Consider Charity for 40k
On Monday I was not surprised to read in The Crimson that the Undergraduate Council, after conducting a survey, had allocated the better part of its surplus $40,000 toward a new student center. The survey did not, however, consider putting any of the money into charity, where even a relatively small portion could make a difference in Cambridge and the Boston area. A small expenditure such as buying an inner-city school a computer or helping out a soup kitchen would count and might show a different side of Harvard kids to the community.
The council's action was symbolic--the University will co-fund the student center. If we can win University funding this way, why not pledge some of the money to a charitable cause in the same manner? I realize that the council tries to allocate money as Harvard students wish. But I believe that Harvard students are charitable.
John M. DeStefano '00
March 10, 1999