Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). Men's Interhouse Council
Biography
The Men's Interhouse Council was an organization of representatives from each of Northwestern University's "open," or independent, men's housing units, hence, it served as a counterpart to the Interfraternity Council. Prior to October 3, 1949, the MIC was called the Interhouse Council. The 1938-1939 student handbook stated that the Interhouse Council "cooperates with the Interfraternity Council as a men's governing body."
Among other activities, the IC fostered an interest in and supervised intramural sports and advised "the Houses concerning the policies to be pursued in University student affairs." The constitution's preamble set forth the IC's purpose: to promote a spirit of cooperation and unity among the members of the open houses represented in it, and to organize these houses as an unit in University scholastic, political, social, and cultural activities.
The Interhouse Council involved itself in a wide variety of activities, including "interhouse sings" and a formal dance held each spring. It was also involved in more serious matters. On April 4, 1949, the IC unanimously supported a Student Governing Board resolution which called for the elimination of all mention of race and religion in Northwestern University's application and scholarship forms "in accordance with the report of the Committee on Civil Rights of the President of the United States." The Interhouse Council was also involved in the movement to establish the "Student Bill of Rights." Foremost among these rights were those concerned with civil rights in connection with university admissions and housing policies.
On October 3, 1949, the organization began using the name "Men's Interhouse Council." Constitutional changes throughout that time period gradually increased the number of housing units represented, as well as the number of representatives from some of the units. Each house originally had one IC representative. New rules, however, provided for one representative per forty residents; with a minimum of one representative per house.
The most important MIC activity during the early 1950s involved participation in the annual Big Ten Dormitory Conferences. Organizations similar to the MIC, and the Women's Interhouse Council, at other Big Ten universities sent representatives to these conferences. The third conference was held at Northwestern University on April 27-29, 1951.