Wyclef Voted Top Choice for Concert

At a heated meeting of the Undergraduate Council last night, representatives voted to pursue Wyclef Jean as their number-one choice to headline this year’s proposed spring concert.

While the council overwhelmingly supported a bill authorizing the Harvard Concert Commission (HCC) to bid on eight other acts—Busta Rhymes, Kanye West, Mos Def, Jurassic 5, Talib Kweli, Nappy Roots, Chingy, Blackalicious, Twista, Cee Lo and Common—in addition to Wyclef Jean, several council members raised objections to the potential cost of bringing “no-name performers” to Harvard.

“If we’re not going to get a big name, then we shouldn’t be spending $40,000,” said Jason L. Lurie ’05, who noted that he had never heard of many of the performers on the list, which were chosen by the HCC.

The HCC, created three years ago, compiled the list in conjunction with suggestions by council members. According to council records, only four of the nine artists included in the bill were submitted as part of the original list developed at last week’s meeting.

The council also continued an ongoing debate about whether the Harvard-Radcliffe Christian Fellowship (HRCF)—which requires officers to subscribe to an oath of faith—violates council bylaws and whether the council should fund the group.

The council’s Finance Committee (Ficom) voted 7-6 last week to suspend the portion of the council’s bylaws regarding discrimination and allow funding for HRCF to be included in the general grants package.

Ficom Chair Teo P. Nicolais ’06 said the committee voted only on whether to suspend the council’s bylaws, not on whether HRCF is discriminatory.

A motion to overturn Ficom’s exemption narrowly failed by a vote of 20-19. During the vote, after the council decided that no members could abstain from the decision, three council members left the room in protest.

The overall grants package passed by a vote of 31-9, including an amendment that increased funding for the Contact Peer Counseling Group from $250 to $450. An amendment raising the funding for the Harvard Chess Club’s trip to China over spring break from $100 to $250 passed as well.

In other business, the council authorized the purchase of up to 200 movie tickets to Loews theaters, which will be available to students for $5.75 from the council office. The tickets are valid for up to one year.

The council also approved some internal housekeeping measures including purchasing a photocopier—the council leases its current one—and authorizing council records to be sent to the University archives.

—Staff writer Jeffrey C. Aguero can be reached at aguero@fas.harvard.edu.