Seniors Select Reps. For Class Committee

The Class of 1999 chose House representatives to the Senior Class Committee in late October, selecting twelve seniors to help plan class-wide social events for the rest of the year.

The representatives are Frank E. Pacheco, Adams House; David O. Schwartz, Cabot House; Rita Rastogi, Currier House; George H. "Troy" Durham III, Dunster House; Veronica D. Matthews, Eliot House; Elizabeth J. Holmes, Kirkland House; Candice L. Hoyes, Leverett House; Katherine A. Kraig, Lowell House; Aaron L. Hall, Mather House; Heather C. Chang, Pforzheimer House; Carla P. Kovacs, Quincy House; and Danielle A. Hootnick, Winthrop House.

26 percent of the Class of 1999 voted in the election.

The House representatives' main functions are to keep the seniors in their respective houses informed of events throughout the year, as well as to represent their housemates while organizing class events after graduation.

House representatives serve on sub committees which audition the speakers for the Class Day Program, select the AMES Award recipients, choose Class memorabilia and plan class social events.

The turnout in this year's election represented an increase over last year when only 18 percent of the class voted.

50 percent of seniors typically vote for Class Marshal elections, however, according to Kristin Curtis, staff assistant to the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA).

New representatives said the small turnout could be a result of the low level of publicity the representatives' election received.

While the two rounds of Marshal elections were publicized through ads in The Crimson, the House representative election did not receive as much attention.

Chang said she believes that while the representatives do not have as many responsibilities as the Class Marshals, the elections should receive the same amount of publicity.

"In order to get people to vote there should be a little more recognition and fanfare," she said.

According to Diane Jellis, HAA associatedirector for classes and reunions, "people'sinterest begins to dwell after the first twoelections for Class Marshals, so it's difficult tomaintain enthusiasm for this election."

Nevertheless, she said she is pleased with thenumber of students who voted this year as comparedwith national elections and the UndergraduateCouncil race.

Representatives and administrators questionedthe efficiency of tabling in the Houses, thevoting method used in both Marshal and Houserepresentative elections.

"People are asking to go electronic but I'm alittle dubious in view of the fact that the U.C.has so much trouble," Jellis said.

"We want to develop a system that will befail-safe and foolproof," she said.

Pacheco, the Adams House Committee chair, saidhe agreed that they should change over to acomputerized system.

"The current system of proportional voting issilly because it doesn't count votes as anendorsement of people, but rather becomes a namerecognition contest," Pacheco said.

The competition within Houses varieddrastically.

While 65 students ran for House representativesoverall, there were only two candidates inWinthrop House. Currier House, on the other hand,had 12 candidates.

Jellis said her "unscientific guestimate" as tosuccess in the representative election pointed toinvolvement in extracurricular and Houseactivities as a predictor of victory.

Chang, the representative from Pforzheimer,said she believes her selling point was herexperience as the House Committee president forthe last year.

For some, however, the position is a bit moreout of the ordinary.

Schwartz, a former varsity swimmer who wasoriginally in the class of 1997 in Mather House,was elected as Currier House Representative forthe class of 1999.

Although Schwartz is just joining the class, hesaid he is "very honored to be able to representthe last class of the millennium."

Hootnick echoed his sentiments.

"I'm really excited to get involved with theclass and help plan graduation," she said.

The Senior Class Committee is made up of the 8Class Marshals, 13 House Representatives, SeniorGift Co-Chairs, a Secretary and a Treasurer.

Resumes and cover letters may be submitteduntil Nov. 9 for appointment to the last twopositions

According to Diane Jellis, HAA associatedirector for classes and reunions, "people'sinterest begins to dwell after the first twoelections for Class Marshals, so it's difficult tomaintain enthusiasm for this election."

Nevertheless, she said she is pleased with thenumber of students who voted this year as comparedwith national elections and the UndergraduateCouncil race.

Representatives and administrators questionedthe efficiency of tabling in the Houses, thevoting method used in both Marshal and Houserepresentative elections.

"People are asking to go electronic but I'm alittle dubious in view of the fact that the U.C.has so much trouble," Jellis said.

"We want to develop a system that will befail-safe and foolproof," she said.

Pacheco, the Adams House Committee chair, saidhe agreed that they should change over to acomputerized system.

"The current system of proportional voting issilly because it doesn't count votes as anendorsement of people, but rather becomes a namerecognition contest," Pacheco said.

The competition within Houses varieddrastically.

While 65 students ran for House representativesoverall, there were only two candidates inWinthrop House. Currier House, on the other hand,had 12 candidates.

Jellis said her "unscientific guestimate" as tosuccess in the representative election pointed toinvolvement in extracurricular and Houseactivities as a predictor of victory.

Chang, the representative from Pforzheimer,said she believes her selling point was herexperience as the House Committee president forthe last year.

For some, however, the position is a bit moreout of the ordinary.

Schwartz, a former varsity swimmer who wasoriginally in the class of 1997 in Mather House,was elected as Currier House Representative forthe class of 1999.

Although Schwartz is just joining the class, hesaid he is "very honored to be able to representthe last class of the millennium."

Hootnick echoed his sentiments.

"I'm really excited to get involved with theclass and help plan graduation," she said.

The Senior Class Committee is made up of the 8Class Marshals, 13 House Representatives, SeniorGift Co-Chairs, a Secretary and a Treasurer.

Resumes and cover letters may be submitteduntil Nov. 9 for appointment to the last twopositions