Page 4-Sunday, April 9. 1978-The Michigan Daily
The Daily endorses for MSA:
'Yes
' on Legal Aid funding
Our choice on school reps:
L EGAL AID must be saved.
Although we have reservations about a
"rider" the Michigan Student Assembly has at-
tached to the Legal Aid funding question, The
Daily urges a yes vote in order to save a valuable
program from possible extinction.
: Tomorrow through Wednesday, University
students are being asked to approve an increase
in the MSA fee to $2.92 per student per semester.
Most of the money-$1.74 per student-will go
towards preserving and expanding the Student
ILegal Aid Office, which the Office of Student
Services (OSS) has threatened to trim or
eliminate.
b The Legal Aid Office, operating on a shoe-
string budget from OSS, offers free represen-
tdtion to low income students. Using volunteer
services from law students and others-as well
as a good deal of "self help" from its clients-the
program manages to provide legal aid to
thousands of students each year.
If the funding proposal passes, the Legal Aid.
Office would be able to triple its case load by
hiring several additional case attorneys. This
would allow the office to offer its services to
every University student, regardless of income.
Th $1.74 also includes money for continued
support of MSA's Housing Law Reform Project.
The Housing Project has much of the credit for
the two tenants' rights laws passed by Ann Arbor
voters last week.
The Housing Project has lobbied in Lansing
for legislation benefitting tenants.
The MSA Course Evaluation Project and the
Ann Arbor Tenants Union are also slated to get
continued funding for their valuable projects.
The Daily has problems, however, accepting
the tactics which MSA has devised for providing
itself with a major increase in revenues. In ad-
dition to maintaining Legal Aid, the Tenants
Union, Course Evaluations Project and the
Housing Reform Project, tomorrow's referen-
dum provides a doubling of the student funds for
MSA's general budget. The referendum, in a sly
way, also changes the status of the MSA fee from
voluntary to mandatory.
This amounts to blackmail on the part of
MSA. If Legal Aid is funded, the MSA student fee
will become a mandatory 97 cents a semester.
But voters have no way to vote yes on Legal Aid
and at the same time reject the mandatory fun-
ding question or the increase in general funding
to MSA.
While MSA leaders have presented many
worthwhile ideas for use of the additional funds,
this ballot proposal does not allow students to
give informed consent on the MSA general fund
fee hike.
It is clear that present members of MSA
tacked the general fund hike onto the more
popular Legal Aid Program request in order to
"sweeten the bitter pill." This devious tactic.
should not go unnoticed.
However, to vote no on the overall funding
issue would be irreparable harm to valuable
student services.
MSA should therefore resubmit the general
fund increase and mandatory funding question to
students in the fall so they can decide that
proposal on its own mertis.
If the Assembly fails to do so, the student
body, with The Daily's backing, should call a
special election through a petition drive, as
provided in the MSA Constitution.
POLITICAL PARTIES have played a more
important role in this year's MSA election
than in MSA elections over the last few years. It
is no surprise, then, that most candidates are af-
filiated with a party. The People's Action
Coalition (PAC), Student Alliance for Better
Representation (SABRE), Move, and Bullshit
parties make up a sizable proportion of the can-
didates: A number of smaller parties also
present good candidates, and as always, there
are some outstanding independents.
The PAC platform takes detailed stands on
many of the issues, an area in which most of the
other parties are lacking. Many of the PAC can-
didates, for example, have been actively in-
volved in the fight for the University to divest of
corporations dealing with South Africa. PAC
representatives have also shown an interest in
creating a student voice in the education
process, particularly in faculty tenure and
promotion questions. Many members also have
-experience in other student organizations. The
Daily believes many of the PAC members would
be instrumental in leading MSA toward a more
activist, issue-oriented posture.
SABRE prides itself on the number of so-called
"good people" among its ranks. The party does
indeed have an impressive list, although the goal
of simply putting these "good people" in office
won't accomplish much. SABRE does not
propose as many answers to the problems as
PAC, and there is often disagreement on the
platform among candidates.
The Bullshit party simply does not offer the
potential offered by other parties. Many of the
Bullshit members have been on MSA already,
and seem overly concerned with the internal
politics of the organization.
The Move Party's main strength lies in the
proven calibre of some of its candidates.
Because of this, it seems, the party pays less at-
tention to the actual issues than we would like to
see. Many of the newer faces on Move do show
some potential as good representatives,
however.
Due to the extremely large number of can-
didates seeking seats on the Michigan Student
Assembly, the endorsement selection process
,was especially difficult.
Ninety-eight candidates in fifteen University
schools and colleges are seeking 33 MSA seats.
Endorsement decisions were based on personal
interviews, submitted statements, and past per-
formance on MSA and other student groups.
While many of the other candidates are no doubt
well qualified to serve on MSA, The Daily feels
the following candidates best meet the criteria
for being an effective representative of the
students:
Literature Science and the Arts (11 seats)
Kate Rubin, PAC - We have endorsed Rubin
in her run for the MSA presidency, but she is a
candidate as well for an LSA seat. If she wins
both, she will give up the LSA seat.
Spencer Waller, Move - Currently head of
UAC Special Events and has experience with
allocation problems.
Jim Sullivan, PAC - Has a clear understan-
ding of the issues.
Sean Foley, SABRE - Currently on MSA,
Foley has proven to be a clear thinker and
usually remains removed from political
bickerings.
David Laverty, SABRE - Also on MSA,
Laverty has worked extensively and competen-
tly on MSA's Student Organizations Board.
Doug Kaplan, SABRE - Kaplan has attem-
pted to turn the usually do-nothing academic
programs division of MSA into a working struc-
ture.
Steve Gold, Union for Responsive Government
- Possesses an understanding of the problems of
MSA, and appears ready to work diligently.
Bruce Tennenbaum, SABRE - Offers creative
solutions to many of MSA's visibility problems.
Vicky Rowels, PAC (write-in)- Has proven
her ability for competent work in her in-
volvement in the Washtenaw County Coalition
Against Apartheid.
James Kline, Union for Responsive Gover-
nment.
Warfield Moore, Independent candidate.
Medicine (1 seat)
Walter Smith,)SABRE - For an unopposed
candidate, Smith shows much energy in presen-
ting his views and solutions.
Music (1 seat)
Jeff Campbell, SABRE.
Natural Resources (1 seat)
Joe Pelava, PAC - Terms the present MSA "a
boys' club."
Pharmacy (1 seat)
Linda Keskulla, SABRE - Although not one of
the great innovators on MSA, Keskulla has
shown during her few months as a represen-
tative to be a clear thinker.
Rackham (6 seats)
Phil Merdinger, Independent - In his work on
MSA's insurance programs, Merdinger has
proven himself a competent worker who is not
afraid to spend some time on a problem.
Eric Rehm, PAC
Business Administration (2 seats)
Steve Beyer, Bullshit - Beyer assumed con-
trol of the mangled financial books of MSA this
term and has worked as treasurer to clear up the
bookkeeping problems.
William Gerber, SABRE.
Education (11seat)
Maria Garcia, PAC.
Engineering (3 seats)
Steve Knobler, Move - One of Knobler's main
concerns is to monitor University spending.
David Fischer, SABRE - Active on the
Engineering Council.
Library Science (1 seat)
Jon Eldredge, SABRE.
Arch. and Urban Planning (1 seat)
Richard Pace, SABRE.
The Daily has decided not to endorse any of the
candidates in the following schools: Nursing,
Law, Art and Dentistry. There are no announced
candidates in the Schools of Social Work and
Public Health.
For the student representative on the Board
for Student Publications, we support Bob Ber-
nstein, who not only supported a Board
divestiture from South African securities, but
showed a keen interest in the operations of
publications on this campus.
'Yes
' on University divestment
S TUDENTS HAVE a chance to send the
Regents another message on thelissue of in-
vestment in South Africa. We urge a strong vote
for University divestiture from corporations
with holdings in South Africa.
As its March meeting, the Board of Regents
ignored calls for a cut in University ties with the
racist South African regime. Instead, the Board
opted for a watered-down form of the so-called
"Sullivan Plan," which calls on corporations
work for change in South Africa rather than pull
out entirely.
The record of the past few decades has shown
how little U.S. corporations can do to influence
the hard-line anti-black policies of SouthmAfrica's
white rulers.
Other Michigan universities, includiig Wayne
State and Michigan State, have taken much
stronger positions on the South African question.
The investments question will not die or go
away. The Regents must not be allowed to rest
complacently on their token gesture.
The MSA election offers students the chance
to put pressure on the Regents to reconsider
their previous action. Let's keep the heat on.
MSA President: Rubin of PAC
T HE MSA presidential election offers a classic
choice between innovative ideas and
political vision on the one hand and ad-
ministrative experience on the other.
We feel that Kate Rubin, representing the
Peoples Action Coalition, has the insight, drive
and commitment to best represent students at
this University.
"Students have to be more instrumental in the
decision-making process," Rubin said in an in-
terview last week. She went on to outline the
issues on which students deserve a voice:
" Tuition and housing cost increases
* South African investments by the University
" Fulfillment of the Black Action Movement
(BAM) demands for 10 percent black enrollment
at the University
" Class size
" Tenure decisions for faculty.
Her position is that decisions that affect
students on this campus should be made, at least
in part, by students.
In addition, Rubin thinks students should see
themselves not just as a small interest group, but
also a part of society at large. She says MSA
should get involved in greater issues that affect
students as members of American society -
U.S. involvement in Southern Africa, justice for
minorities, and others.
Of student government, Rubin says, "MSA can
be incredibly powerful if we make it so." We
think - and hope - she's right.
Student government, if it gives up its preoc-
cupation with itself and focuses on student
problems and needs, can be a strong force for
change on campus.
Recent student government leaders have gone
a long way towards giving the Assembly such
an issue focus. Kate Rubin is the candiate to
make student needs, not internal politics, MSA's
first priority.
The SABRE Party's Eric Arnson would also
bring some fine qualities to the MSA president's
office., As Assembly vice-president, he has
LSA-SG President: Stechuk best
worked hard. He played an important role in
MSA efforts to get more student space in the
Michigan Union.
Arnson has a detailed knowledge about VISA
finances and programs. However, he has not,
shown the same grasp of issues Rubin has. We
hope he continues his association With student
government in a role that makes use of his ob-
vious talents.
Among the vice-presidential candidates,
though, Move's Nancy Smith is a clear stand-out.
As Budget Priorities Coordinator, she has
systematized the Assembly's allocations process
and helped get the finance books in good shape.
PAC's Julie Greene is somewhat naive about
student government, unlike her ticket-mate.
Were we writing our "dream ticket", it would be
Rubin and Smith.
This choice is not available, though. Therefore,
we endorse the Peoples Action coalition ticket:
Kate Rubin and Julie Greene.
IN THE PRESIDENTIAL race for Literature,
Science and the Arts Student Government
(LSA-SG), the candidates' approach to the issues
divides them into different political spectrums.
However, one candidate has more experience
and a more realistic approach to these issues
than do the other candidates. The Daily endorses
write-in candidate Bob Stechuk of the People's
Action Coalition (PAC).
Stechuk has served council for a year and in
that time he has garnered an impressive record
of achievement. He has worked on the LSA
Curriculum Committee, the Washtenaw County
Coalition Against Apartheid and is active on the
anti-Bakke movement, pushing for the enfor-
cement, of University Affirmative Action goals.
He has also served on a committee to change the
school's distribution requirements and another
committee that worked on and completed a new
set of student grievance procedures.
As a member of LSA, Stechuk has fought
financial cutbacks to student programs and has
tried to enlarge options for students in education
programs. He was one of the members who
pushed for the Indian language of Ojibwa to be
offered as a foreign language fulfillment for
native Americans on campus. Stechuk helped
initiate freshpeople seminars and discussion of
th laQ, o ~f tninu cic~itant in their in-
Although candidate Linda Spak (Radical
Feminist Alliance) also has a grasp on the
issues, she does not have the experience of
dealing with as many issues as Stechuk. She has
good ideas and the Daily hopes she will continue
to have an active voice in LSA-SG.
Candidate Eugene Juergens, as -well, has
limited council experience.
Under the leadership of a candidate such as
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