A Failed FallFeast

Rain was the least of the problems plaguing FallFeast this past Saturday. The event, touted by the Undergraduate Council as a cultural cuisine celebration, disappointed many of the students who trekked to the Quad to enjoy the afternoon.

Over House e-mail lists, students recounted their difficulty finding schedules for the special shuttles to the Quad. At the event, the food quality was not much better than normal dining hall fare. Some dishes, like the New England meal—which consisted of the staple Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) sliced turkey breast and stuffing—was wholly unexceptional. Instead of another afternoon of HUDS food, an outside caterer could have created more original cuisine. Unfortunately, food prepared by student groups was little better; several featured nothing other than candy.

Were this recent failure the exception rather than the rule, there would be little reason to call into question the council’s performance. Unfortunately, FallFeast was no anomaly. It was just the latest in a series of council fiascos under the leadership of President Sujean S. Lee ’03. Early in October, delayed elections confused and frustrated many undergraduates; when elections finally began, the newly implemented website-based voting system prevented several students from casting a vote.

Near the start of this semester the demise of UCBooks—a textbook finding, money saving program run by the council—removed a useful tool to help undergraduates quickly find the cheapest textbooks for specific Harvard courses. And after the council announced a Wyclef Jean and Jurassic 5 concert last May, the event was cancelled when Associate Dean of the College David P. Illingworth ’71 said the council’s newly-formed Concert Commission was not able to organize the event to his satisfaction. Even the council’s general website is defunct; no one has updated it for some time now and the council’s other ad-hoc website is disorganized and provides little salient information for those it serves, the undergraduates.

These failures are completely unsatisfactory compared to the council’s progress under the leadership of Lee’s predecessor, Paul A. Gusmorino III ’02—who made the council a credible campus institution for the first time in years. That progress has been almost completely squandered by Lee’s ineffectiveness.

The council’s performance is especially disappointing considering that Lee and Vice President Annie M. Fernandez ’03 ran on a campaign to improve student life. “In the past year, the UC has become a very effective organization,” Lee said at the time. “Annie and I just want to take it one step further.” Lee ran on a student services platform, but the promised improvements have been nearly nonexistent—the only notable change has been the dissolution of the Student Telephone Office, and the council’s Campus Life Committee only became involved in that issue after being approached by the University.

The failure of Lee and Fernandez to vigorously pursue substantive improvements to student life, as they promised in their campaign, unfairly spoils the effort of the council’s hard-working representatives. In the weeks remaining before presidential elections, we hope the council gets back on track. Then, with any luck, a visionary leader who is passionate about and committed to improving undergraduate life will run for the council’s leadership.

Dissent: Recognize Council's Contributions

Here again is just another example of The Crimson’s editorial board unabashedly emasculating the efforts of the Undergraduate Council, giving little acknowledgement to the hours of hard work that is poured into these events by our elected representatives. These council members derive no personal gain from their efforts and are genuinely trying to contribute something for the benefit of their fellow undergraduates. While this unappreciative spirit is nothing new from the Staff, this time the board, in its anonymous wisdom, feels that dumping on FallFeast because the food was not savory enough is a constructive use of its influence. While the Staff’s contention that FallFeast was not successful may be true, but using slightly bland food as a jumping off point for repeating every single fault with the council in an unprovoked tirade against its leadership is not called for.

—David M. DeBartolo ’03, Phoebe Kosman ’05

and Ronaldo Rauseo-Ricupero ’04