Undergraduate Council Votes To Consider Pi Eta Censure

In a meeting marked by heated debate and parliamentary intricacy, the Undergraduate Council last night voted to further consider a motion censuring the Pi Eta Speakers Club for its recent newsletter. After the adjournment of the meeting, the remaining members passed such a resolution in an information straw vote.

Club president and council member Timothy J. Keating '85 defended his club and its newsletter in a meeting heavily attended by members of other student groups such as the Pt. the Harvard-Radcliffe Conservative Club, and the Radcliffe Union of Students

Keating said that a condemnation of the club was "inappropriate and uncalled for" because the letter--written by one club member and circulated by the officers of the club--in no way represents the views of each member.

Responding to questions from the floor, Keating said that the letter was a parody of the stereotype of Pi Eta members as "football players with low GPAs who discriminate against women and carry on a decadent and hedonistic lifestyle."

He added that it was the practice of the club to circulate a "lewd, raunchy" newsletter once a year when the new officers of the club take office.

Keating appeared to hold his ground before a highly divided assembly.

When a council member asked him to state his case he said that he would speak and answer questions only once. "If you start hissing and booing. I'm done--I won't talk to any more council members. Any information you get will have to be just hearsay," he said

Keating's defense came after a highly charged debate on whether the council should immediately censure the club or whether it should first investigate the matter.

Council Chairman Gregory S Lyss '85, stopping down from the chair, led the argument that the council should investigate the matter before passing a resolution. "It would be inappropriate to discuss this as it would have to ensure Dean [of Student Archie C] Epps. as the friends of Spartacus Youth League asked as to do," said Lyss.

Others countered that delaying would lessen the impact of the reaction. "After the events this weekend, the University community is looking to us for response," said Lowell House representative Erica S. Eisenberg '86.

The council will give further consideration to the issue in the meeting of its Student Services Committee tonight at 8 p.m. on the sixth floor of Lamont Library.

In other business, the council announced the extension of the hours of the Science Center's Greenhouse Cafe. The cafe will now be open until midnight on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings beginning April 23.