.MSA
candidates air
The Michigan Daily - Sunday, March 25, 1984 - Page 5
their views
Administration neglects
7 T A MILT
RAP: Cease
MSA funds to
et i~1 tc 1 fQ I EIVY 1
For the Let's Make Needs Our
Priority Party (LMNOP), many of the
University's problems stem from the
administration's "benign neglect toward
students and education."
Headed by presidential candidate
Andrew Plevin and his running mate
Helen Maynard, the party considers
campus security one of the "neglected"
areas they will make a high priority.
THEY SAID they favor a campus-wide
escort service and bus service possibly
staffed by work-study students; a
direct-line emergency phone system,
and a more efficient security force on
campus.
A concrete step in increasing campus
security would be to institute a unit on
rape and assault prevention taught at
freshman orientation, they said.
On minority student issues, Plevin
called the University's 4.9 percent
black enrollment level a disgrace.
Although the University set a 10 percent
goal for black enrollment in 1970, the
percentage has actually been declining.
IN ORDER to recruit more minority
students and retain them once they
enrolled, the University must have more
centralized services, Plevin said.
"If we can promote the visibility of
the services that are available for
minorities, we can increase their effec-
tiveness for the students," he added.
He also said that events aimed at
7 .J 1TU.J4- I'1
helping minority students are too
sporadic and should be better
organized.
LMNOP candidates said they are not
opposed to a student filling the position
of black student researcher, a post held
last term by City Councilman Larry
Hunter (D-5th ward). "It all depends on
the effectiveness of the person," said
Plevin, an LSA sophomore.
LMNOP's position supports
gay rights on campus as well
as University President Harold
Shapiro's recently released policy
against discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation to students, faculty,
and the administration.
LMNOP members said they would
also create a newsletter dealing with
women's issues and needs in order to
centralize all the information available.
THE PROPOSED student code of
non-academic conduct infringes on
students' rights, LMNOP candidates
said. The code is inadequate in many
ways, they said, because it denies
students' constitutional rights and has
no formal rules for introducing eviden-
ce.
LMNOP candidates said it would be
hypocritical for students to deny
professors the right to pursue their
research.
"We don't condone military research
and professors have the right to do
I
P says
defense department sponsored resear-
ch along the 1972 guidelines which are
implicit in the fact that research aimed
.at creating weapons for the destruction
of humans is forbidden," Plevin said.
"NON-CLASSIFIED research does fall
under academic freedom," Maynard
added. They do not favor extending the
University's guidelines restricting
classified research to include non-
classified research.
LMNOP supports a prpposal
developed by an LSA student-faculty
committee to improve the quality of
teaching.
The bill of rights would require
among other thi'gs, professors to
provide a syllabus and reading list at
the beginning of each class, to provide
adequate office hours, and to provide a
written description of how students
would be graded.
LMNOP members said they are
completely opposed to the Solomon
Amendment which requires all males
receiving financial aid to register for
the draft.
It is not the role of the University to
act as a law enforcer, they said, and the
amendment discriminates against
poor students.
The University should adopt a more
supportive attitude about financial aid,
the candidates said.
THEY WOULD like to work against
Perin
... make needs priorities
any increases in in-state tuition and
also compile an index of all financial
aid sources available to students.
LMNOP members said they see a
lack in the credibility of the current
Michigan Student Assembly. Part of
the reason, the candidates said, is that
the assembly has been more politically
oriented than student oriented.
"We have to do things for the studen-
ts," Plevin said. "MSA will only gain
credibility when the students see that
they are doing things for them."
Plevin, a member of LSA Student
Government, heads LSA's committee
on the conduct code.
Maynard, also a sophomore, is vice
president of the Bursley Family and the
student representative from LSA
Student Government to the Com-
prehensive Studies Program. She is
also a member of the Bursley Board of
Governors. - Marcy Fleisher
Involve more students, says IOU
Encouraging students to work o
issues that affect them will hel
alleviate some of the apathy at th
University, said Mark Weinstein an
Randy McDuffie, presidential and vi
presidential candidates for IOU (It
Our University).
"We are brought up to believe that
today's bureaucracies our vote and sa
'don't matter," said Weinstein, an LS
'sophomore.
"MSA SHOULD be utilized as
.-vehicle for students to get involved.
may not change overnight, but we hav
ways to start the transformations."
A more direct relationship betwee
on the regents and MSA is important to a
lp change in the decision-making process
he at the University, Weinstein said.
nd "The regents should allow one
ce student and one faculty member to
's become regents," he said. "I don't
think they will grant this tomorrow, but
in it may come slowly."
ay IF ELECTED, Weinstein said he will
A propose that MSA representatives be
paid and receive college credit for their
a positions.
It He said he believes that would make
ve members' commitments stronger as
well as allowing poorer students to join
en who are now restricted by money
Sneeds.
EFFECTIVE integration of
minorities at the University is also a
major concern, the candidates said.
Weinstein said IOU would change the
name of the minority affairs committee
to the ethnic affairs committee,
because minority has a condescending
tone. In addition, different ethnic
minorities should not have to compete
for facilities like Trotter House.
Weinstein added that if the social en-
vironment at the University were im-
proved, black enrollment would in-
crease. He said they would continue the
big sister-brother program and send
black students to area high schools to
help improve recruitment efforts.
IOU MEMBERS said there is also a
need for more black and ethnic
professors, as well as more women
faculty. "This is too much of a white-
dominated University," Weinstein said.
There should also be an orientation to
let handicapped students know what is
available to them, he added.
IOU FAVORS making the University
as equitable as possible for gay studen-
ts, Weinstein said. IOU would en-
courage a stronger liaison between
MSA and the Human Sexuality Office as
well as forums that would educate
people about homosexuals.
"It is MSA's job to improve negative
attitudes and stereotypes," Weinstein
said.
They support the recent policy
statement by University President
Harold Shapiro prohibiting
discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation. .
IOU OPPOSES the proposed student
code of non-academic conduct, Wein-
stein said.
"I don't really think that there is a
need for a code," Weinstein said, adding
that the civil judicial system addresses
many of the same issues as the code
would.
If there is a code, Weinstein said, the
students should decide on it, write it,
and then make sure the regents submit
a written guarantee that they won't
change It, he said.
ALTHOUGH IOU members see
military research on campus as a small
priority to MSA, the party is opposed to
it and would like to see non-classified
military research banned at the
Univers~y.
Weinstein said it is MSA's job to in-
vestigate research contracts on cam-
pus and to keep students informed
about it.
political
The Michigan Student Assembly
should stop funds to political groups
that deal with issues not directly affec-
ting University students, said Jim
Frego and Cheryl Collins, presidential
and vice presidential candidates for the
Responsible Assembly Party (RAP).
"The money that students pay to the
assembly are mandatory student fees,
therefore it should go back into the
University community where it
belongs," said Frego, an LSA junior
who transferred here from Olivet
College last year.
HE ADDED that student fees should
not be used to support such causes
as student protests in Washington, D.C.
Increasing security on campus
through the implementation of an
emergency phone system would be the
second priority RAP would address,
they said.
Frego said emergency phones could
become a part of the telecom-
munications system which the Univer-
sity is installing.
THE THIRD PRIORITY on RAP's
slate is to issue mandatory verbal
proficiency tests to all teaching
assistants.
Frego and Collins said they do not
support the proposed student code of
non-academic conduct because there is
not enough student input.
"We are not against a code," Collins
said, "but we are not for this one."
RAP MEMBERS said a fair code
would have to have more student input,
and any jury specified by a code would
have to be composed of students.
"A code we would be in favor of would
also have to have far less reaching ef-
fects," Frego said. "Organizations,
such as fraternities and co-ops have
their own judicial systems already,
therefore there is no need for the
University to provide another for
them."
The two did not take a firm stance on
military research on campus, but said
they would favor bringing a referen-
dum to the students asking them to ex-
press their positions on military
research.
"WE ARE confident that students
would vote in large numbers and we
would be bound to what the vote was,"
Frego said. "Therefore, a small
minority of people, whether it be PSN
(Progressive Student Network) or
MSA, would not be making decisions for
the whole campus."
RAP candidates said they favor the
Solomon Amendment, a law that
requires all' male students receiving
federal financial aid to register for the
draft. They are the only candidates who
favor it.
IMPROVING THE organization of
MSA is another RAP priority. Frego
said he believes the representatives
I1rop
MSA should not be thought of as a
political tool, Weinstein said, but the
University does have strong ties to the
federal government and that connec-
tion makes national issues University
issues.
IOU SUPPORTS the implementation
of an emergency phone system on cam-
pus as well as better lighting. The can-
didates also said University security of-
ficials should be more visible.
IOU members said the Solomon
Amendment, which requires males
receiving federal financial aid to
register for the draft, discriminates
against low-income students and turns
the University into a police arm for the
selective service.
Weinstein is an LSA sophomore. He
transfered this year from Drake
University where he worked with the
student government on peace issues.
He has been an active member of the
Progressive Student Network since
September.
McDuffie, who transferred here from
Wayne County Community College in
May, is also an LSA sophomore. He is
vice chairman of the Black Student
Union and a member of the MSA
Minority Affairs Committee. He is also
on the advisory board of Trotter House.
- Marcy Fleisher
Frego
... reassess funding
should serve as a liaison between the
school they represent and MSA.
"It is (the representatives') in-
dividual responsibility to stay in tune
with their specific constituency as op-
posed to being overly concerned with
the entire University as a whole, or the
state or the nation," Frego said.
Frego and Collins also said MSA
should have a liaison between the regen-
ts and the assembly, so the regents are
more aware of MSA's concerns.
FREGO said RAP is aware of the
greater need for accessibility for han-
dicapped students on campus, and he
said they would do whatever is
necessary to install improvements such
as automatic sliding doors in major
University buildings.
RAP members said they support a
non-discriminatory policy for gay.
students, and said University President
Harold Shapiro's recently issued policy
is strong enough to help prevent
discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation.
Collins said the majority of problems
that black students face on campus
result from the self-isolation of . the
black community.
"WE MUST stop this idea of a black
community and start the idea of the
University community," Frego said. If
that could be accomplished, he said,
black students could help to encourage
other minority students to attend the
University.
Frego is a member of Delta Kappa
Epsilon fraternity. He has been a staff
writer and executive editor for The
Michigan Review. He is also the vice
chairman of Students for Academic
Freedom.
Collins, a freshman, is the secretary-
treasurer of Students for Academic
Freedom and the coordinator and vice
chairman of the Michigan College
Republicans. - Marcy Fleisher
Weinstein
... alleviate apathy
YOU!: Students
should know
MSA' s role
l SMART: Students must
work
with
adminnistration
YOU! wants to strengthen the
Michigan Student Assembly's image by
~increasing student awareness of MSA's
role and resources they have to offer,
according to Ron Senkowski and Susan
Thomas, presidential and vice
presidential candidates for the party.
YOU! would use channels established
by their representatives, the MSA
News and campus displays to create
stronger ties and communication bet-
ween MSA and the student public, the
candidates said.
THEY ALSO propose a change in the.
structure of MSA to increase com=
munication between members of the
assembly. They would like to stagger
elections so there would be more ex-
perience on the assembly at any given
time, Senkowski said.
YOU! would also try rotating the
committee chairs to help distribute
work and cut down on burn-out, they
said.
The assembly should move away
from the political issues and show the
students more of what MSA can offer
- hem, YOU! members said. Students
are not aware enough of the
They would also try to implement an
escort system through a work-study
program, and self-defense programs,
Thomas added.
THE TWO said they oppose the student
code for non-academic conduct as it
stands now because they believe it
stifles legitimate offenses.
Military research on campus should
not have the negative image it has on
campus, Thomas said.
"There is productive research going
on here and the University does receive
large amounts of money in this way,"
Thomas said.
"WITHOUT research, the University
would lost a lot of its credibility," she said.
Senkowski said they would advocate,
more discussions on campus concer-
ning military research sponsored by
MSA, as opposed to those sponsored by
other organizations such as the
Progressive Student Network (PSN).
"We don't want to support it or go
against it, we want everyone to learn
more about it," he added.
YOU! would like to see a financial aid
researcher and a scholarship matching
program. Both of these measures, they
..,.i -^A sr. 1 -- ... e
Senkowski
... increase communication
more of a University concern than a
.student concern, Thomas said.
YOU! members said they support
gay rights on campus. Although
Thomas said'she does not feel a special
liaison between MSA and the Human
Sexuality Office is a necessity, she said
the student body should be made more
aware of groups like Lesbian and Gay
Rights on Campus (LaGROC).
The best way to improve the en-
vironment for minorities on campus is
through orientation, Senkowski said.
HE ADDED that MSA should work
with minority organizations to find out
what needs to be done, but the position
of an MSA black student researcher
should be filled by a professional.
"The problems of minorities are too
severe for a student," Senkowski said.
They said YOU! is against the
Cnlma Am - -arr -r ...v :-n va ..: -n
The Michigan Student Assembly
would serve students better if it would
work more effectively with the ad-
ministration, said SMART presidential
candidate Scott Page and his running
mate Steve Kaplan.
MSA should represent the students by
voicing their concerns to the ad-
ministration, said Page, an LSA junior.
"MSA is a student organization,
therefore we should be increasing the
participants involved and work more
closely with each other," he added.
SMART HAS the smallest slate of
candidates, but they don't see that as a
disadvantage.
"With 12 people running, we are one
short of a majority," Page said. "This
is something that we did on purpose so
if the whole party does win we cannot
control the assembly."
One of SMART's top priorities is bet-
ter campus security. They are
proposing an escort system based on
those at other schools. Escorts would be
screened and trained and would travel
in pairs after responding to calls from a
central ndmber. At the same time,
escorts would act as a neighborhood
crime watch.
"WE WIhL essentially be combining
a foot patrol with an escort system,"
Kaplan said. "This is what we have
seen wnrks het at nther schnol "
but students should be more involved in
drafting it.
"A code should also be passed by a
direct student vote," Page said.
Students should also work with the
administration on the code issue, not
against them, he added.
SMART BELIEVES both students
and faculty must pay more attention to
the problems of minorities on campus
with support groups in the dormitories
helping to educate the student
popuation to some of those problems.
Both Kaplan and Page said they sup-
port the assembly's appointment of a
student as a black student researcher.
Previously that position was held by a
paid professional.
"If a student has the time, he or she
can do just as good a job as a
professional,' Kaplan said. "The
student has also dealt with the
problems minority students face first
hand, which is a definite advantage."
THEY ALSO support increased help
for handicapped students. '
SMART favors the policy recently
released by University President
Harold Shapiro forbidding
discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation.
"Any actions that infringe on the
rights of gays and lesbians, SMART
will not sunort." Page said.
Page
... increase participation
campus, but they will not support
research if its primary purpose is to
make weapons, Page said. They would
push for adopting guidelines for non-
classified research.
Page is the president of Student
Alumni Council, co-chair of the Com-
mittee for Graduation, and a member
of Mortar Board, a national honor