"The U.C. has known for two weeks that we weregoing to have to conduct this referendum," Garzasaid. "At that point house committee chairs shouldhave been notified."

At Winthrop House, were Garza lives, the housecommittee chair was notified only the night beforethe committee was expected to begin tabling, Garzasaid.

"A lot of house committees felt like it was nottheir problem," Garza said. "Before the councilvoted to include the house committees in thisprocess, we probably should have consulted them.And we at least should have notified them in areasonable amount of time."

Some council members also expressed concernthat completed ballots were left unattended in thecouncil office on Wednesday, providing an easytarget for tampering .

Liston said that the council initially had madeno plans to secure the ballots. The council placedthe untabulated ballots in a locked box only as ofyesterday, Liston added.

"At first, we didn't have anywhere to put them,that's true," Liston said. "But everything islocked up now, and I don't think anything happenedto them before that."

One Mather House resident detailed a specificcase of conduct violation involving former councilchair Michael P. Beys '94, who has been at thecenter of a number of council scandals in thepast.

According to Dawn Austin '92-'95, Beys, whoalso lives in Mather, harassed and intimidatedpotential voters while tabling there.

Austin said she was shocked by Beys' behavior,which she considered "both inappropriate andcondescending."

Austin said she approached Beys to vote on thefee hike referendum and was asked if she had anyquestions. She said ""Sure--why the rateincrease?' And he gave me his spiel, which Ilistened to."

"When I began to vote, I circled 'no,' and Mikewas watching me," Austin said." And he said,'Obviously this was a waste of my breath." I toldhim that I wanted to give him an opportunity tosay something and explain the council's rationale,and I told him that an informed vote is the bestvote."

According to Austin, Beys then challenged herdecision and asked her why she voted against thehike. Austin said that she didn't think that wasan appropriate question for a council member to beasking her.

"I said you can ask me questions, but just notthat one. And as I walked away Mike told me that Iwas very self-absorbed," Austin added.

Beys confirmed Austin's account of the exchange, but described it as a "misunderstanding" in aninterview last night. "I was provoked [by Austin'squestion], but I Kept my cool."

"She was making a point by voting 'no' right infront of me," Beys added. "It wasn't an accidentthat she did it with an in-your-face gesture afterI had spent a lot of time and answered herquestions."