In a move that will create a substantial void on the Undergraduate Council, its most seasoned veteran resigned unexpectedly last night.

Rudd W. Coffey '97, who has sat on the council for more than three years and is the former co-chair of the Campus Life Committee, said council politics motivated his resignation.

"[The Harvard-Yale weekend activities] were my top memories from the council. But the Sunday night meetings and the politics are taking their toll on me," a very emotional Coffey said in his announcement.

Coffey has feuded publicly with council president Robert M. Hyman '98-'97 on a number of occasions this year.

After Coffey departed from the council session last night, other council members moved to establish a lifetime service award in his name.

"When people see Rudd, they see the U.C.," said Philip R. Kaufman '98, one of the sponsors of the bill. "Rudd is almost the personification of what we do."

The resolution passed almost unanimously 47 to 2, with only Hyman vocally opposing.

"I have nothing but the utmost respect for Rudd and what he's done for the council," Hyman said. "But I do have a problem with promoting one council member above another in this way."

Coffey was Hyman's chief opponent in last spring's campus-wide presidential election.

Council members praised Coffey for his work despite his two presidential losses and one vice presidential loss.

"I don't think that anyone has lost as many elections as I have," Coffey joked. "It doesn't matter whether you win the election or not--it's what you do afterward that matters."

Council Business

The council passed a resolution urging the administration to consider the protests against cuts in benefits for part-time workers by the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW).

However, support for the amendment was weak. The bill passed 30 to 16, with 20 members abstaining.

Those who supported the resolution said they thought it had been watered down from the original form, and others were ambivalent about the council's judgment in making a decision.

"Here, for once, we have the opportunity to do something good on this council," said Joseph G. Cleemann '98, speaking in favor of a council-organized demonstration that was ultimately cut from the final bill.

"Why should this be a toothless resolution?," he said. "If we believe in this, we should be willing to stand up for it and spend a few bucks on it."

But many other council members vehemently opposed the resolution altogether, saying it was not within the council's jurisdiction.

"If you want to show respect for people who work for a living, then let the unions and the administration work it out," said council Treasurer John J. Appelbaum '97. "Don't pretend that you have any power and that you can meddle in the issue with any kind of informed opinion."

The council also approved a $13,000 budget for the first-year formal.

Popular Elections

The deadline for candidates to declare intentions to run in next month's campus-wide elections of the council president and vice president has passed, with 13 presidential candidates and six vice presidential candidates entering the race.

The yield of candidates is greater than last year's in which 12 presidential candidates and four vice presidential candidates ran.

The presidential candidates are Trevor J. Blake '00, Eli W. Bolotin '98, Cleemann, David S. Goodman '97-98, Adam D. Green '99, Elizabeth A. Haynes '98, Benjamin R. Kaplan '99, Kaufman, Albert S. Lee '98, Eric M. Nelson '99, Justin E. Porter '99, William P. Pyonteck Jr. '00 and Lamelle D. Rawlins '99. The vice presidential candidates are Selamawi H. Asgedom '99, Michael A. O'Mary '99, Mark A. Price '98, Ethan G. Russell '98, Joseph A. Sena '99 and Megan V. Strackbein '00.

Elections will be held online December 9-11