"Change isn't the same as reform," said John A.Burton '01. "Just because we're changing thingsdoesn't mean we're becoming legitimate."
Burton said that students think the council isillegitimate not because of the timing of itselections, and that administrators will negotiatewith students no matter when the students bring uptheir concerns.
Other council members wondered why the councilwas reforming a process that it had created only afew years ago when it began popular elections ofthe council president.
Eric M. Nelson '99, who helped create thepopular election process, said the decision hadbeen made late at night at the very end of theelection reform process.
At the meeting three years ago, the council hadbeen kicked out of its meeting space and had tocrowd into the Loker coffeehouse, At midnight,with around 20 people present, Nelson said thecouncil mad a "very slipshod decision."
"I think if you polled the entire council thatyear, the majority of the council was in favor ofApril elections," he said.
Nominations Begin
In other election news. Vice President SamuelC. Cohen '00 announced that nomination petitionsfor this year's presidential and vice presidentialelections are now available on the door of thecouncil office in Holworthy basement.
To be included on presidential electionballots, candidates must turn in petitions with atleast 100 student signatures by Nov. 20.
Also at last night's meeting, the councilunanimously voted to allocate $1,800 forThanksgiving shuttle buses to Logan Airport.
The shuttles, which were used by about 250people last year, will depart 4 a.m. to 7 p.m.every hour on Nov. 25 from stops yet to bedetermined.
Bus tickets will be sold to students for $2.Resolution sponsors T. Christopher King '00 andRyan E. Dorris '00 said that a council memberwould ride on each of the buses beginning in themid-morning to collect tickets and insure that theproblems which arose last year do not come upagain.
According to Dorris, last year the buses oftenskipped stops in the Quad and let students ontothe stops in the Quad and let students onto thebus without tickets.
The Council also allocated $515 to fundtransportation of the council's four group made upof representatives of Ivy League studentgovernments.
At the request of University InformationServices (UIS), the council also voted to form ataskforce that will tell Harvard's computerdivision what students need.
The taskforce, whose eight members will bechosen by the council's Student Affairs Committee,will relay student concerns Committee, will relaystudent Affairs Committee, will relay studentconcerns regarding issues like telephone andInternet service and cable television to UIS