Council Sets Sights On Sister Hazel, Better Than Ezra

This is your money, Harvard students: the Undergraduate Council will vote this Sunday on a recommendation from its Campus Life Committee to bid $15,000 to $20,000 to bring the band Sister Hazel for Springfest.

Last year God Street Wine played to a sparse crowd at the annual musical extravaganza held each April.

After considering the groups Primus, Letters to Cleo, Sister Hazel, Better Than Ezra, Cake and Chumbawumba, the committee has decided to recommend that the council pursue Sister Hazel, Better Than Ezra and Cake--in that order.

Campus Life Committee Co-chair Trevor S. Blake '00 said that the bands' name recognition was an important consideration.

"Springfest aims to be a community, spirit-promoting event," Blake said. "The key is to bring people, so we want a band with name recognition."

Last year, the council had difficulty choosing a band that satisfied the student body. Both the council and The Crimson conducted surveys based on a list of available bands compiled several months earlier. When the council actually pursued the bands, most had already been booked.

The result, according to Blake, was that "the band that came in last place or second-to-last in both surveys was picked."

"We have a little more money this year, so we're hoping to get a better band," Blake added.

Last year, the council spent about $8,000 on God Street Wine. The prices of the bands being considered this year range from $15,000 to $20,000.

Committee member Bryan E. McKrell '98 said these prices came from Mike Geremia of National Concerts Network, the council's booking agent for the past several years.

"He's got the best prices," McKrell said. "He really does try to do the best for schools, and he understands their complicated budgets."

According to committee members, Sis- ter Hazel and Chumbawumba are the mostwell-known bands to their constituents.

However, Better than Ezra and Cake were chosenover Chumbawumba because the band might not be inthe area.

"If we're not sure we can get them, there's noway we should put in a bid," said Samuel C. Cohen'00, vice president of the council. The committeedecided not to risk losing time in caseChumbawumba chooses not to tour the Northeast.

Blake and other committee members also hadconcerns about Chumbawumba's act.

"A couple of members of Christian organizationson campus have expressed concerns about aspects ofChumbawumba's act--for example, their dressing upas nuns and doing sacrilegious things on stage,"Blake said.

The committee has recommended that theUndergraduate Council bid on these bands withoutconducting a student poll.

"If we do a poll, some students will ask: Whyaren't X, Y and Z on there?" Blake said.Conducting a poll, according to Blake, might setstudent expectations too high.

The Campus Life Committee's recommendationswill be discussed at Sunday's council meeting. Ifthe measure is approved, the council will place abid on Sister Hazel immediately.

Finance Committee

After the band debate, the council FinanceCommittee elected Robert S. Schwartz '00 to hissecond semester as its chair. His opponent, AlisonF. Egan '01, was later elected vice-chair; andAnne M. Thompson '00 was elected secretary in anuncontested race.

Schwartz said he plans to increase "theadministrative efficiency and publicresponsiveness of the committee."

To this end, he has created two new committeepositions, publicity coordinator and informationservices coordinator.

He also said that he looks forward to aproductive second semester since most committeemembers "are properly trained and familiar withthe grants process."

The committee coordinates the council grantsprocess. Applications for spring semester grantsare currently available to student groups and canbe picked up outside the council office inHolworthy basement

However, Better than Ezra and Cake were chosenover Chumbawumba because the band might not be inthe area.

"If we're not sure we can get them, there's noway we should put in a bid," said Samuel C. Cohen'00, vice president of the council. The committeedecided not to risk losing time in caseChumbawumba chooses not to tour the Northeast.

Blake and other committee members also hadconcerns about Chumbawumba's act.

"A couple of members of Christian organizationson campus have expressed concerns about aspects ofChumbawumba's act--for example, their dressing upas nuns and doing sacrilegious things on stage,"Blake said.

The committee has recommended that theUndergraduate Council bid on these bands withoutconducting a student poll.

"If we do a poll, some students will ask: Whyaren't X, Y and Z on there?" Blake said.Conducting a poll, according to Blake, might setstudent expectations too high.

The Campus Life Committee's recommendationswill be discussed at Sunday's council meeting. Ifthe measure is approved, the council will place abid on Sister Hazel immediately.

Finance Committee

After the band debate, the council FinanceCommittee elected Robert S. Schwartz '00 to hissecond semester as its chair. His opponent, AlisonF. Egan '01, was later elected vice-chair; andAnne M. Thompson '00 was elected secretary in anuncontested race.

Schwartz said he plans to increase "theadministrative efficiency and publicresponsiveness of the committee."

To this end, he has created two new committeepositions, publicity coordinator and informationservices coordinator.

He also said that he looks forward to aproductive second semester since most committeemembers "are properly trained and familiar withthe grants process."

The committee coordinates the council grantsprocess. Applications for spring semester grantsare currently available to student groups and canbe picked up outside the council office inHolworthy basement