

In its first unanimous vote of the evening, the council passed a resolution to fully subsidize the Harvard University Police Department's Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program for the fall semester and to urge greater administrative support of the RAD classes "in light of their importance to the student body."

The resolution, which several speakers cited as particularly important in the context of the recent mid-morning rape of a student on Memorial Drive, was uncontested and applauded by the council after its unanimous passage.

The council also voted unanimously to set up a two-line phone bank outside Holworthy Hall on November 13 and 14 so students can call their Congressional Representatives to register opposition to federal financial aid cuts.

Edward B. Smith III '97, who co-sponsored the resolution, said the phone bank will allow student to make their voices heard on the issue of federal aid cuts.

"At the end of the week, they sort of tally the votes on issues, and it helps to influence Representatives' votes later on," he said.

The council allocated $51.63 to buy extension cords and other supplies for the phone bank as well as for publicity purposes.

The council also unanimously approved a resolution to sponsor Sega Hockey Tournament this winter.

The tournament, which will involve several stages of competition, will culminate in a final round to be held at the Fleet Center in Boston prior to the National Hockey League's All-Star game in January.

SEGA, which is sponsoring similar tournaments at Boston University, Boston College and Northeastern University, proposes to bring NHL Hockey Players to the campuses to promote the event.

The council also voted to offer free shuttle service to Logan airport this Thanksgiving. The service, passed 61-3, will be offered for the third year in a row.

An amendment to charge students $2 for the shuttle was defeated.

A resolution calling for University divestment from Nigeria in protest of last week's executions of political activists was tabled.