"[Representatives] have to take a proactive role in soliciting student opinion," Burton says.

Council representatives would also be assigned to a specific area of expertise under Burton-Resnick leadership.

"We are going to connect the individual representatives to the issues," Burton says. "Every week [the representative] is doing things on that specific issue."

The hope is that individual council members will bring specific student concerns and ideas back to the administration.

"I refuse to believe that 6,400 undergraduates at Harvard are incapable of coming up with good solutions to serious problems," Burton says. "And that's a resource that we should tap continuously."

Burton points out that Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 last year said he did not really consider the council to be the voice of the student body. He also says that students lose interest in the council if they see it as unrepresentative.

"The U.C. has not demonstrated that it should be respected," Resnick says. "Legitimacy for the council will come when the administration and the student body see the U.C. as representative."

Founder and chair of the Administrative Board task force of the council, Burton says he hopes to uncover specific student concerns about the Ad Board and bring them to the administration.

The candidates take a similar stance on reforming counseling and advising.

"People know that advising is sort of bad," Resnick says, "but the U.C. has failed miserably to present that in concrete form to the administration."

In addition to Perspective's endorsement, Burton and Resnick gained the support of Amnesty International and Burton received an endorsement from the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian Transgender, and Supporters' Alliance (BGLTSA).

"He was the only [presidential] candidate for president with specific, concrete plans of action for the gay community," says BGLTSA Co-Chair Adam A. Sofen '01, who is also a Crimson editor.

Sofen says specifically Burton has shown interest in providing a list of courses relevant to gay studies and expanding shuttle services, two issues of particular concern to the gay community.