The two sides in the Undergraduate Assembly's debate over Part II of the Racial Harassment Policy have agreed over very little in the past few months. But at last night's UA meeting they were firmly united on one thing. Interim President Claire Fagin must announce the final decision regarding the new racial harassment policy no later than April 1. In a letter addressed to Fagin, the UA "demands" that the student body be made aware of the decision while classes are still in session so it may have "sufficient opportunity to react and respond to the decision." Last week Fagin announced she would organize a committee to formulate a new racial harassment policy that would go into effect by June 30, the final day of her term. At that time the current policy, including Part II's so-called "speech code," would be revoked. UA representative Dan Schorr said it was essential that the final decision be announced during the school year. "June 30 is too late," he said. "If the decision comes down after April 1, it's a slap in the face of the students." In other proceedings, College junior Jen Raymond, a member of the University's committee on the Revlon Student Center, made a detailed presentation to the UA. Projected costs for the Revlon Center are $40.5 million for the actual construction of the center, and $23 million to provide the structures and amenities for the center, said Raymond. She added that Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson has already announced that the University can only afford to cover $40 million, which is $23.5 million short of the total cost. Lazerson sent the blueprints back to the architects asking them to come up with a student center that will fit his $40 million budget, she said. Lazerson's vision of what the center should offer students also differs from the committee's, she added. The original plan includes retail stores, a game room, student government offices, meeting rooms and a coffee shop. It would be designed to promote a strong faculty/student relationship. Raymond said Lazerson wants the center to focus more on students, and less on faculty. His plans do not include student government offices or retail space, she said. Junior Class Board President Jason Diaz also made a presentation to the UA evaluating the success of class boards' Homecoming weekend festivities. Diaz estimated that a total of 9,000 students attended the three Skimmer weekend events – Skimmer Day, Tiger Death Fest and the DeLaSoul concert. He added that several of the events came in under budget, placing the total cost of Skimmer weekend somewhere between $9,000 and $11,000. "That's well under the $12,000 we had budgeted," Diaz said. The UA passed another resolution congratulating the Quaker football team on its Ivy League championship win. The bill, introduced by UA representative David Heimann, thanks the team for a "thrilling season."
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