Word: councilã
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There is no question that we should be engaging in a frank discussion about how the council should be spending its money. This is especially so because of the large new infusion of money into the council??€™s accounts. But no one benefits from making the discussion on the matter less than straightforward, and that is the major problem with how Friday’s column was presented. If the council is going to mature in its own abilities and in students’ estimations, then members must refrain from purposefully distorting the debate...
Fortunately, the new year offers an opportunity to move in a new direction for the council??€”not just in terms of offering new initiatives and more support to student groups—but in terms of its commitment to keeping its own house in order. With so much potential for positive impact on campus, the council needs to maintain its focus amid the flurry of activity...
...council must be willing to dedicate the necessary human resources to handle the hundreds of student group requests for funding that come in every month. Last year, the powerful combination of the council??€™s financial resources and the student body’s incredible human resources resulted in memorable projects such as BlackCAST’s Eleganza, Fuerza Latino’s La Vida, Harvard Dems’ Conversations with Candidates and H-Club’s Tailgates...
Most importantly, the council must not spend what it does not have. This sounds simple in principle, yet it is frequently violated in practice. Many of the council??€™s projects have the potential to break even but require a significant initial investment. The council becomes tempted to simply assume that it will recoup those costs by charging students for the services and in the mean time pretend the money hasn’t been spent. But this can be a very dangerous game—especially since it often involves covering losses with money pledged to student groups...
...Nicolais ’06 is an economics concentrator in Lowell House. He is chair of the Undergraduate Council??€™s Finance Committee which is responsible for awarding UC Grants to student groups...