Less than 20 years old, the Undergraduate Council is experiencing that typical teenage angst--an identity crisis.

A debate that many thought would be resolved when Council President Noah Z. Seton '00 and vice president Kamil E. Redmond '00 were elected, the tug-of-war between political activism and providing student services, refuses to disappear quietly into the night.

COLLEGE

"It's an argument that's been discussed for two years," Redmond said at a recent meeting.

"Is the role of the council to deal with fro-yo in Annenberg, or China? With Burma or a student center?" she said. "I think the council can do both."

But Seton is expected to address the council tonight, where he will attempt to rein the council in with a call for a stronger focus on student services.

Council leaders touted a recent $25,000 allocation towards a new student center as a continuation of a student-services focus.

However, passage at the last meeting of a bill endorsing same-sex marriage legislations, tonight's proposed divestment bill and legislation on next Sunday's docket that endorses bringing the Reserve Offices Training Corps (ROTC) back to Harvard have upset the tenuous balance and sparked venomous debate in the council.

After an ear of "depoliticization" and grapes in the dining halls, the pendulum appears to be swinging again. And the two council leaders--who worked to present a united front on Election Day-are now sending different signals on how the organization's time should be spent.

United We Stand?

In January of this year, the council was fighting of frozen yogurt under President Beth A. Stewart '00 and Vice President Samuel C. Cohen '00, who broke a recent tread of progressivism with an emphasis on student serves (see sidebar, page A-5).

When the Seton-Redmond ticket won the elections last fall, many in the council expected more of the same--an emphasis on issues that have a direct, visible impact on students, thereby leaving political activism to other campus organizations.

"Beth and Sam's reign was certainly felt Noah and Kamil's reign would be a continuation of that," said Aurelio Torre '00, a Currier House representative.

Seton and Redmond said as much in December.

"Kamil and I share the idea that there are some issues the council deals best with the others student groups deal best with," Seton said.