By mediocre campus-wide event and "endless discussions of Springfest bands," is the editorial staff referring to the council's efforts last year to survey student opinion over what band to bring to campus? This effort led to a collection of responses from 800 students, and the results of this effort speak for themselves--a SpringFest with over 3,000 students in attendance.

If these are not the "mediocre campus-wide events" that the staff is referring to, I would be interested in having them explain exactly what events they are referring to. The truth is, because of the scarcity of funds, these events and the holiday shuttles to Logan Airport have comprised almost the entirety of the council's campus-wide events over the past four years.

Over the past years, the council has steadily become a more professional and trustworthy organization. Over the last six years, the efforts and leadership of council members have elevated the council's ability to make real changes on behalf of the student body. The discovery of the missing $40,000 was a direct result of the council's new professionalism, in particular the conduct of an internal review of the council's books and the institution of better financial controls.

Argue for or against the term-bill increase to your heart's content. Argue that only downsizing the council will allow the council to obtain the representativeness that it needs. Ask a representative to propose that the question of council downsizing be administered by referendum at the same time as that of the term-bill increase. Argue about whether increased funding should go towards student groups or towards large campus-wide events. But don't use baseless assertions about the success of the council's events and the council's competence without supporting your statements in some meaningful way.

Samuel C. Cohen '00

Nov. 18, 1999

The writer is the former vice president of the council and a current council House representative.