Members Confused Over Council Grants

The Undergraduate Council on Sunday evening approved what the council claims is a record-high figure in grants to student groups.

But new restrictions on about 15 percent of the total mean that the funds allocated to student groups may be less than the stated figure.

"Hitting the six figure mark [for student groups] is a great accomplishment," said council member Noah Z. Seton '00. "The problem is that I don't think we've accomplished that."

In the plan they presented to the council, the sponsors of the budget bill, council President Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 and Treasurer Beth A. Stewart '00, said that student groups will receive a total of $101,693.84.

But that figure generated much confusion among council members at Sunday's meeting.

The total sum includes 63 percent of student term-bill fees collected this term. The council is constitutionally required to disburse at least 60 percent of term-bills-fees to student groups.

But the total also includes a new $10,000 Harvard Dining Services grant for food-related expenses, and a new $5,000 endowment, called the Copeland Fund, which is intended to improve interaction between Faculty and students.

Council members said it is unclear whether those two sums will actually go to student groups.

"My contention was that there was a discrepancy in the numbers they presented to us," Seton said. "They told us a couple of things during the meeting."

At the heart of the confusion is the uncertain purpose of the new funds.

The Copeland Fund, brainchild of Rawlins and Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, is earmarked for activities that promote student-Faculty relations.

Rawlins and Stewart said that up to $3,000 of the $5,000 total might be used to fund the Levinson Teaching Awards given each spring.

The Dining Services grant includes funds that the Coca-Cola Co. has given to Dining Services for student groups. Previously, that money has been available only for council-sponsored events; this year, the council has total discretion over its allocation.

Rawlins and Stewart acknowledged that funding for council-sponsored events and for the Levinson awards may come out of the total for student groups-thus lowering their stated grand total.

Eric M. Nelson '99 criticized Rawlins and Stewart for placing the new grants under the student-groups budget heading.

Nelson said that by doing so, Rawlins and Stewart in effect "considered the U.C. a student group," because some of the new money will end up going to the council.

Some council members contended that the Copeland and Dining Services funds should have been included under the budget heading for the council's Campus Life and Student Affairs committees.

Nelson and four other council members abstained from the budget vote, citing the ambiguity surrounding the eventual destination of the funds in the Copeland and Dining Services grants.

C.J. Mahoney'00 said that Rawlins and Stewart included the two new funds under the student groups budget heading in order to claim a six-figure student-group grant allocation.

Rawlins said she was frustrated by what she called misunderstanding about the new funds.

"Whether the money for the Levinson is coming from the Grants Fund or the committee fund is, to me, irrelevant," Rawlins said.

The bottom line, she said, is that student groups will have more money than in the past.

This year's total council budget contains about $23,000 more than the previous budget.

And Steward said in an interview that rollover from uncollected grants from last year will still push this year's total figure for student groups above the $100,000 mark.

"We have more money this year, because more people thought the U.C. was worth their $20," Rawlins said.

In other council business, a bill proposing a discretionary spending fund that would enable the council president to pursue projects independently of the council failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the council's constitutional bylaws.CrimsonRobert J. Coolbrith

Some council members contended that the Copeland and Dining Services funds should have been included under the budget heading for the council's Campus Life and Student Affairs committees.

Nelson and four other council members abstained from the budget vote, citing the ambiguity surrounding the eventual destination of the funds in the Copeland and Dining Services grants.

C.J. Mahoney'00 said that Rawlins and Stewart included the two new funds under the student groups budget heading in order to claim a six-figure student-group grant allocation.

Rawlins said she was frustrated by what she called misunderstanding about the new funds.

"Whether the money for the Levinson is coming from the Grants Fund or the committee fund is, to me, irrelevant," Rawlins said.

The bottom line, she said, is that student groups will have more money than in the past.

This year's total council budget contains about $23,000 more than the previous budget.

And Steward said in an interview that rollover from uncollected grants from last year will still push this year's total figure for student groups above the $100,000 mark.

"We have more money this year, because more people thought the U.C. was worth their $20," Rawlins said.

In other council business, a bill proposing a discretionary spending fund that would enable the council president to pursue projects independently of the council failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the council's constitutional bylaws.CrimsonRobert J. Coolbrith