"It was very, very productive and very, very open," the council's moneyman says of the meeting. Zayas says that he and Spence discussed the specific candidates, minority concerns and other student concerns.

Although Spence did give Zayas the names of the dean candidates, Zayas told the council he agreed to keep their names off the record. "[Spence] was very open and sincere," Zayas assures the council, adding that he and the dean did not discuss the issue of student representation on dean search committees, pushing that topic to a later meeting.

8:14

The moment you've been waiting for: Question Time!

In an attempt to prevent a repeat of last week's long meeting, Chairman Offutt gently chides the council, "This is question time, not discussion time."

Disregarding her leader's warning and following up on her earlier gripe, Delegate Lakhdhir moves that the council apologize in The Independent for the forum advertisement.

More council members vote on Lakhdhir's proposal than students showed up at the forum, but it fails anyway, by a vote of 27 to 25. Nevertheless, Social Committee chairman Mandery says his committee will discuss the poster at its next meeting.

Changing the subject, delegate Arthur D. Goldman '86 says that the current house selection process is still anxiety-ridden.

Representative Goldman proposes that the council push for a new housing selection process in which freshmen receive their lottery numbers along with a time slot. During that time they can come to a room with a big board listing all the housing openings and sign up for the house they want.

Seeking to gather more information before any more changes are made, Residential Committee chairman Eisert says the council will conduct a survey of freshmen asking their opinions on the new innovation after the housing lottery is over.

Delegate Lakhdhir stands again, this time to protest the Student Services Committee's investigation of the Radcliffe Union of Students. She says that although RUS is a single-sex organization, it is not similar to final clubs. "It is the student government at Radcliffe," she says.

Former Council Chairman Brian R. Melendez '86 responds by saying that the committee is examining all single-sex organizations. "RUS was never singled out," he says.

Near the end of Question Time, one member actually asks a question about the council's takeover of the Adams House raft race.

Responding, chairman Offutt says the student government may need to take out liability insurance for the Raft Race because of the injuries that could occur if participants grew too rowdy. What began as the Adams House Ratt Race was changed to the Harvard Adams House Ratt Race when the council took over and was changed to the Harvard-Radcliffe Adams House Raft Race because the exclusion of Radcliffe offended Lakhdhir, who thought Radcliffe should be an integral part of the race. Council members revelled in the pronunciation of HRAH as "hurrah" in referring to the annual rite of spring along the banks of the Charles.

The council rolls on, as two more members ask questions. Delegate Robert Weissman '88 asks if the council can look into getting mail delivery for student groups with offices in Memorial Hall. Fellow Representative Ensley asks if the alcohol policy is being made more lenient.