Page 21 -The Michigan Daily, Thursday, September 10, 1987 MSA receives f By MARTHA SEVETSON A $7 student fee approved by the University's Board of Regents this summer to fund the Michigan Student Assembly will allow MSA to expand existing programs and - for the first time - fund the Public Interest Research Group i n Michigan. Although the new fee marks a 29 percent increase from last year's budget, MSA officials were disappointed that their initial $8.35 request was not approved. The student body endorsed the 55 percent fee hike in the M S A elections last March, but University administrators recommended the regents limit the increase to $7. "WHEN (the Office of Student Services) reviewed the various programs and initiatives MSA had in place and wished to bring into being, we knew what they were requesting was unrealistic," said Vice President for Student Services Henry Johnson. "We thought some of the programs were duplications." MSA President Ken Weine said he was not surprised that the regents supported the administration's request. "That's indicative of the University's decision-making process," he said. "It's disappointing that the administration and the board will not recognize students' ability to tax themselves." In addition to establishing a refundable fee system for PIRGIM, the new MSA budget will include funding for the internal MSA budget, Student Legal Services, and the Ann Arbor Tenants' Union. "In terms of the services we provided last year, (the fee) will not hurt any of them," Weine said. "The question is, to what extent can services be improved and broadened?" E A C H of the organizations funded by MSA has asked for a substantial increase, but the 300 percent increase requested by the tenants' union and the new PIRGIM fee will put the most pressure on this year's budget. Although the final budget decisions cannot be made until the full assembly returns in the fall, Weine has asked each of the groups MSA funds to resubmit funding requests. In the MSA election last March, the student body approved a separate, refundable fee of $1.25 for PIRGIM, but that fee was strategically merged with the assembly's own fee this summer. Although students may recover the money if they do not want to support the environmental group, the amount will not appear as a separate item on tuition bills. 0 inding 1 ACCORDING to Weine, PIRGIM will receive between fifty cents and $1 per student. He said the fee will have to be high enough to finance the refund system and prepare PIRGIM for a probable lawsuit. "We have to make sure the contract with PIRGIM stipulates that PIRGIM will pay for all of MSA's legal services," Weine said. Law students Steve Angelotti and Randy LaVasseur - who spoke against funding PIRGIM at the June regents' meeting - confirmed Weine's fears that a lawsuit is imminent. They think the refundable fee system is unconstitutional because it forces students to pay the fee even though they may not want to. After the board approved MSA's See TENANTS, Page 14 ncrease Weine ... disappointed by funding level PIRGIM may face possible law suit (Continued from Page 3) Ken Weine estimates it will fall between 50 cents and $1 per student. This would provide between $12,000 and $25,000 for PIRGIM per term. WEINE said that the fee system must pay for the refund system as well as legal assistance for the expected lawsuit. According to Hyslop, this funding will be used to sponsor a voter registration drive, to help the NationalStudent CampaignAgainst Hunger, and to tackle environmental issues. "We haven't set our agenda yet for next year," Hyslop said. The PIRGIM board of directors will meet in September to propose issues for the group to take up. "We will pick a number of (issues) depending on human resources, funding, and time," Hyslop said. "We don't want to start a huge project if we think we can't go through with it." The student-run group canvasses the southeastern part of the state for funds, conducts research on current environmental issues such.as toxic waste, and lobbies legislators to bottle law. Although Hyslop expects 10,000 students to ask for a refund when the option appears on the SVF winter term, she said the number will shrink as PIRGIM refocuses on environmental issues such as toxic waste, and lobbies legislators to change environmental law. 'Even under the refund mechanism, a student would be forced to ask for his refund.' - Randy LaVasseur, University law student. Daily Photo by SCOTT LITUCHY Suspicious Fire Ann Arbor Fire Department officials are still looking for the cause of a blaze that gutted parts of the Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity last July. change environmental law. The group was one of several lobbying organizations whose efforts helped to initiate the Michigan The group was one of several lobbying organizations whose efforts helped to initiate the Michigan bottle law. Awareness FROM ( TCO d-n tOW errd our we arrv O afew Weth5 ago ad on Julbusy 10 for t~~l be doors bhave Wth e the hele eed to in eur shV e stOC g yOUf--~ even' to a great start get o )NE NEWCO IA N OTHE R ! IER... . V day to offer lectures, condoms (Continued from Page 2S) She also said instances of AIDS among heterosexuals will continue to rise. Both Briefer and Paulson said they have had had to contend with critics who have attacked their L 00 t tO your e pe- mberuppy ygt books Re Wilete t h early' rantee We gr classes' for you book & supply Three Floors of Almost mig! 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