Council to hold first '93 meeting

University Council members will discuss creating a University Council Committee on Pluralism at tomorrow's monthly meeting. Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Jeff Lichtman said last night that the pluralism committee proposal was designed through cooperation between the UA and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, and represents an important endeavor on the part of the student groups. "It's mandatory that there be a committee with this charge on this level," Lichtman said. "It's crucial to understand that this is a student effort to bring this to a Council level." According to UA Vice Chairperson Kirsten Bartok, the proposed pluralism measure is "a good step towards what the rest of the University community has been trying to do." "It's a wonderful thing," College junior Bartok said, adding she believes the measure will pass. "I can't imagine there being any dissent." College sophomore Raj George, a member of the UA's Minority Concerns Committee and a proponent of the bylaws revision, said that the new committee will fill "a huge lack at the University level." The proposed amendment to the bylaws states that the new Pluralism Committee will be composed of eight faculty members, three graduate and/or professional students, three undergraduate students, two administrators, and three A-3 staff members. The proposal suggests that the chairs of the A-1 and A-3 assemblies, the coordinator of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community, and directors from the African-American Resource Center, the Penn Women's Center, the Greenfield Intercultural Center, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the Department of Residential Living should constitute an ex-officio presence on the board. The Committee will be directed towards creating greater pluralism and diversity at the University, both in terms of staff numbers and general atmosphere. In other Council business, Interim Judicial Inquiry Officer Catherine Schifter will lead a discussion on enhancing academic integrity at the University. Lichtman said the UA will play a role in the academic integrity discussion since the topic was brought up at a UA meeting earlier this week. He said that undergraduates were not originally expected to speak on the issue at the meeting. "The UA has made sure that there will be an opportunity to discuss it and that other people have an opportunity to present their concerns, and will present a first look at the undergraduate reaction to institute the honor code, beyond what Council has requested," Lichtman said. Schifter could not be reached for comment last night. The meeting will be held today at 4 p.m. in Vance Hall's Hoover Lounge and is open to the public.