UC Reverses Parade of Stars Decision

The Undergraduate Council voted last night to restore funding to the Parade of Stars, a new student group planning an undergraduate awards ceremony for May 7.

A week ago, the full body of the council withdrew monetary backing for the event despite the fact that its organizers had won approval from the council's finance committee for a $ 400 grant--$200 for audio-visual expenses and $200 for publicity.

Several council members called the rescission of funds "unprecedented."

At last night's meeting, Joshua D. Powe '98-'99, who is a Parade of Stars officer, spoke in defense of his group's petition for funds.

Powe expressed his consternation upon learning last week that the council had decided not to approve Parade of Star's grant.

"I was disappointed--actually, shocked and upset--When I learned about the decision," Powe said.

Powe explained that many students had "worked very hard" to put together Harvard's first-ever awards evening. Students will be honored in categories ranging from best male and female athlete to best play.

Powe said the group had already secured corporate sponsorship from Kinko's and Doubletree Guest Suites.

He suggested a misunderstanding caused the council not to approve the grant allocation after it had been passed by the finance committee.

The founder and president of Parade of Stars, Chetanna Okasi '98, had apparently asked the council for nominal sponsorship of the event.

According to Powe, Okasi did not mean to imply by the nominal sponsorship request that her group would not also pursue funds from the council.

He stressed she did not intend to mislead the council by filing a grant petition with a finance committee.

During a brief question-and-answer session as the funding issue was being considered, Noah Z. Seton '00 asked why the Parade of Stars group was seeking $200 for publicity if Kinko's had agreed to provide it services for free.

In response, President Beth A. Stewart '00 suggested a line-item amendment would be made to the grant allocation request.

The entire $400 sum was then devoted to covering audio-visual expenses, which Powe said would probably exceed this amount.

Points of information during the council's debate included concerns about the nature and category of the awards and their potential for fostering divisive competition among student groups.

In spite of such worries, the council voted to reinstate Parade of Stars' funding.

"I'm obviously Pleased," Powe said. "Justice was done."

In other business, the council approved two other grant packages that had been passed by the finance committee as well as two bills concerning internal council rules.