College Ends Party Grant Program

The College has ended the Undergraduate Council program that disburses thousands of dollars every week to pay for campus parties. In a sharply worded open letter to four UC representatives, Interim Dean of the College David Pilbeam chastised the council for insufficiently regulating the parties and urged it to refocus on funding student groups.

Pilbeam, in his letter, said the UC "has not assumed responsibility...for verifying that underage students will not be reimbursed for purchasing alcohol." He added that "it is quite apparent that the UC Party Grant program, in practice, has funded parties where the focus is on drinking." And he claimed that the program created problems for the Houses by promoting events in cramped dormitory rooms.

"From this date forward no further funds can be dispersed for private parties, including any that may have already been approved for forthcoming dates," Pilbeam wrote. His letter was addressed to UC President Ryan A. Petersen '08, Vice President Matthew L. Sundquist '09, Finance Committee Chair Zander N. Li '08, and Student Affairs Committee Chair Michael R. Ragalie '09.

The party grant program pays $1,750 every week to students holding events, disbursing the funds in the form of 16 separate grants, according to the UC Web site. The policies posted on the site say that the party must be "conducted in accordance with College regulations" provide food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Pilbeam argued that the UC, as a result of its party grant program, has not made the funding of student groups a sufficiently high priority.

"Failing to fund groups because resources have been diverted to individuals for parties is not in support of the greater good of the students you represent, not in keeping with your mission, and not the intended purpose of these funds," Pilbeam wrote in the letter.

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