Fault undoubtedly falls to the council members themselves, who absolutely should do a better job of relating to the people who elect them. Representatives are elected to represent. Students should let their representatives know what's on their mind. Most likely, in your time at Harvard you have not had a single opportunity to express any of your opinions to your "representatives."

But fault also lies with the student body. Students need to claim their right to vote in elections. Students need to be able to express their displeasure and feel that they are being heard. Students need to influence policy at this University. Until they do, no amount of council reform will give it the student mandate candidates have been screaming about for years. The two seconds that it takes to type 'ucvote' at the fas prompt are two seconds that say to the administration: "Having a student voice matters to me."

Claims that the council is expendable are short-sighted and irresponsible. Allowing the voice of the majority to be completely lost in a sea of special interests is not how a democracy is supposed to work. Is the council broken? Yes, and it has been for years. Let's fix it, let's give students a stake in it, but let's not give up on it.

Rachel L. Brown '01

Oct. 13, 1999

The writer is the Pforzheimer House council delegation leader.

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