Some female council members say they believe the increased presence of female representatives on the council is central to this new attention to women's issues.

"Men are as heavily involved [in women's issues] as women are...but in order to have something addressed, someone does need to bring up the issue," Dean explains. "I guess [the issue] is more important to you if you have a personal stake in it."

The Role of PUCC

Many credit the increased number of females on the council to the Progressive Undergraduate Council Coalition (PUCC), founded this fall.

One of PUCC's objectives is to encourage more women and minorities to join the council, says Rawlins, who is also a PUCC member.

She says the existence of PUCC was one of the reasons she decided to run for the council.

Another objective of PUCC is to promote the concerns of women and minorities in the council.

"[The council this year] doesn't seem much different...but there are definitely more women's issues," Dean says.

Some believe PUCC's presence has also encouraged more women to speak up in debates.

"There are more female voices on the council, largely due to PUCC's influence," Haynes says.

However, many de-emphasize PUCC's role in supporting female council members.

"I know PUCC did a good job of encouraging women, but women don't necessarily need an organization to run under," Drake says. "Women are quite capable of running by themselves. PUCC wasn't just looking to recruit women, but had a particular political agenda in mind."

Optimism for the Future

Many council members note progress made this year and hope for future gains.

"Politics is a field that women have been excluded from for a long time," says Melissa C. Jaazos '96, "Women were excluded from Harvard for a long time, so it might take some time for things to even up [in the council]."

"We moved in a new direction, tackled a whole new set of issues," Hyman agrees. "I have great hope for the future."