"If it has," Fine's letter reads, "go steal any extra copies from the distribution center or those in front of people's doors. You do this with Matt Bruce's permission."

While Bruce said he did not know and refused to comment on whether council members removed copies of the Salient from distribution points, he said "removing issues from the distribution centers gets into the appearance of First Amendment problems."

Bruce said that the cause of the error was due to his confusion concerning the date of the Levenson dinner.

"It was based on the assumption that the dinner was May I rather than May 8," Bruce said. "Had the dinner actually been May 1, there would have been no problem because the world would have known who won the Levenson award. The primary mistake I made was not confirming the actual date of the dinner."

Salient President Corwyn D. Hopke '96 said the issue went to press on Tuesday morning and was returned to campus on Wednesday.

Council members said yesterday that although they were upset by what had happened they believed that Bruce made a simple mistake.

"He screwed up but he didn't do anything intentional," said Randall A. Fine '96, chair of the council's Student Affairs Committee, which picks the Levenson winners.

"It wasn't an intentional `let's-scoop-everybody-and-print-the- names.' I think Matt made an honest mistake."

Council President Joshua D. Liston '95yesterday also expressed forgiveness about thesituation.

"From what I understand, it was just an honestmistake," Liston said. "Matt thought they'd beannounced the first. The Salient's done what theycan to take back the issues."

In his e-mail to the council, Bruce offered his"apologies and resignation." But council VicePresident Justin C. Label '97 said he has notspoken with Bruce about the matter and thus hasn'taccepted his resignation officially. A resignationmust be formally endorsed to take effect.

Gregoire said that about 16 senior facultymembers, 25 junior faculty members and about 35teaching fellows were nominated for the Levensonawards this year.

About 100 students submitted nominations, whichconsist of a 150-word essay, according to Fine