The election returns from this year's Undergraduate Council elections, which ended early yesterday morning, show a stronger representation of minorities and women than in recent memory.

The 90 members of this year's council were elected from a record high pool of 155 candidates, a dramatic rise from last year's 114 contenders.

Women comprised 56, or 36.1 percent, of the candidates. Thirty of the winners-a third of the new council-are women.

During this year's campaign, council members attended meetings of student groups including the Asian American Association (AAA), Latinas Unidas and the Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) to recruit candidates from traditionally underrepresented constituencies.

The efforts to diversify the council were led in part by Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 the first female president. But Rawlins said that she was disappointed by the election results.

"It's not just that women aren't running," she said last night. "There needs to be a shift in attitudes among students for women to be equally represented."

The council does not keep figures on the ethnic background of candidates or members, more than 10 members interviewed last night said the new council has a greater showing of Asian-Americans.

The proportion of African-Americans on the council has remained strong, although the body still has few Hispanics, members said.

"Anyone at the meeting tonight would vouch for the diversity being greater than last year," Rawlins said.

At the first meeting of the council's 16th session last night, members elected a secretary and treasurer in the first order of business.

"There is no doubt in my mind that this U.C. is going increase the legitmacy of student government at Harvard," Rawlins said in opening remarks.

Rawlins said the two major issues on the Council's agenda this semester are increasing Faculty diversity and changing the college move-in policy.

The council will be forming task forces to address both issues.

Council Vice President Mark A. Price '98 announced a new council policy for soliciting constituent opinion.

Instead of holding office hours, as they did in the past, council members will be required to table on Sunday nights.

"You sit there and actually solicit your constituents' views on what is going on on campus," Price said.