Council Allocates Funds to Groups For Following Year

In its second to last meetings of the year, the Undergraduate Council last night spent three hours distributing $46,600 to a variety of student groups.

The council had postponed the grants meeting for two weeks so that it could discuss acquaintance rape.

"We decided to take care of the date rape issue first and then go on with the grants," according to Rico Reyes '93, the chair of the council's finance committee. "Everyone's still going to get their money, it'll just be a couple of weeks late."

Most campus organizations benefited from a surplus of council funds. Although the finance subcommittee recommended that the council spend a total of $44,000, the council allocated an extra $26000 during the debates.

Several public service groups were among the big winners last night.

Chinatown Adventure, a Phillips Brooks House program which teaches disadvantaged children during the summer, convinced the council to increase its funding by $300 in order to help pay for textbooks and school supplies.

Citystep received $500, despite a finance comittee recommendation of no funding. The group said it plans to pay for lighting and sets with the grant.

The AIDS Education and Outreach Program walkedaway from the meeting with an $850 grant despite anegative finance committee recommendation.

Despite the organization's fuzzy financialplans, council members decided that the club'sgood purpose overcame its poor paperwork.

"As for procedure they've done everythingwrong," said Ivan Dominquez '92, a member of thecouncil's finance committee. "But we really havean obligation to grant to these people."

And the Harvard Freshman Advocatenarrowly avoided losing the $800 that the financecommittee recommended for it. Johshua S. Kreitzer'93 criticized the group for its lack ofexperience and connections to the HarvardAdvocate.

But Melissa Garza '94, a member of the financecommittee, said the publication is different fromother campus organizations. "There's a specialcase with the Freshman Advocate," she said."All their staff members are freshmen and there'scomplete turnover every year. If the councildidn't give them money they wouldn't be able toprint."

The Equestrian Club took home the largestgrant, receiving the recommended $1000. The clubsaid it needed the funds to buy more equipment andhelp send its former captain to the nationalchampionships.

Student groups affiliated with nationalpolitical parties did not fare quite so well inthe grants process last night.

The Republican Club secured only $25 out of arequested $440. The council rejected the group'srequest for more money after a council memberrevealed that only 12 members paid the $10 clubfee this year.

The Democrat Club fared even worse, receivingno money. The club claimed they were in financialtrouble due to recent mismanagement of funds.

But Reyes said, "We are not in the business ofsubsidizing mismanagement.

The AIDS Education and Outreach Program walkedaway from the meeting with an $850 grant despite anegative finance committee recommendation.

Despite the organization's fuzzy financialplans, council members decided that the club'sgood purpose overcame its poor paperwork.

"As for procedure they've done everythingwrong," said Ivan Dominquez '92, a member of thecouncil's finance committee. "But we really havean obligation to grant to these people."

And the Harvard Freshman Advocatenarrowly avoided losing the $800 that the financecommittee recommended for it. Johshua S. Kreitzer'93 criticized the group for its lack ofexperience and connections to the HarvardAdvocate.

But Melissa Garza '94, a member of the financecommittee, said the publication is different fromother campus organizations. "There's a specialcase with the Freshman Advocate," she said."All their staff members are freshmen and there'scomplete turnover every year. If the councildidn't give them money they wouldn't be able toprint."

The Equestrian Club took home the largestgrant, receiving the recommended $1000. The clubsaid it needed the funds to buy more equipment andhelp send its former captain to the nationalchampionships.

Student groups affiliated with nationalpolitical parties did not fare quite so well inthe grants process last night.

The Republican Club secured only $25 out of arequested $440. The council rejected the group'srequest for more money after a council memberrevealed that only 12 members paid the $10 clubfee this year.

The Democrat Club fared even worse, receivingno money. The club claimed they were in financialtrouble due to recent mismanagement of funds.

But Reyes said, "We are not in the business ofsubsidizing mismanagement.