MSA candidates The Michigan Daily-Saturday, April 2, 1983-Page 7 square off ACT stresses 'U' fiscal crisis "Right now there is nothing the Michigan Student Assembly should worry about except dealing with the current fiscal crisis and rebuilding its legitimacy," says ACT presidential candidate Marc Dann. And in order to do that, Dann and his vice presidential running mate Kim Fridkin are stressing the need for net- working among students and between students and the administration to make MSA better known. MSA should learn to cooperate with the administration in areas such as- financial aid instead of antagonizing administrators, Dann says, because the assembly "can't make or demand policy, but it can influence policy." Dann and Fridkin also say that MSA should help student organizations communicate with each other, in ad- dition to providing them with funds for projects. A useful tool in this effort would be the assembly's newspaper, the MSA News. Dann says that the publication should be directed away from its editorial leaning to a more infor- mational content with advertisements for student positions on University committees placed on the front page. In addition, ACT says that it will push for an informal newsletter specifically for campus groups to share information and resources; and will hold poster- making workshops for student organizations. In the fight against redirection, the party is stressing the importance of having all of the facts and figures on the University readily available to students or faculty who need them. They call for the implementation of a new computer system at MSA to store knowledge from this University and other campuses across the country about review decisions, budget information, and historical background on teachers and teaching quality. Dann says that MSA could offer students independent study credit or even paying jobs to operate such a system. Dann also says that ACT advocates some changes in the redirection process. While some students and faculty have said that the University should begin reviewing all existing facets of the University simultaneously for possible budget cuts, Dann calls this method impractical. Instead, he says the University should set a schedule to review all schools, colleges, and programs on a regular basis to avoid damaging reputations by targeting them for review. While hiring independent researchers to study campus problems is "a waste of money unless they deal strictly with redirection," Dann says ballot proposal calling for an MSA-funded student research center "is worth looking in- to." But Dann questions the part of the proposal that would raise the $4.25 mandatory MSA fee by $1.50 toisupport the project-many of the programs that the proposed center would handle could be taken care of with MSA's current resources, he says. "Before we take the proposal to the Regents, we'll make sure the Univer- sity can't do it for free," Dann says. Dann and Fridkin also approve of another ballot proposal calling for a 25 cent hike in fees allocated to student governments of the schools and colleges. "Student government are our eyes and ears, and whatever we can do to strengthen them will help us," Dann says. Fridkin, an LSA junior who says she has not had much contact with MSA but has been active in national political issues, says she would like to see MSA focus on rape prevention and safety awareness on campus. She also calls for an extensive survey on sexual harrassment at the University in order to educate students and faculty about the problem. When asked about the ranking of such issues as military research and divestment on MSA's agenda, the can- Students to vote on five ballot proposals Dann ... says MSA needs legitimacy didates agreed that MSA is powerless to influence any University actions without first garnering more student support. Of the 28 candidates running on their slate, none are black. According to Dann, the lack of participation reflects the feeling held by many minority students that MSA capnot do anything for them. The sentiment is one ACT plans to work toward improving by in- creasing "financial and moral support" to minorities on campus. Dann has been active in LSA student government, and helped to found a student and faculty coalition in 1981 to fight the elimination of the geography department. He has served on the LSA Curriculum Committee, The Michigan Union Board of Representatives, and other MSA committees. -Laurie DeLater (Continued from Page 1) governments. The current fee would rise to 75 cents per student per term. According to LSA Student Gover- nment President Rajeev Samantrai, the fee has not been increased since, 1972. The 25 cent hike was proposed by the Engineering Council as a reasonable increase to meet growing demands on their budget for guest speakers, leader- ship training programs, and conferen- ces, said Bob Zahm, engineering college representative to MSA. SAMANTRAI SAID LSA-SG could use the extra revenue to expand its programs, but "we don't really need it like Engineering Council." According to former president of the Public Health Student Association Julie Holowitz, "the lack of money generally hasn't been a problem" because her student government solicits dues from the students in the school. Student government officers at the business and dental Schools voiced similar opinions. But smaller schools, such as ar- chitecture, pharmacy, and education, see any increase as a welcomed reprieve with shrinking fees due to declining enrollments and tightening restrictions on allocations they get from MSA. YET ANOTHER proposal calls for the revision of the all-campus con- stitution to give the MSA's vice- president of minority affairs one vote in the steering committee. This internal committee acts as an agenda-setting body for the assembly by considering and recommending a course of action on issues before bringing them to the general assembly. According to Rick Jones, the current vice president of minority affairs, the vote would strengthen minority influence on the issues chosen for discussion by MSA. The final proposal is only an advisory question, and allows students to voice their opinion on the administration's five year plan to trim and redistribute funds within the University. The question asks: "Do you feel the process outlined in the five-year redirection plan had been an adequate response to the current financial crisis at the University?" IMPACT to address non-political issues British Humour Party The only presidential candidate to have held a seat on MSA, LSA junior Steve Schaumberger says he will downplay the political issues that some say distract the assembly from real campus problems, and will emphasize student concerns closer to home. Representing Improve Michigan's Policies, Academics, and Com- munications Today (IMPACT), Schaumberger says MSA has devoted too much time to political issues not directly connected with the University. IMPACT wants to follow the lead of current assembly programs like Student Organized Scholarships, an arm of the financial aid committee, that address important student needs. Schaumberger and his vice- presidential candidate Lynn Desen- berg, also an LSA junior, advocated in- creased student financial aid. To reach that goal, they favor installing a com- puter system to match unclaimed scholarships and grants with needy students; adding an aid surcharge to athletic department tickets; and allocating a small percentage of research funds to financial aid. MSA should not only protect student in- terested in financial aid, but should also be concerned with the budget cutting process within the University, the current MSA vice president for com- munications says. "The current assembly has been able only to protest administrative decisions after they are made through petitions and rallies," he says. By increasing the number of students on each school's review committee for redirection MSA can help students influence recommen- dations for budget cuts before they are actually made. Schaumberger criticizes the current faculty tenure review process, saying that "teaching is being terribly overlooked during the process." Student course and instructor evaluations should be weighed more heavily than they now are in these decisions, he says, and students should be better represented on tenure review committees. Schaumberger also says that im- proving campus security is another fop priority. Party members plan to push for new telephone systems at campus bus stops; more stops and longer hours for the Night Owl bus service; and more self-defense workshops. MSA needs to push the University to fulfill some of the promises it made during the Black Action Movement Strike in 1970, Schaumberger says. In addition to fighting for better minority recruitment, organizations, counseling services, and affirmative actions policies, IMPACT advocates creating an executive office of vice-president of minority affairs. Schaumberger said he is in favor of MSA's mandatory $4.25 fee and the proposed cost-of-living increase, but added that he is skeptical of allocating $2.90 per student for Student Legal Ser- vices. "I think a re-evaluation of the funding of Student Legal Services is needed to determine if the program is meeting students needs," he says. "Most students aren't even aware of (its existence) ." The Student Center for Educational Research, also a ballot proposal, has IMPACT's support "at least for a trial run." Schaumberger ... calls for help to financial aid "It would tell us in an in-depth man- ner how students feel toward issues and how the quality of student life would be improved," Schaumberger says. IMPACT also approves of ballot proposals calling for a 25-cent increase in all school and college government fees, and a vote for the vice president of minority affairs on MSA's steering committee. Schaumberger believes minimal at- tention should be given to political issues, such as military research. "Political issues shouldn't be ignored, but they shouldn't be put in the limelight either," Schaumberger says. IMPACT urges the administration to return to its 1972 guidelines for non- classified research, and to divest from companies with holdings in South Africa. The party also gives support to the nuclear disarmament movement. Desenberg interned for Congress last summer and represented her sorority, Delta Gamma, in the Panhellenic Association. She is currently involved in the women's task force. -Laurie DeLater says no to Determined to "bring student gover- nment government back home," British Humour Party (BHP) presiden- tial and vice presidential candidates Duane Kuizema and Laurie Clement are calling for more attention on such issues as financial aid and campus security instead of outside political ac- tivities. MSA can address the financial aid crisis by directing its energies back into campus projects instead of lobbying, says Kuizema, a business ad- ministration junior. He suggested MSA set up an organization to solicit grants and scholarships, especially from the business community. Clement, an LSA sophomore, en- courages more fund raisers similar to the raffle sponsored by the assembly this year to generate money for student scholarships. A computer system to make infor- mation about unclaimed financial aid available to students, currently under consideration by MSA, is a worthy idea but would only justify its costs if it could be demonstrated that students would use it, Kuzema says. Kuizema is critical of the work that has been done so far to improve campus security and to make students more aware of how to protect themselves. In addition to posting maps and holding rape prevention workshops, Kuizema is proposing a special task force of work study students who could assist security guards in patrolling the cam- pus. While Kuizema says he thinks that students are "not going to stop redirec- tion," the current procedure needs to be reviewed and students should have bet- ter representation in the process. The cuts should be distributed more evenly through the schools and colleges, and the schools themselves should designate where the cuts will be made, politics Clement says. MSA also. needs to organize and publicize redirection forums and con- ferences to make students aware of the cuts, according to BHP members. Increasing student awareness about MSA is also a major concern of the can- didates. "MSA has to actively show that as a board of students, they care and that they want students involved," Clement says. To accomplish this, the candidates say they intend to publicize the agenda and meeting time of MSA meetings, as well as encourage more MSA members to visit dorms and campus organizations to discuss projects. Kuizema and Clement say that the MSA News is "biased" and should become more informational to tell students about forums, conferences, and MSA functions. But MSA members need to become more aware of their constituents' needs, too, Kuizema says, adding that he would like to see a portion of MSA's meeting devoted to short reports from each school. The assembly also needs to keep a closer watch on its process of funding student groups, he says, and suggested that MSA routinely follow up on each group it funds to make sure the money is spent correctly. Information about. allocations should be publicized in the MSA News, Kuizema says. Kuizema is in favor of keeping the mandatory $4.25 fee that is used par- tially to fund allocations to student groups. Like ACT, BHP has no minority can- didates on its slate. Kuizema and Clement say that minority students they approached to run were skeptical that MSA could be beneficial to minority groups and concerns. But Clement said she hoped that MSA could help bring campus minority Kuizema ... has priorities close to home groups in contact with other groups and the administration. BHP favors the proposal to give the minority affairs coordinator a vote on the steering committee. "It will show minorities that MSA is legitimate," Clement said. BHP candidates also support the ballot proposal to establish a research center on education, and the 25 cent hike in student government fees. Kuizema's party agrees with the non- classified research guidelines recently accepted by the University Senate Assembly, but said that a central over- sight committee of "unbiased professionals" and students is need to check on all University research projects. The new guidelines call not for a cen- tral committee, but for each school or college to oversee its own projects. Kuizema ran unsuccessfully for MSA president in last year's elections, although three other BHP members won seats on the assembly. He is a member of Greenpeace and a par- ticipant in IM sports. Clement is an executive board mem- ber of the Residence Hall Association and an officer in Couzens. She worked with Michigras this year, and also par- ticipates in IM sports. -Laurie DeLater .IOU wants increase in student awareness Independents from eight schools seek MSA seats All students must be made aware of issues such as redirection and financial aid if they are to take an active part in the University decision-making process, say Mary Rowland and Jono Soglin, presidential and vice presiden- tial candidates for It's Our University (IOU). IOU opposes the administration's five year plan to cut budgets and redistribute funds to designated priority areas within the University. MSA must mobilize the student body in a search of alternatives to the entire redirection process, Rowland says. Students in schools under review have banded together to fight the cuts, but those in LSA and the engineering school must realize that their schools will eventually be reviewed, too, says Soglin, who is currently MSA's vice president for legislative relations. . MSA can transform the current 'save our school" attitude into the more important "save our University" attitude if it reaches enough students said Rowland, an LSA junior. She calls for rotating MSA's meeting sites and visiting dorms to educate students. She also proposes monthly gatherings salaries; and requiring upperclass standing for admissibn to schools of art, education, and natural resources to cut their enrollment. Minority enrollment and retention is another big concern of IOU, which has four black student running on its slate of 30 candidates. MSA should help coor- dinate minority organizations on cam- pus, and encourage all students and alumni to recruit minorities at high schools, especially in the Detroit area, Soglin said. IOU is also calling for the appoin- tment of a black student researcher by MSA to look into problems that all minorities face at the University. A student was hired to fill the position last fall, but later resigned because he found he did not have time for the job. In- addition, the University must carry out its commitment to minorities through hiring more minority faculty and staff members, Rowland said. Campus security is also an IOU priority. Through the Women's Task Force, a group sponsored jointly by MSA and the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan, Rowland said she would push to clear up jurisdictional R~owland ... says MSA must mobilize students bying at state and national levels for in- creased financial aid and against the Solomon Amendment, which links financial aid eligibility to draft registration. They said further efforts should be made to press the Regents for divestment from South Africa. IOU favors the proposed Student Research Center of Education, which Soglin said would be "a good place to involve students and help (MSA) look at the university." It would lend continuity to other research supported by student gover- nments on campus, Rowland added. IOU favors the ballot proposals to "If MSA disappeared tonight, would it be missed tomorrow?" Michael Hoffman, a Rackham student vying for an independent seat on the Michigan Student Assembly, ex- presses in his campaign slogan a sen- timent shared by many of the 17 can- didates running with no party af- filiations. According to several of the can- didates, MSA needs to open up to student concerns by becoming more visible on campus and setting an agen- da that reflects issues that directly af- fect student life. "MSA has to become more visible, more involved with students and make its actions and planning of its actions more visible to the student body," says LSA junior John Carl Brown. LSA sophomore Garret Stokes, who is running for a seat on the Student Publications Board in addition to a spot on MSA, says that MSA needs to be in better contact with the University ad- ministration. be financial aid, campus security, and redirection, many independent can- didates say. Other candidates are critical of how MSA has handled some politically- oriented issues in the past. Engineering junior Ted Barnett is especially critical of MSA's treatment of military resear- ch and redirection. He said assembly members have tur- ned military research and redirection into political issues for which they feel they must take a stand for the students. "The function of MSA is totally dif- ferent from major congressional bodies," he said. "Sometimes (assem- bly members) have a hard time recognizing the distinction." "I'd like to be on hand to make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen," he added. LSA junior Marc Bernstein points to a 1973 study conducted by the Regents which concluded that among other things, an effective student government needs "a reason for existence, for its r >rrnaa ad it hinn ,,n fee drew a variety of responses from independent candidates. Yaroch said he thinks the mandatory fee should be reduced or eliminated, and that students groups should only receive enough money to get them star- ted-after that, it should be up to them to fund their own projects. Barnett said students should be able to decide to which programs they donate. When asked why they are running in- dependent . of the organized parties, some candidates remarked that it was a matter of filing at the last minute, while others spoke out strongly against the party system. "I don't want to be part of a big, bland, boring party," Barnett says. He and Yaroch said that they felt only one party would not reflect the specific in- terests of their constituents. Donna Laskowski, an LSA freshman, who is running for the Student Publications Boark in addition to the MSA seat, also said she is opposed to the party system. none of the nartie ,