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[Pauline Baniqued/The Daily Pennsylvanian] NEC Chairman David Diesenhouse (right) was among the student leaders present to discuss the allocation of University Council seats last night.

A student-government controversy that began last spring is close to being resolved.

Student leaders made a formal recommendation last night to increase the number of seats allocated to "mis- or under-represented" student groups on the University Council.

There are 16 student seats on the University Council -- a campus governing body consisting of administrators, faculty, staff and students that meets monthly to discuss campus issues.

Last spring, several minority groups rallied against the Nominations and Elections Committee's choice of University Council representatives and its selection proceedings -- which are conducted behind closed doors by the self-appointed NEC members.

Currently, one of those seats automatically goes to the United Minorities Council, 10 are given to Undergraduate Assembly members and five are doled out to student groups by the NEC.

Of the 10 seats given to the UA, three go to executive-board members, five go to the top vote-getters in each undergraduate school and in the freshman class and the remainder are voted on within the body.

If the recommendation is passed by the Undergraduate Assembly, eight seats would go to UA members and seven would be given to student groups.

"I think it's best to have as many groups represented as possible with their own voice," Civic House Associates Coalition co-Chairman Jeff William said during last night's meeting.

An ad hoc committee was formed by UA Steering -- a group of student leaders from major organizations across campus -- to address the NEC's decision process and the number of seats that it allocates

The committee will continue to meet over the next few weeks to make recommendations regarding the NEC's criteria for choosing groups to sit on the UC and how to make that process more transparent.

Of the 14 student leaders who voted, all but two agreed to give two additional seats to the NEC. Four recommended that more seats be given to the NEC in the case of overlap among UA members.

Asian Pacific Student Coalition Chairwoman Nina Wong -- a vocal critic of the NEC's decisions last spring -- expressed satisfaction with the progress that had been made by the ad hoc committee.

Minority groups "have great access to the needs of different and diverse populations that right now the UA does not necessarily have, and those organizations would be more well-equipped to represent those needs to the University Council," Wong said.

InterFraternity Council President Spencer Scharff was the only member to vote to give the UA more than eight seats.

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