Still, a sizable contingent of first-years voted against the measure, saying that it was ill-planned.

Haynes said she voted against the bill because the council was not financially ready for such a large expenditure.

"I voted against the Live concert because we just didn't have the available cash to cover the possible losses it tickets didn't sell as well as expected," Haynes said. "To put the council in that sort of financial jeopardy is unacceptable and I think irresponsible."

Fee Hike?

The lack of financial resources is a worry plaguing many first-years, some of whom see more money as an important step to improving the viability of the council.

Malka said that the Live debate highlighted the council's flaws.

"First of all, it showed that the council needs more money to do more for students, and subsequently to be `liked' by them," Malka said. "And it also showed that most do not realize how little we have to work with, how much more the student governments at other universities have to spend, and how much farther an only slightly-higher term-bill fee would go."

Several other first-year members said they thought a term-bill increase was necessary.

Reichel said that he advocates a large term-bill increase.

"Nobody likes to say it, but I'm all for a term-bill hike of as much as possible, not just to $30 but maybe $50 or $100," Reichel said. "It's really popular to hate the U.C. with the way things have gone in the past, so nobody wants a fee increase. The truth is that as long as our budget is so low, there is room for people to stand in the way of stuff like Live so that nothing ever happens."

"I'd be willing to bet that nearly 95 percent of the students here wouldn't be hurt that badly by an extra couple of dollars on a bill that's already almost $30,000," he added.

Still, with the expected budget for the campus life committee for next year greater than it has ever been before, many first-years are looking to put on a big event now.

Kaufman said that he is already heavily involved in the planning of a Harvard-wide formal for next fall, with a price-tag of around $75,000.

"The thing I'm most excited about is the Harvard-wide formal that I'm working on for next year along with the campus life committee," Kaufman said. "It should be a spectacular event."

Even though many first-years came to the council with a bad impression of the way council members do business, they are not letting precedent or past failures get in their way.

They are, for the most part, retooling the focus of the council--away from administrative matters and toward issues with can directly improve the life of undergraduates.