MITOC gets $10,000

The propriety, if not the legality, of a disbursement made by Associate Dean for Student Affairs Robert Holden has been questioned by a number of student government members following a $10,000 grant to the MIT Outing Club.

“It seems Dean Holden was not authorized to spend the money,” said Undergraduate Association President Chuck Markham ‘81. Markham drew a parallel to a treasurer being able to sign checks yet not having the authority to write them.

A member of the Finance Board (Finboard) asking not to be identified commented, “there is a question about the way Holden gave out the money.”

The grant came from the Everett Moore Baker Fund, according to Markham. The foundation was set up in honor of the former MIT Dean. Money was to be disbursed by a student board of trustees. Holden is a signatory of the account.

Although the board had not met for over a decade, Markham had the foundation’s revival “on the back burner” for over a year. Both Holden and Markham agreed that Holden was unaware of Markham’s interest.

The Outing Club had owned a cabin constructed on land belonging to a third party. Around the first week of May last spring the landlord informed the club that the land was going to be sold and offered them the option of first refusal. The club approached both the Finance Board and Holden in an effort to obtain the funds needed to purchase the land.

According to a member of the Outing Club, Holden informed the club before the Finance Board met that he would give the club the money if they agreed not to reveal that it came from the Baker Fund.

Holden denied this yesterday, saying “no such thing was ever said.” Later in the day, Holden informed Janet Yanowitz ‘83 that it was “ok” to mention the fund, “as it’s apparently public information.”

The club also had to agree to disincorporate and turn over all their land and cabins—assets of over $50,000—to MIT, according to Yanowitz. A member of the club also confirmed Holden’s request not to disclose the source of the money, and pointed out that “anyone in the club who was interested” knew of the restrictions on the funds.

Aware of Holden’s actions, the Finance Board voted last spring to replenish the Baker Fund from Finboard’s own invested reserves. While no action has come of this to date, Finboard vice-chairman Raj Tahill ‘81 has recently discussed the vote with Holden.

The Activities Development Board (ADB), of which Holden is a member, has to approve Finboard’s proposal. Any action the ADB would take on the motion would probably occur at their first meeting next Monday, according to Holden.