Council to vote on financial aid committee

University Council members will vote at today's meeting on proposed revisions to the Council Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, trying to prevent overlap with a similar committee overseen by the provost's office. The proposed revisions would expand the Council committee's reach to include the University's graduate schools. Currently, the committee can only consider admissions and financial aid matters for the four undergraduate schools. Council members have said in the past that the revisions would reduce overlap with the Provost's Committee on Undergraduate Admissions, which has greater impact on University policy since Council is only an advisory body to President Sheldon Hackney and cannot implement policy. At today's meeting, Council will also revisit the issue of whether University Police officers should be allowed to take photographs of individuals who violate the University's open expression guidelines and refuse to identify themselves. In the past, some Council members have opposed plans to allow pictures to be taken by officers, instead of open expression monitors, who have said they do not want the responsibility. Social Work Professor Louise Shoemaker, past chairperson of the Faculty Senate, said last night that she understood those concerns. "Given the world's history, [police officers taking photographs] could be sort of frightening," she said. "I understand why students feel the way they do, but there has to be some way of being able to keep civility in disputes." The meeting will also include a presentation from Ira Harkavy, vice dean of the College, on the recently established Center for Community Partnerships, which he has directed since its founding last summer. Harkavy said he plans to discuss "why it's particularly significant for the University of Pennsylvania to be involved in helping to solve the problems of the American city." The meeting will be held in Hoover Lounge of Vance Hall today at 4 p.m.

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