Few Surprises at Council Debate

Candidates for the Undergraduate Council presidency outlined their plans for 24-hour Quad shuttles, cable television and student group space to a small audience at last night’s mild-mannered presidential debates.

Presidential candidate Matthew H. Espy ’02 and running mate Daryk A. Pengelly ’03 announced that if they do win the council race, they will decline the spots.

“A vote for my ticket is not a vote for me, it is a vote for cable TV and a student center,” Espy said.

Espy said that even if he is not elected president, he will still attend University President Lawrence H. Summers’ next scheduled office hours to request cable television and a student center.

Although he said he will go to office hours regardless of election results, he said it would help him to have “a lot of votes.”

When asked by an audience member what his greatest contribution to student life at Harvard had been, Espy described his “open-door” policy as a first-year.

Espy said he hopes his candidacy will increase voter turnout.

The candidate speeches began with Sujean S. Lee ’03, presidential candidate and current council vice president.

Lee and running mate Anne M. Fernandez ’03 outlined their platform for a “smarter, safer, livelier and later Harvard.”

Lee and Fernandez emphasized their past experience on the council. Lee noted efforts to “bridge the gap between the administrators and students” by inviting administrators to the council’s general meetings.

She emphasized her desire to bring “great bands” to Harvard and book them at larger venues like the football stadium.

Lee also outlined plans to improve the availability of study-abroad programs and increase the number of mandatory training sessions for teaching fellows.

She said she would continue to push for a trial period for Universal Keycard Access and would request that an impartial adviser be assigned to every alleged victim of sexual assault.

Presidential candidate Lauren E. Bonner ’04 and running mate Luke R. Long ’03 outlined their plan to “make life easier at Harvard” by calling for better TFs and more convenient Quad shuttles that run five minutes before the hour.

Bonner said she was disappointed that students were not aware of “who [their] representatives are and what they are doing.”

Bonner said she plans to ask the administration to require students to attend three mandatory education sessions on sexual assault. She said “studies show [these seminars] reduce sexual violence on college campuses.”

Bonner said that if she becomes president, she hopes that “any student group can call me before an event if their space is cancelled and I will help them find space immediately.”

When asked to explain their most significant community service activity on campus, Espy listed tutoring off-campus and Bonner noted her involvement with Philips Brooks House Association programs, including Har’d Core and CHANCE.

Lee said her primary efforts have been through the council, which she views as “a form of public service.”

Bonner said the council president “absolutely should be involved in other things” and that she can“give the UC everything and also stay involved on campus.”

Lee also pledged her support to the council, explaining that her vice presidency was an “intense introduction to the council and that she “would not run if she could not commit my entire self to the UC.”

A point of contention that emerged after the debates centered around Long’s campaign pledges to reduce phone rates on campus, extend party curfew hours and lengthen library hours.

Ryan C. Downer ’04, Cabot House representative on the Student Affairs Commitee of the council and chair of the task force to extend library hours countered, said he did not believe Long was involved in the library initiative.

“I have never had a conversation with Luke on that,” he said.

He objected to Long’s misrepresentation of his involvement on that initiative as he “knew for a fact that [Long] had nothing to do with that measure.” Downer said he is a supporter of the Lee and Fernandez ticket.

But several of Long’s supporters noted his dedication to the council.

“Long does a better job than anyone of being true to his constituents,” said Stephen N. Smith ’02, Adam House representative to the council’s Campus Life Committee.

He cited the fact that Long received the highest number of votes for any council candidate in the fall election.

The next presidential debate is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 10 in Loker Commons.