The Undergraduate Council's decision to institute popular elections for the organization's top posts will likely bolster their legitimacy among students, said Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 in an interview Monday.
Jewett said he supports the decision because it will bring more students into the process.
"My sense would be that as long as they have some elected status, [it will] give a greater sense of legitimacy to students," Jewett said.
The council voted 51-14 with one abstention last week to amend its constitution so that the president and vice president are chosen through College-wide popular elections. The secretary and treasurer will still be elected by the council.
Dean of the Students Archie C. Epps III voiced his support for the move to popular elections last week.
"I think [direct election] is something that ought to be tried," Epps said. "But there are still some provisions that have to be worked in. Officers still have to be members of the Council so one could still see things happening now still occurring."
The Council has yet to decide on several other proposed reforms including the timing of elections and the formation of a selection commission to administer the election process.
Jewett said he supports yearlong, rather than semester-long terms because it reduces the length of the campaigns.
Also, under the current system, there is no council representative between May and October and that needs to be addressed, Jewett said.
"I particularly favor the part of which it provides for officers to run throughout the year and over the summer," Jewett said. --Marios V. Broustas MATHER HOUSE
Police Arrest 15-Year-Old For Attempting to Steal Bikes
Harvard University police officers arrested a juvenile late last Wednesday night for threatening two students and attempting to steal a bike at Mather House.
Jonathan W. Stein '97 and Dara R. Pauker '97 were walking out of Mather House when they saw a 15-year-old taking an unlocked bike from a nearby rack, according to Stein.
When he saw that the students were watching him, he allegedly made threatening gestures. "He made a motion inside his jacket as if he had a gun," Stein said.
Stein and Pauker turned away and walked to Louie's, where they called the police with a description of the suspect.
According to Police Chief Paul E. Johnson, Officers Robert Kotowski and James McCarthy arrested the suspect minutes later on Memorial Drive.
The only thing the suspect had was a steak knife in his inside pocket, Johnson said.
The police did not know who the owner of the bike was. The bike was a blue bike with double baskets, Johnson said.
Stein said that he was pleased with the professionalism of the officers. "All I can say is that the Harvard Police were absolutely fantastic," Stein said. "They got him."
The suspect was arraigned last week at Middlesex County Courthouse, Johnson said. --Victor T. Chen