Internal Council Coalition Formed

First there was PUCC. Now there is HSF.

The Undergraduate Council has generated its second internal coalition, known as Harvard Students First (HSF).

The new organization was formed in reaction to PUCC, the Progressive Undergraduate Council Coalition, which HSF members say they believe has steered the council away from student-focused issues.

HSF fears that the council "is falling simply into a forum for the more activist students," according to member Catherine D. Rucker'99.

The group was the brainchild of council member Eric M. Nelson'99, who is a Crimson editor. The coalition held its first meeting this past Tuesday.

HSF members said they disapprove of factionalism within the council, but said they need to provide an alternative to PUCC.

"I'm completely against having a two-party council, but I'm even more against having a one-party council," said Justin E. Porter '99, an HSF member. "I definitely hope it will become no parties eventually."

Rucker said that PUCC has already split the council.

"We take offense to the fact that PUCC has its own mailing list and its own newsgroup," she said. "PUCC is the reason why the council is as divisive as it is."

HSF's existence is conditional and it will dissolve once PUCC does, Rucker said.

"We will disband when PUCC does, when the council stops being a two-party organization and works as one council," she said.

Marco B. Simons '97, a PUCC member, said the council is still relevant to students. It should not confine its focus to issues on campus, he said.

But Simons acknowledged that the focus of council legislation has changed this year, and that the issues they have been working on affect students more indirectly.

"To a certain extent, we have been concentrating on broad sweeping issues and we haven't been spending as much time on smaller issues, direct issues that are more easily attainable," said Simons, who chairs the council's Student Affairs Committee.

Simons also said he was not disturbed by the increased debate and competitiveness that the coalitions' presence on the council have brought.

"To a certain extent, this [kind of debate] is what we expected when we started PUCC, and what we wanted," Simons said. "I would like to see people more politically honest about their views on the council floor and in the election process."

The first-ever College-wide elections of the council's president and vice president will occur next month. Because HSF was just formed, the group has not made any decisions about the possibility of endorsing candidates or allowing non-council members who will be running to join, said council member Elizabeth A. Haynes'98.

"Personally, I would be very surprised if we did [endorse candidates]," said Haynes, who is running for vice president.

If HSF endorses a candidate, Simons said, then "they are even more of a political party than PUCC ever was."

PUCC did not endorse candidates during the council-wide elections in fall and has no plans to do so now, Simons said.

Other council members who are not affiliated with either coalition expressed some concerns about the divisiveness on the council.

Campus Life Committee Co-chair Tally Zingher '99, who was considering joining HSF, said she was unsure if it would be in the best interests of the council.

"I think they've got a lot of good points," Zingher said. "But I'm apprehensive that this might lead to more divisiveness. I think it's made its point just by declaring itself. I want to know if it's going to help or hurt the council.

"Personally, I would be very surprised if we did [endorse candidates]," said Haynes, who is running for vice president.

If HSF endorses a candidate, Simons said, then "they are even more of a political party than PUCC ever was."

PUCC did not endorse candidates during the council-wide elections in fall and has no plans to do so now, Simons said.

Other council members who are not affiliated with either coalition expressed some concerns about the divisiveness on the council.

Campus Life Committee Co-chair Tally Zingher '99, who was considering joining HSF, said she was unsure if it would be in the best interests of the council.

"I think they've got a lot of good points," Zingher said. "But I'm apprehensive that this might lead to more divisiveness. I think it's made its point just by declaring itself. I want to know if it's going to help or hurt the council.