Page 4-Saturday, March 31, 1979-The Michigan Daily
The Daily endorses for MSA:
___f0
I
'Yes' on Legal Aid funding
Our choice of
L AST YEAR, 75 per cent of the students vot-'1
ing in the MSA elections approved aE
resolution which provided for per-term man-
datory funding of $2.92 for MSA. Of that money,
$1.74 goes to Student Legal Services, 5t to the
course evaluation project, 6t to the Tenants'
Union, and the remainder to other MSA
programs. The question appears again on this
year's ballot, and again students should approve
it.
The vote is actually not binding on anyone, but
the Regents are scheduled to vote next month on
whether to extend the mandatory funding for
another three years. MSA decided to put the
issue on the ballot again to try to reaffirm
student support so the Assembly can present a
more convincing case to the Board.;
MSA President Eric Arnson said the three-
year funding would allow MSA to make long
range plans for projects which are currently held
back because the organization does not know
how much money it will have in future years. ,
The largest portion of the money goes to1
Student Legal Services, which used to be Cam-1
pus. Legal Aid. The structure was altered last
year to allow all students, instead of just those
who had incomes under a certain limit, to take1
advantage of the low-cost legal services. The1
services, which allow students to deal with lan-
dlord-tenant disputes, divorce, or shoplifting
'Yes' for students
INCE THE tenured faculty of the Political
s Science Department rejected Associate
Professor Joel Samoff's bid for tenure last year,
a small group of students have mobilized 'to
demand a more active role for students in the
tenure process. So far the movement for greater
student input into tenure decisions hasebeen
limited to this group, but on next week's ballot
for MSA elections, the rest of the student body
will have a chance to vote on .whether students
should participate as voting members in the
promotion and tenure proceedings within their
own departments.
Students should approve this ballot bacause it
will give further strength to the movement
trying to renovate the tenure structure. Although
the small group of students active in the
movement have pushed vigorously for greater
input in the process, several University ad-
ministrators have adamantly refused the
students' demands. A strong mandate from the
student body should give more credibility to that
movement.
The Samoff case has already proven the
validity of many of the group's arguments. After
all, it is the students who must suffer or benefit
the most from the ability of their professors -
not the other faculty members. It is the students
whose career prospects often depend on the
quality of various professors. But it is the studen-
ts who have no say in the process.
Although there is almost unanimous consent.
among many members of the University com-
munity for greater student input in the process,
No on inte
PROPOSAL on this week's ballot would
A allow MSA to remove a restriction in the
Assembly's constitution which prohibits mem-
bers from receiving salaries for their MSA work.
Students should reject this proposal, as it could
take too many funds from various students
organizations on campus. The proposal, if
passed, might also attract candidates for MSA
who are just interested in financial gain and who
are not sincere in enhancing student interests.
MSA serves the students on this campus well,
as evidenced by its efforts to give students con-
trol of the Michigan Union, to extend bus hours tp
North Campus, and to give students a greater
role in the University presidential selection
process. While this dedicated group deserves
some financial reward for its efforts, the ballot
proposals would allocate too much money for
this remuneration.
The proposal would allow the Assembly to
allocate up to 3.9 per cent of its budget-about
$9,000-for financing payment to key officers and
coordinators in MSA. A possible distribution of
this money would give a full year of in-state
tuition funds for the Assembly's president and
vice'president, with other officers receiving an
amount equivalent to a half-year's tuition.
This figure is too high. While the Assembly
might not allot the full percentage for the
salaries, the dangerous option still exists that
they might do so. Several campus organizations,
many of which receive major or sole financial
support from MSA, would suffer-or might ever
disappear-if such a large percentage of the
budget was reallocated to internal funding. .
problems for a very small price, and is
estimated to help about 200 students each m on-
th, must be maintained.
Other recipients include the Tenants' Union,
which receives 6 per term per student. The
union counsels students in landlord-tenant
disputes and provides housing information. The
MSA course evaluation project also receives
money from the student fee.
The remainder of the money allows the
Assembly to fund the programs of most student
organizations on campus. Also, over the last
year, MSA money has been put into securing
later bus hours for North Campus residents,
spearheading the drive to prevent meal con-
solidation in the Hill dorms, and supporting a
more student-oriented Michigan Union.
MSA certainly has demonstrated beyond a
reasonable doubt that it will spend the students'
money responsibly and for good causes. In ad-
dition, the other money allotted has also been put
to good use. MSA needs the Regents to approve
three-year funding so it can continue to serve the
students by initiating long-term projects.
Without a clear message from the students,
however, the Regents may be hesitant. MSA has
kept its last year's campaign promise to the
students. Mandatory funding clearly deserves a
yes vote.
in tenure process
some people argue students should only be able
to voice their concerns while others contend that
students should be granted a formal vote in the
process.
For instance, Vice-President for Academic Af-
fairs Harold Shapiro said last week that
"promotion to tenure is a permanent decision. It
takes a good deal of exposure and experience to
make that kind of permanent decision and it is
not a question of intelligence." He added,
however, that students should not participate in
the actual voting process and that "student
opinion has a more important role than I think
many people currently know."
Shapiro may be right but the Samoff case and
others have proved that such considerations as
student evaluations have not been weighed as
heavily as the candidate's volume of research
material. And while University administrators
can pledge to students that their concerns are an
influential factor in tenure decisions, there is
still no effective way of measuring their com-
pliance. They may listen to student reactions of a
certain professor but then could easily vote for a
candidate who excels in research and not in
teaching.
To insure that the students' voice is considered
in the final decision for tenure, a committee of
qualified students should review a candidate's
abilities and then send one representative to vote
in the process. And only by getting a vote, can
students be assured of having an impact in the
tenure process.
rnal funding
Supporters of the proposal argue that the time
constraints on MSA officers who must hold
another job prohibit them from fully serving the
Assembly. This financial support would allow
the officers more time to be creative and respon-
sible in the MSA efforts, the proponents argue.
Such reasoning implies that the money is
needed as an incentive to make the represen-
tatives work more effectively. The purpose of an
MSA officer is to represent student interests on
campus, not to reap financial gain. MSA mem-
bers who are dedicated to student needs should
be intently pursuing that goal without requiring
financial incentive.
MSA officers should receive some kind of
reward for their efforts, but the sum should not
be an incentive for serving the student com-
munity. This kind of generous salary allotment
could encourage many insincere candidates who
would want only money, and not responsibility.
A more reasonable figure than the 3.9 per cent
proposal would be half that amount, about 2 per
cent of the budget, or roughly $4,500. While still
transferring funds from worthwhile
organizations to the internal fund, this sum
would be less damaging to campus groups and
would still provide the officers with an adequate
compensation for their strong efforts.
The Assembly officers'should be paid. Defeat
of the proposal will postpone for a year the chan-
ce of internal funding. Yet, when considered in
the balance, the risk that the Assembly will
allocate the full 3.9 per cent to itself far out'
weighs the advantages of them receiving
salaries this year.
Literature, Science and the Arts (11 seats)
J. P. Adams, SABRE - Committed to MSA's
need to establish a strong lobbying effort to
acquire more state appropriations from Lan-
sing.
Marc Breakstone, PAC - Current Assembly
member who is very concerned with the basic
academic requirements of students.
Emily Eiten, PAC - Very active in various
University activities including FLOC, INFACT'
world hunger, and the tenure movement.
Jack Hall, PAC - Involved in issues per-
taining to education, including counseling ser-
vices, course evaluations, experiential learning,
and tenure.
Louis Head, YSA - Primarily interested in
greater student and faculty involvement at the
University because he feels that there is a lack of
effective communication between various levels
of the school's community.
Bob Jordan, SABRE - Feels that a strong
student lobby will be effective in acquiring more
funds from the state.
Keith Lee, PAC - Very active in minority af-
fairs on campus and believes that the University
must become more open to minority students.
Jane Moore, SABRE - A strong advocate of, a
student Regent because it would be the most ef-
fective form of student representation.
Tom Robinson, Independent - Involved in the
Residential College, the Ann Arbor Alliance, and
the Washtenaw County CoalitionnAgainstApar-
theid. Also wants to create a_ non-profit student
supermarket.
Pat Singer, PAC - Very active and concerned
about housing issues on campus. Currently the
Dorm Presidents Council acting coordinator,
and a member of the University Housing Council
Task Force.
Spencer Waller, SABRE - A current member
of MSA, and chairman of UAC Special Events,
has a good knowledge about funding problems,
and how to deal with groups and their projects.
Architecture and Urban Planning (1/% seat)
Douglas Farr, PAC - Interested in the quality
of undergraduate education, tenure, environ-
mental issues, and the social responsibility of the
University. Feels students should have input into
the geographic planning of the campus.
Business Administration (2 seats)
Alan Abrahams, SABRE - Concerned about
MSA budgeting to student groups. Also in-
terested in the housing problems, and the future
of the Michigan Union.
Brian McCallion, SABRE - Feels MSA should
be more accountable and less wasteful with their
large budget. Also interested in settling com-
munication problems between the student body
and MSA.
School of Education (1 seat)
Jackie Rice, YSA - Specifically interested in
issues affecting women, and feels MSA should
reevaluate their funding for groups.
school reps.
Engineering (3 seats)
David Fischer, SABRE - Member of MSA for
the last two years, and also active on",
Engineering Council. Believes that MSA com-
mittees should be more heavily emphasized in
the decision-making process.
Roy More, SABRE - Current Assembly
member, and chairman of the Student
Organizations Board.
Carlos Thomas, SABRE - Now involved in
MSA budget priorities and minority affairs.
Especially concerned about minority student
problems and admissions.
Law (1 seat)
Kathi Machle, Independent - Concerned
about the academic excellence of the University,
and feels that students should have more par-,
ticipation into budget-making processes and
staffing decisions.
Natural Resources (1 seat)
Nicola Binns, PAC - Also concerned with the
quality of education students receive. Feels MSA
can have a role in seeing that students have more
control over the curriculum.
Nursing (1 seat)
Jeanne Barre, SABRE - Interested in
problems students encounter in dormitories and
the lack of communication between MSA and
student groups.
Pharmacy (1/2 seat)
Camille Quincannon, SABRE - Involved in
pharmacy school activities and the Union Task
Force. Feels that a strong lobbying effort would
be effective, and is pushing for student control
over the Michigan Union.
Rackham (6 seats)
Timothy Feeman, PAC - Interested in GEO,
and establishing means of input into University
decision-making by graduate students.
Mervat Hatem, PAC - Active in educational
and labor issues of the current Assembly. Con-
cerned about the lack of student participation in
the running of the University, specifically where
it affects tenure, divestment, and minority
recruitment.
Janice O'Neal, PAC-Concerned about the
minority attrition rate, the need for more student
housing, and a curtailment of tuition increases,.
Active on the current Assembly, and other
graduate and University organizations and com-
mitte es.m
Public Health ( seat)
Anne Fullerton, PAC-Feels MSA should be
concerned about University financing,' and lob-'
bying on legislative issues. of concern to the
University. Active in the divestiture move
ment.
Social Work ( seat)
Constance Bridge, SABRE - Concerned about
the relationship between students, faculty, ad-
ministrators, the Regents, and the State
Legislature. Interested in correcting the high.
rate of minority attrition, and the 'high
student/teacher ratio.
MSA Pres: McClenney of
THIS YEAR'S hotly contested race for the
presidency of the Michigan Student Assem-
bly (MSA) presents a classic confrontation bet-
ween two extremely capable and experienced
students who are equally devoted to making the
University more accountable to student needs
and concerns.
But there are differences.
Yvonne McClenney, the candidate represen-
ting the People's Action Coalition, is right on
target when she says the goals of the Assembly
should be to research administrative decisions,
such as the skyrocketing tuition rate and the
housing increases, which so greatly affect
student interests. She also has a very clear per-
ception of the Assembly's need to find out the
links betwen the quality of education and the
higher tuition costs. :x
Therefore, we support Yvonne McClenney to
become the Assembly's next president. McClenn
The administration regularly levies higher
tuition rates and dorm costs on the student body
without any significant response from student (SABRE) are both experie
government. MSA must have representatives feel that if those two were
who can research the factors behind the would continue its passive
decision-making process at the University and over University affairs.
transform that knowledge to the student body. Alland and Tyler bott
McClenney also sees long-range goals as problems in the future of t
necessary to Assembly planning because too of- attitudes to find solutions s
ten the turnover in MSA administrations causes cooperation with the admi
the cancellation of important projects. That level ce, these two favor a great
of continuity is something essential to the future the tenure process but on
role of MSA in University affairs. If the Assem- limited one. They don't tt
bly can come up with a consistent policy students will soon be givi
developed through serious long-term research, tenure within the departm
then its effectiveness should conceivably be say MSA should seek som
much greater. student input before askinE
PAC's candidate for vice-president, Joseph But MSA needs leader;
Pelava, also has a solid understanding of the may recognize the uphill
- LL,~ ~L..sitv bureaucracy, will still
PAC
°Y
nced students. But we
elected, the Assembly
wait-and-see attitude
h recognize the key
he University but their
how too much passive
nistration. For instan-
ter role for students in
ly see that role as a
hink it's realistic that
en a vote on deciding
nents. Therefore, they
e other kind of limited
g for a formal vote.
s, who, although they,
struggle with Univer-
be willing to strive for