Raza members elected Xavier A. Gutierrez '95 as their new president last night, as he promised to bring members together to produce a real voice in campus affairs.

But some members of the Mexican-American group decried the election process, arguing that Alejandro Contreras '95, Gutierrez's only opponent, was unfairly denied a chance to prepare adequately and to round up supporters.

L. Paulina Cardenas '96 was elected vice president of the group, defeating Contreras.

Gutierrez proposed the club prepare official "position papers" at "discussion tables" for distribution to the media and the administration.

"I don't want just talk at these discussion tables," he said. "We've been talking for 20 years. We have to let people know where Raza stands."

Gutierrez also said he hopes to improve alumni connections through a letter-writing campaign, soliciting advice from Hispanic graduates.

Gutierrez also proposed a Youth Motivation Day, on which members would bring local Hispanic high school students to Harvard.

Raza members, said Gutierrez, "have forgotten what it's like to be in our communities. I want them to teach us, to tell us their frustrations, what they have to face when they go home everyday."

Not everyone was satisfied with last night'selection. In previous years, Raza's presidentialelections were conducted over two weeks, memberssaid. First candidates were nominated and preparedspeeches. They addressed club members and fieldedquestions one week later.

A change in Raza's constitution over the summereliminated this procedure, outgoing PresidentRichard Garcia '95 said last night. But Contrereasclaims that he and many of his supporters wereunaware of the change.

"There were people who wanted to see me aspresident who didn't show up here tonight," hesaid. "The right thing would have been to letpeople know that the election was tonight."

Contreras said he was required to speak aboutRaza issues almost extemporaneously.

"In the past, the [voters] have relied heavilyon speeches," Contreras said. "It's hard to saywhether [preparation] could have made adifference. But it seems likely that the outcomemay have come out differently."

Raza member Chris Martinez '96 said he wasupset as well. "There was no consensus of what wasgoing to happen prior to the meeting, and therewas no preparation beforehand for Alex. It wasn'tcheating on the part of Xav[ier]. It was just alack of communication."

But Garcia says he posted signs and sentelectronic mail messages to all club members.

Club members ruled out postponing last night'selection because they could not schedule anotherclub meeting before vacation