IFC denies attempt to gain UA control

Although approximately 40 percent of the candidates for next week's Undergraduate Assembly elections are Greek, InterFraternity Council members denied that the organization is making a concerted attempt to gain control of the UA. Twenty-two Greek students are running in the election -- a major increase over last year's elections when only seven Greeks ran. IFC President Matt Baker, a College and Engineering junior in Alpha Chi Rho, attributes the rise in Greek interest to the UA's recent rejection of a proposal to establish a $20,000 contingency account to fund Greek events next year. "People felt affected personally -- now people want to have a say," said UA candidate and College junior Aaron Kotok, a Pi Kappa Phi brother and IFC vice president of 20th Century Planning. But many of the IFC's candidates for the UA said the underrepresentation of Greek viewpoints was not the sole reason for their candidacy. Candidates expressed interest in a variety of University issues, including better integrating student groups into the government system. But the most discussed issue was the possibility of the UA financially supporting the IFC. "I fear the social life on campus will be diminished," Baker said. "I would like to see the issue addressed, but I don't want the new UA members that are Greek to blanket the vote." Greek candidates also said the apparent resurgence of IFC members in student government should not be seen as a coup d'etat. "Greeks like to get out there and do something," said UA candidate and Wharton junior Charles Margosian, an Alpha Chi Rho brother. "Greeks lend themselves to student government." But UA candidates not affiliated with the Greek system were more skeptical, with many expressing fear that the Greek candidates would run together on a slate or that the next UA might be made up primarily of Greeks. And UA candidate and Engineering sophomore Ryan Gould said one of the reasons he is running is "to have non-Greek representation on the UA." But UA candidate and Wharton freshman Jonathan Meltzer said his biggest fear heading into the election was the huge number of other candidates -- regardless of whether or not they are IFC members. Incumbent UA representative and College sophomore Hillary Aisenstein said the increase in Greek candidates was not so much a threat as "a curve ball" to incumbents and new candidates alike. But she added that she did not see it hindering her re-election. UA incumbent and College junior Larry Kamin agreed that he wasn't afraid of the large number of Greek candidates. "I'm just going to campaign for hours and hours," he said. "And if enough people want it, then I'll get a seat." Most candidates, however, could not deny the potential electoral strength of the Greek candidates if voting occurred strictly on Greek versus non-Greek lines. If every Greek-affiliated student -- currently totalling about 30 percent of the student body -- voted in next week's election, they would exceed the entire voter turnout of last year's election -- approximately 25 percent of students. And the number of pledges eligible to vote alone far exceeds the number of votes even the most popular candidates usually receive. But Baker said there would be no concerted effort on the part of the IFC to have the entire Greek community vote for the IFC candidates, saying he would stress merit rather than "if a candidate has Greek letters after his name." He added, however, that at yesterday's IFC meeting he planned to encourage all fraternity presidents to relay to their brothers the importance of the election.