In a long debate last night, Student Council discussed a housing proposal by the Enrollment Committee to eliminate incoming first years' choice between McCormick Road and Alderman Road housing.
The Enrollment Committee is led by two associate provosts and consists of administrators from various University offices.
Initially, Council narrowly voted down the resolution to endorse the committee's proposal with a final count of 9-12.
But the resolution was called back for reconsideration. After much discussion between Council members, the representatives finally concluded to pass a resolution that opposed the Enrollment Committee's proposal.
The resolution, put forth by Law School Rep. Lesley Pate, struck the original language of the first proposal.
The final passed resolution states that Council opposes the Enrollment Committee's proposal. The resolution says the originial proposal considered only issues of programming, and Council wants location and space taken into account as well.
Arguments for and against the proposal were almost equally divided throughout the entire debate.
"It seemed that the space and location issue was the most contested aspect of the proposal," Council Housing Concerns Committee Chairwoman Katherine Martini said.
Council passed the revised resolution by a 14-8 vote.
"It was a very heated, fractious debate," Council President Joe Bilby said. "Students appear evenly divided about this issue."
Supporters of the first resolution saw it as a way to improve the University.
"The University is trying to create an atmosphere that fosters a good first-year experience," said College Rep. Kristen Hamm.
The resolution was introduced by Architecture Rep. Marissa Cato at the start of the debate. College Rep. Nick Jabbour and Rep. Jenny Cortese co-sponsored the bill with Cato.
But the opposition believed that if the resolution was passed in its original form, it did not represent the desires of the student body.
"I am going to vote by the way my constituents want me to," College Rep. Steven Looke said.
After the original resolution failed, the body then voted to reconsider the bill.
"The hall versus suite issue is a valid choice," Pate said. "We should be giving them the guidance."
Several representatives were in opposition to Pate's proposed changes to the original resolution. "Essentially we're not addressing the Enrollment Committees issues," Jabbour said.
The Enrollment Committee will hold their last meeting of the year Friday to consider the resolution passed by Council last night.
"I think that the entire course of tonight's debate will have an impact on future consideration of this issue," Executive Vice President Matt Madden said. "Student Council's feedback will be taken into consideration along with the feedback from other students and student organizations they've received this year."
The Enrollment Committee will pass on the recommendation to Vice President of Student Affairs William W. Harmon, Vice President and Provost Peter W. Low or Executive Vice President Leonard W. Sandridge Jr. These are the only administrators who can make the final decision.
"I will be prepared to make the decision if asked to do so," Sandridge said. "I see tonight's discussion as an important expression of student views."
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