"Anytime you're in a large group looking at these things, you're inherently biased," West said. "We have to look at how it benefits Harvard students, not think about the benefits of watching Arnold Schwarzeneger movies or helping inner-city kids. We can't make those kinds of distinctions."

The Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association requested additional funding for its Gameathon, an event it holds during intersession.

The Finance Committee refused to fund the event because the event will take place after this semester is over, West said.

According to Finance Committee rules, groups cannot receive grants unless they spend the money during the semester it is allocated.

Finance Committee member Jeremy R. Jenkins '97-'98 said about 30 groups such as the Kumba Singers and the Black Students Association were also refused funding due to this rule.

"If we fund this group, we have to fund all of them," Jenkins said.

West said the Finance Committee is contemplating amending its rules to better fund such groups whose budgets are year-long rather than semesterly.

In other council business, a measure was passed repealing the compromise the council made last week to fund its Freshman Formal.

Since the council's committee funds are unexpectedly low this year, the council approved a measure last week that authorized the council to borrow money from its spring semester grants to pay for advance expenses.

According to Council Treasurer Edward B. Smith III '97, this move amounts to deficit spending, which he said is unsound fiscal policy for the council.

Smith revealed new figures for the council's committee fund last night based on $5,634.31 of rollover the council received from grants it allocated last spring that was never picked up, showing a current balance of $5,800.31.

Smith said under the previous compromise, the council appeared to have $17,100 in its committee fund, which was misleading.

"If we don't freeze all of our expenditures for the Freshman Formal, we allow ourselves to double spend our money, and that puts us in a position where we could potentially run a deficit," Smith said. "I have made it clear that this council will run a deficit over my dead body."

The bill was passed with no debate and only one vote against.

The council also approved a bill endorsing a "Youth Vote" conference to be held in the spring, which is designed to encourage college students to vote.

The council also allocated $50 to refurbish its "ride-sharing" board currently located in the basement of Lamont Library and to move it to Loker Commons.

Finally, the council passed a bill calling for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to allow the council to select student representatives to the Committee on Public Service instead of Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68