We just gave the Undergraduate Council a “vote of no confidence.” But instead of listening to the results of the election, the Undergraduate Council’s leaders are trying to pass a last-minute bill, 40F-78, that would override the election results and stop any real change to the Undergraduate Council from occurring, during the lame-duck period prior to the inauguration on December 5.

40F-78 is designed to prevent students from amending their own student government’s constitution, and make meaningful constitutional changes impossible without a supermajority of Undergraduate Council insiders. 

Under 40F-78, no change would occur even if a referendum to replace the UC with a new student government generated 70 percent voter turnout with 70 percent voting in favor. 

As Michael Cheng outlined in the Wall Street Journal, the goal of 40F-78, and other last-minute UC initiatives, is to undermine the election results. Some Undergraduate Council members have already been moving towards impeaching Michael and Emmett on Day 1...for proposing a real plan for a student government that produces results for students (just look at Mike’s fruitful advocacy for double concentrations, coming in 2022).

Unfortunately, genuine, systemic change threatens some UC members’ plans to run for re-election, and eventually to run for higher office. That’s why (as of Nov. 30) 28 of your UC representatives have voted to ignore the election and pass 40F-78, with 11 voting against. More than 16 “no” votes will kill 40F-78.

UC representatives have until 4:00pm on Sunday, December 5—right before the inauguration—to change their votes on 40F-78. Please sign this petition and email your UC representatives (listed here, Harvard login required). Tell the UC to stop copying tactics from the worst politicians and actually focus on students.

Things will change on December 5. We will work together to make Harvard better, and replace the UC with a real democracy (our plan). But before December 5, our best bet is to stop the UC from overriding the election results.

Please sign + share this petition today and tell the UC to cut it out.

Please take a minute and email your UC representatives, contact info: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17pZWGkdkXJ77eZHJnTe2OwUVNmGn77H2VFoCLvy69So/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=106229005510817772810 (Harvard login required).