Two/Jags Uacandidates Deliver Proposals, Rancor
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MIT's The Weather Oldest and Largest Today: Variably cloudy, 32°F (O°C) Tonight: Partly cloudy, 20°F (-7°C) Newspaper Tomorrow: Cloudy, 38°F (30C) Details, Page 2 Volume 123, umber 8 Cambridge, 02139 Friday, February 28, 2003 Two/JagS UA Candidates Deliver Proposals, Rancor By Jenny Zhang Reseroed ASSOCIATE E' EDITOR On Wednesday evening, the can- didates for the 2003-2004 Under- graduate Association president and For'REX' vice president met in the student By Keith J. Wlnsteln center lobby for this election's NEWS AND FEATURES DIRECTOR debate. A new name and a new chedule The three president! vice presi- for dormitory rush will greet the dent tickets are Parul Deora '04/ Class of 2007. Harel M. Williams 'OS, David B. Yesterday, an administration Gottlieb '04/ Karen M. Keller '04, statement, issued in response to and Pius A. Uzamere II '04/ Jacob Dormitory Council and IL TFP W. Faber '04. requests to increase the amount of In the often-rancorous debate, all time set aside for freshman donnito- three tickets focused on strengthen- ry selection, discussed the new "res- ing communication between the stu- idence exploration" plan for Orien- dent body and the administration tation 2003. and solidifying a sense of communi- But some confusion remained ty at MIT. over how much time during Orien- tation will be reserved for donnitory Student feedback a priority rush, which MIT is now calling Each team of candidates suggest- REX, for "Residence Exploration ed different methods for improving XIAOWEI YANG and Selection." communication. UAP/ UAVP candidates (left to right) Karen M. Keller '04 (VP)/ David B. Gottlieb '04, Plus A. Uzamere Meanwhile, another new name Gottlieb said that students would II '04/ Jacob W. Faber '04 (VP), and Parul Deora '04/ Harel H. Williams 'OS (VP) face off on Issues - the Undergraduate Association ' always be able to e-mail him with ranging from housing to daytime SafeRlde during Wednesday night's debate. Senate, known until this week as the suggestions or even call him on his "Council" - voted to again post- cell phone, and that he would meet UA and administration work for the Deora and Williams have pro- Faber said that he had already pone a decision on whether to frequently with administrators to students, and there must be a sense posed the creation of a "living group created an online site called "Rant endorse the Dormitory Council's voice student concerns. of equality between the two," Deora coalition" to advocate for living and Rave" where students could 'proposed Orientation-week sched- Deora and Williams noted the said. "We need to have regular group concerns common to resi- express their concerns. ule, after the Interfraternity Council importance of mutual respect. meetings and publicize them to the dents fraternities, sororities, and voted almost unanimously to oppose "We must realize that both the students." dormitories. Debate, Page 17 it. The proposal has been endorsed by the UA's Committee on Housing Committee on Community Discusses Threat of War and Orientation, supported by IL TFP, .and praised by Deans By Jessica A. Zaman training sessions fot facilitators in "We have students from all over principles of the MIT community Robert P. Redwine and Larry G. STAFF REPORTER the of an emergency, and pro- the world at MIT," said Kirk D. and steps that can be taken protect Benedict as having "really led to a Professor J. Kim Vandiver moted further dialogue through resi- Kolenbrander of the committee. it. breakthrough in our discussions and addressed a sparse crowd of MIT dence-based events. "We want to make sure people in "We want to facilitate an open planning." fac ty, staff, and students as part of the community are thinking about community and dialogue," Vandiver a Committee on Community ''brief- Vandiver discussed MIT principles and appreciating its diversity." said. "There are two conflicting Benedict describes two-day 'REX' ing" in 10-250 last night. The com- "We want to establish rules of freedoms, freedom of speech and In an intervjew, Benedict dis- mittee is sponsoring the "Communi- conduct in times of war," Vandiver Committee formed for dialogue freedom from interference from liv- cussed the amount of time to be ty Briefings" to help preserve said, "policies that will help main- The MIT Committee on Com- ing and studying." reserved for dormitory selection, freedom of expression at MIT dur- tain principles of MIT." munity was formed last fall by something the Dormitory Council ing times of increased international The committee has outlined Chancellor Phillip L. Clay PhD '75 IT re pond to briefing and ILTFP have strenuously tried to tension. three main principles for the com- as signs of conflict in Iraq became One audience member ques- lengthen. In addition to organizing the munity: MIT is an educational insti- increasingly apparent. tioned whether the committee's real Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003 and briefings, the committee established tution, MIT is an international insti- The 22 faculty, staff, and stu- goal was to promote open dialogue Monday, Aug. 25, 2003 will each be an emergency response plan in the tution, and all members of the MIT dents on the committee have been and tolerance, or merely deal with case of a war or terror attack, held community are full members. meeting since November to discuss Rush, Page 20 Community, Page 19 Proponents of Voting Refonn Meet at MIT By Nathan Collins Vote Massachusetts, one of four ''Now'' Bell said, "we're focused NEWS EDITOR speakers at the MIT Greens and MIT on election reform." With memories of late 2000 Flori- College Democrats-sponsored Forum "We have to make sure those da and other election nightmares on Voting Refonn last night in room 20,000 [who registered at Dunk The fresh in their minds, voting reform 6-120. "That certainly wouldn't be Vote] go out and vote." leaders gathered at MIT to discuss a true in IRY." Jim Henderson of MassIRV said new proposal: instant runoff voting. State Representative Alice Wolf many "voices are getting shut out" In this system, known as IRV, a said that she became interested in the because of phrrality voting. voter ranks each candidate in an elec- voting method after discussions about Vickery said that instant runoff tion. The candidates are ranked on how to increase voter turnout. voting could cost less than other sys- the basis of all ballots, and the low- Voters often feel "that they can't tems. He cited an example of a small est-ranked candidate is removed from express their opinion adequately," Massachusetts town that spent consideration. New ranks are made, Wolf said. The current system is "not $12,000 to hold a runoff election and the process continues until one the kind of system that gets people after a crowded first election. Though candidate has a majority of votes. excited" about voting, she said. he was not sure of the cost of switch- Because IRV allows voters to Ron Bell, founder of Dunk The ing to an instant runoff system, "it's vote for third-party candidates unlike- Vote said that he was working to not going to cost as much" as holding ly to win without disadvantaging a reform voting because many - runoff elections, he said. preferred major party, it has become young black men, especially - felt JOHN CWUTIER-THE TECH an attractive proposal for some third disenfranchised. Bell's group runs m y tem has drawbacks In preparation for their big swim meet 'tomorrow, the men's parties, especially the Green Party. a basketball tournament that During a question-and-answer swimming team did their traditional run down the Infinite cor- requires participants to register to session, an audience member raised rldor. Sporting only Mohawks and SpeecIos, the men ran from ew system may expand democracy vote. some concerns about the instant the Alumni Pool to Lobdell where they performed the MIT If you cast a vote for a small-party After the 2000 U.S. Presidential runoffsy tem's complexity. cheer for the lunch croWd. candidate, "you may feel your vote is election, many people told Bell that wasted," said Peter Vickery of Fair their votes didn't count. Voting, Page 14 FEATURES Comics OPINIO World & ation 2 A look at fire safety at MIT par- America's energy policy is 'ajoke' Opinion 4 ties and other large gatherings. and has been for 30 years, says Events Calendar 8 ~ur Gretchen K Aleks. Arts 11 On the Town .13 Page 9 Page 6 Page 5 Sports 24 Page 2 ATION ewSh on Go emment o In LOS A GELES TIMES . Drafts 2 Very Different. JERU ALEM Prime Mini ter Ariel haron' right-leaning government was worn in early Friday, taking up the leadership of a country mired in Pro osals for Postwar Iraq conflict with the Pale tinian , suffering it wor t economic downturn in decade and holding its collective breath in the countdown to a By Robin Wright ition in Ko ovo province and Ea t ily influenced by the outcome of a prospective U.. -led war with Iraq. LOS ANGELES TIMES Timor. propo ed U. re olution that would "The government I pre ent today shall erve the entire people, and The administration trongly back the use of force to disarm Iraq, it i only the good of the state of I rael that will guide u ," the The Bush admini tration ha out- prefer the international burden- U .. official say. be pectacled 75-year-old prime mini ter told lawmaker as he pre- lined two trikingly different plan haring option. In a peech Wedne - If the re olution pa es when it ented hi Cabinet for formal approval.