LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the editors:

This is in response to the Crimson editorial on Oct. 26, “Where Did the HoCo Dollars Go?”

Fiscal responsibility has been the centerpiece of the Campus Life Committee’s (CLC) planning and recommendations this year, due to the inherited budget and allocations. It was recognized early that large financial commitments for entertainment would inevitably impact House Committees (HoCos) funding this year. Also, the 2003-2004 budget enjoyed a rollover from 2002-2003, artificially inflating that year, and skewing comparisons to this year.

While the term bill increase has given the Undergraduate Council more opportunities, this transition year ultimately gives less than a 10 percent increase to the Committee Fund (the body funding HoCos). This number is substantially lower than the 40 percent described in the article, because of last year’s benefit from rollover, and because the term bill referendum mandated that an additional 7 percent of the overall budget (up from 60 percent to 67 percent) go to the Grants Fund.

Additionally, last year the Committee Fund over-allocated its funds, causing it to have to borrow more than $20,000 from the Grants Fund, and ultimately from student groups. This over-allocation largely occurred because the (2003-2004) UC was dealing with a larger budget, larger HoCo allocations than previous years and more campus-wide events. It is the goal of the CLC not to allow another error of this nature to occur. This year’s CLC is working with a budget and concert/comedian allocations set by last year’s Council. While I have confidence in the Concert Commission to deliver a spectacular Bob Dylan show, fiscal responsibility dictated that our committee not commit returns from those shows prematurely. It is our belief and hope that money generated by those events will allow further HoCo allocations. As a HoCo Treasurer, I have tremendous appreciation and enthusiasm for the value and work of House Committees, and I believe appropriate UC funding for HoCos is extremely important. Our first responsibility must be managing student money responsibly, and that has certainly been the honest intent of the Campus Life Committee.

I appreciate The Crimson coverage of our UC meetings, and the careful and conscientious reporting on sometimes complex legislation.

Christina Adams ’06

October 26, 2004

The writer is chair of the Campus Life Committee and treasurer of the Quincy House Committee.