New Committee Will Study Internal Reform

In an attempt to change its operations from the inside, the Undergraduate Council Monday night passed a resolution creating a committee to study possible internal reform.

The committee, which will be open to both members of the council and other students, will "take a total look at everything," said Mark A. Price '98, the council's vice-president.

Topics which the committee may discuss include reform of council procedure, committee structure, more effective responsiveness to student concerns and a possible reduction in the number of council members.

But according to Lamelle D. Rawlins '98, president of the council, the group will have no pre-set agenda for the reforms.

"Nothing is too big and nothing is too small," she said.

Rawlins said a budget referendum giving more money to student groups and the possibility of downsizing the council are among two possible changes which could be made.

The resolution to form the committee was initiated by council members Marco B. Simons '97 and William M. Jay '98.

"Marco is very left-leaning and William is very right-leaning, so it was an interesting coalition," Rawlins said.

Eric M. Nelson '99, a member of the council, said that, although he hopes the reforms are "very effective" he initially thought the reform measures would be handled by the Student Affairs Committee, which he chairs.

"I think the committee system is already too complicated," said Nelson, who is a Crimson editor.

However, Jay said he thought that the Student Affairs Committee has spent too much time on internal council business already.

"These reforms were in the Student Affairs Committee because there was no place better," Jay said.

Nelson said he hopes the committee will discuss possible reforms of the offices of president and vice-president.

It might be better if the office of president took a more neutral role, he said.

The committee will formulate a list of recommendations for reform, and present them in a report to be voted on by the full council sometime in April.

Any student who is interested in joining the committee should contact Rawlins by Thursday, March 20. Students will not be expected to attend all meetings of the committee.