Party Grant Money to HoCos

Party grants won’t be back any time this semester, but the money that would have funded them may still go to bolster Harvard’s social scene.

The Undergraduate Council’s Financial Committee (FiCom) will vote tonight on a resolution to distribute some of the funds to House Committees (HoCos). According to the proposal, each of the 12 HoCos will receive $1,000, and an additional $366 will go to Dudley House.

These figures will be in addition to the money the UC already distributes to HoCos. Traditionally, the Council divides 25 percent of its budget each semester across the 12 Houses equally and awards Dudley one-sixteenth of that amount plus $1,000. This semester, $4,870 has already been allocated to each HoCo and $1,780 to Dudley.

The rest of the approximately $17,000 that would have funded party grants in past semesters will remain in the Council’s general grants pool that funds student groups. UC Treasurer Anthony R. Britt ’10 said approximately 70 percent of the UC’s budget, which is $467,462.22 this semester, already goes to weekly student group allotments.

FiCom Chair Andrea R. Flores ’10 said she felt this was the best solution for this semester but also emphasized that it was only temporary. Flores added that the UC plans to set up a committee to discuss the future of the party fund before beginning official negotiations with the next dean of the College, Evelynn M. Hammonds, who will take office in June. Arrangements for this committee have not yet been made.

Quincy HoCo Treasurer Elizabeth M. Moore ’09 said that the extra money would be useful for times when their budget becomes stretched, such as when events that require large expenditures like Housing Day and spring formal—occur in close succession.

“That really helps with making sure we have enough money at the right time,” Moore said.

Cabot HoCo Co-Chair Thomas R. Benson ’09 said his committee does not have as much money as in past years after losing money on the Mardi Gras celebration it hosted, so the additional amount would account for a significant portion of their funding for the rest of the semester. It would also be immediately useful because, Benson said, “We have something very big planned for Housing Day that costs a pretty penny.”

After acting Dean of the College David R. Pilbeam announced the termination of the party grant program in early October, the UC defied the administration’s decision and continued its practice of doling out $1,750 every week for students to buy food and alcohol for private parties, prompting the College to freeze the UC’s funds a week later.

When the College ultimately unfroze the UC’s funds, Council members voted to compromise with the administration, passing legislation to continue awarding party grants for the purchase of non-alcoholic supplies throughout the remainder of last semester, with plans to review the party grant system in the future. The UC has to legislate the funding of the party grants program each semester, but when that did not happen this spring, the money—which accounts for three to four percent of the UC’s semester budget—stayed in the general grants fund.

Flores said she hopes the money will now be used in the same spirit as the party fund: to improve campus social life. She added that freshmen will also benefit from the HoCos’ increased budgets because they might be more apt to attend House events this spring after receiving housing assignments tomorrow.

Adams HoCo Co-Chair Omar M. Abdelsamad ’09 said he appreciated that, if the resolution passes, it would be up to the HoCos themselves rather than the UC to decide how to use the money. He added that, unlike the party grants, these additional funds could benefit a lot of students at once and improve House community. “The emphasis is on broad events,” Abdelsamad said.

—Staff writer Chelsea L. Shover can be reached at clshover@fas.harvard.edu.