Two days after the resignation of Maya G. Prabhu '94 as vice chair, the Undergraduate Council yesterday elected Steven N. Kalkanis '93 to fill the vacant position.
Kalkanis won last night's election by a "comfortable margin," according to one council member.
Prabhu stepped down Friday, saying that controversy over a fixed election for social committee co-chairs jeopardized the council's ability to govern.
In an attempt to distance the council from last week's scandal, leaders officially disclosed last night that Prabhu admitted to rigging the social committee election.
David L. Duncan '93, a member of the probe investigating the disputed election, said that council leaders had thought that Prabhu's resignation would put the affair to rest.
"We were satisfied with her resignation and did not want to persecute her anymore," he said, adding that Prabhu admitted her guilt to the panel last Wednesday night.
Prabhu fought off a motion of impeachment last Sunday, vigorously denying allegations of misconduct. She resigned Friday.
It is unclear whether the Administrative Board will prosecute Prabhu, but Duncan said the incident was being "treated as an internal U.C. thing."
Kalkanis, a veteran member widely respected in the council, urged the council to focus its energies to "pull together and hit the ground running."
"If we can move beyond the events of the past week, this can be the most productive year for the council ever," Kalkanis said. "Certainly a scandal doesn't help, but we gained respect by Former vice chair Prabhu last week wasimplicated in the alleged rigging of a socialcommittee election. While an internal probe failedofficially to place the blame on any individual,several council members said that Prabhu'sresignation was an admission of guilt. Council insiders speculated that Beys, whonarrowly lost last month's vice-chair election toPrabhu, would mount another bid for the position. But Beys demurred and only former financecommittee chair Rico Reyes '94 and Jennifer W.Grove '94 contested Kalkanis' candidacy. Reyes andGrove lost respective bids for treasurer and vicechair last month. Kalkanis' defeat of two juniors leaves thecouncil pecking order essentially unchanged andopens the door to a future power struggle amongemerging council leaders in the junior class. Last year, Kalkanis, who is a representativefrom Quincy House, co-chaired the academicscommittee with Prabhu. He lost a run for chairlast fall to David A. Aronberg '93. In other business last night, the councilunanimously resolved to offer triple matchingfunds to house committees and to the first-yearclass to promote more social activities on campus. The measures, which are retroactive for thissemester, give $3 for every dollar the housecommittee puts in. Committees could receive up to $1,200 forsocial events approved by the council, accordingto the bill. "We're trying to encourage first-year and housecommittees to plan social events," said Marc D.McKay '94, who sponsored the resolution. McKay said the council will not seek a share inthe profits if events prove successful.
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