In an attempt to combat its reputation for inaccessibility, the Undergraduate Council has established a newsgroup on Harvard's computer network where students can make themselves heard--or rather seen.

The newsgroup, created last Monday, will list the council's planned events and agenda, and will allow students to post comments and responses to council decisions.

Newsgroups are accessible from all student accounts on the Harvard data communications network. They provide an electronic forum for discussion on a wide variety of subjects.

The U.C. newsgroup was established by the council delegate from Dudley House, Brett A. Barbaro '95. Barbaro said he started the newsgroup because he felt the council should be more in touch with the student body.

"There is not enough contact between the student body and the U.C.," Barbaro said. "The newsgroup will be an open forum, a twenty-four hour open U.C. meeting."

Barbaro said it was simple to establish thenewsgroup once he received support from councilofficers.

But their support did not extend to anamendment to the U.C. constitution which wouldmake the newsgroup a permanent council activity.The idea was not well-received by most members,Barbaro said.

The newsgroup, however, needs no funding fromthe council and therefore did not need an officialvote. Most members also thought the newsgroupwould provide helpful feedback for them.

Barbaro said he and other council members willbe reviewing the postings on the newsgroup, sothey can hear the feedback from students who wouldotherwise find the council inaccesible.

Council President Carey W. Gabay '94 says he isalso excited about the newsgroup's potential as abridge between undergraduates and the council.

"It is my sincere hope to make the U.C. moreaccessible," he said. "We need a gauge to see whatthe students want and also just general feedback."

Cabay also said he thought the newsgroup wouldgive council member the opportunity to learn firstand what students think about issues.

"Often we only know what students think fromthe house committee meetings, and those meetingsare not always representative of what the majorityof students think," Gabay said.

Gabay said he wants to enhance thecommunication between the student body and thecouncil.

The newsgroup's success, however, depends uponhow well it is received by the students.

Gabay said the biggest problem will beadvertising the newsgroup to the students. He saidthat the newsgroup will be described on the frontpage of the council newsletter, and the U.C. willalso post signs around campus.

The Crimson informally polled a few students atthe Science Center, and found reviews of thenewsgroup mixed.

Many students had not yet heard of thenewsgroup, but thought that it was an improvement.

"It sounds like a really good idea. I don'treally use newsgroups." Fay Y. Lin '96 said. "Ipersonally don't find them useful, but I know alot of people who spend time reading them."

"I'd rather have it on one of the gophercommands, like the Yard Bulletin, because it'seasier to access. But I would use it," Irit Tau'97 said.

Some students, however, were not so optimisticabout the newsgroup's effectiveness. "I probablywouldn't use it. There are enough newsgroups,"Matthew J. Waterbury '97 said