Proposal Marks First Council Meeting of Fall

Debate about universal keycard access (UKA), Fallfest, and dining services was temporarily suspended for perhaps the most extraordinary event ever to take place at an Undergraduate Council (UC) meeting—a marriage proposal.

Former UC treasurer Justin A. Barkley ’02, who did not win reelection in a competitive Adams House race this year, concluded an emotional farewell to the council with a marriage proposal to his girlfriend, Tuft’s student Melissa G. Ausman, who accepted.

“This is the most exciting meeting that has ever occurred in the 20-year history of the UC,” said UC president Paul A. Gusmorino ’02.

After his farewell address, Barkley called Ausman up to the podium and recited the lyrics of “Amazed,” a country music song by Lone Star, while on one knee.

Gusmorino brought the council’s first meeting of the semester back to order after about 15 minutes of hugs, congratulations, and a few tears.

In the first business of the night, Gusmorino led the council in a recitation of the newly-instituted UC oath of office, in which each member pledged to faithfully represent the interests of the undergraduate community.

UC Vice President Sujean S. Lee ’03 said she hopes the oath will help members “realize the potential that being a representative has.”

“It makes your dedication to the council more tangible when you verbalize that dedication,” she said.

In other business, James R. Griffin ’02 defeated incumbent Blake J. Boulerice ’04 in the race for campus secretary and Anne M. Fernandez ’03 triumphed over two other nominees for UC treasurer.

Griffin said he plans to expand the secretary’s role beyond merely keeping records to serving as the “chief operating officer” of the council, in which he will be in charge of overseeing council activities like postering.

In a short campaign speech to the council, Griffin stressed that his experience as treasurer his sophomore year will help him to expand the job’s purview this year.

Fernandez promised as treasurer to facilitate the process of getting checks from the UC to recipient student groups, who in the past have been slow to pick up their money.

Checks written last spring, according to many on the council, have still not been picked up.

Fernandez also said she hopes to start a fundrasing drive among UC alumni to fill the UC’s coffers even more, following a recent injection of money due to a term bill increase.

The council expects to receive $210,000 from the new term bill policy.

At the beginning of the meeting, each newly elected council member outlined personal goals for the year.

Most spoke of the need for better advising, better dining services and UKA, about which the council has been battling a reluctant administration for nearly a decade.

Stephen N. Smith ’02, a candidate for UC president in last fall’s campus election, said he was disappointed with the strict focus on student services that he said colored much of the evening’s discussion.

Smith has long pushed the council toward speaking out on political issues and larger social concerns.

“I think we sell ourselves short when we don’t pursue the chance to make a decision that has an impact on more than just the student body,” Smith said. “But mostly I’m just excited about [Barkley],” he said, referring to the proposal.

—Staff writer William M. Rasmussen can be reached at wrasmuss@fas.harvard.edu.