UA urges U. to delay rush plan

The Undergraduate Assembly voted last night to recommend postponing the implementation of the Commission on Strengthening the Community's recommendation on Greek rush until the 1995-1996 school year. The Commission's final report, released earlier this month, recommended that Greek rush be delayed until second semester of freshman year. UA member and Engineering sophomore Steven Hong, along with InterFraternity Council President Hayden Horowitz, presented the proposal to the UA. "The IFC wants to work with the University and the community to implement a rush that is beneficial to both," said Horowitz, a College junior. "We need the extra year to prepare because?we don't want to put our chapters into chaos. "These are uncharted waters for us," he added, saying that the IFC has to prepare both financially and practically. Despite this, Horowitz said the IFC will not contest the Commission's decision. The new UA used parliamentary procedure for the first time during this discussion. After some confusion developed, UA Chairperson Dan Debicella "fudged" procedure and allowed the body to vote more quickly. "To fudge parliamentary procedure was worth it," the Wharton sophomore said after the meeting. "We have 17 new members who were unfamiliar with parliamentary procedure." The motion then passed by a large majority. The UA also approved an evaluation of the Department of Residential Living's budget last night, which began during the previous UA's term and completed during the new one. The review called for four main changes in Residential Living's budget, the first of which asked for an enhanced "competitive bidding process," where all outside contractors not be renewed without a complete evaluation of their services. They mentioned McGinn Security Services as an example of an outside contractor who has not had a complete evaluation. The second recommendation asked Residential Living to look into "purchasing new elevators for the high rises instead of paying for the current elevators' maintenance." Ending the cycle of students moving off-campus and prices increasing for on-campus housing was the third recommendation. The report suggested lowering on-campus living prices. The possibility of using rooms for students' storage space was the fourth recommendation. "I think this report shows that the UA is working on concrete issues that affect student life," UA Treasurer and College freshman Sabrina Gottlieb said. The UA also discussed the Student Judicial Committee's recommendations on the Code of Academic Integrity, the Code of Student Conduct, and the Student Judicial Charter. It also agreed to use over $360 of the UA Contingency Fund to pay for a trip taken to Cornell University last weekend for an Ivy Council meeting of student leaders from all Ivy League universities UA member and College sophomore Lance Rogers, who was elected Ivy Council Vice President of External Relations, attended the meeting. Rogers ran for president of the Council at the meeting.