4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, March 19, 1997
cbe £gkigu Dglig
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
JOSH WHITE
Editor in Chief
ERIN MARSH
Editorial Page Editor
"NOTABLE QUOTABLE,,
'It is a political football in a game with
constantly moving posts.'
-Anthony Lake, on why he withdrew his nomination for Director of the Central
Intelligence Agency after months of grueling and hostile confirmation hearings
JIM LASSEER As T OAST
, " -..
Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Daily's editorial board. All
other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
FROM THE DAILY
Vote Students' Party
Nagrant and Savic back a practical platform
WHAT HAPPENED
D espite the usual semi-annual barrage
of banners and flyers, this year's MSA
election campaign has not stumbled down
the same worn path. This year's campaign
saw the rebirth of one of MSA's traditional
leaders, the Students' Party. After nearly
disappearing from the assembly during the
previous two elections, the Students' Party
has taken on new members, a new approach
to governance and become more issue
focused. Recent Students' convert and pres-
idential candidate Michael Nagrant and
his running mate Olga Savic are certainly
the strongest pair to lead MSA.
Nagrant has a solid record as an MSA rep-
resentative, elected under the Wolverine and
Michigan Parties. Savic, who served as an
MSA representative from Spring 1995 to
Spring 1996 and ran for MSA vice president
last year, is no stranger to MSA. Their com-
bined assembly experience gives them the
institutional knowledge and perspective that
are key to a successful term of office. Their
platform appears almost stark compared with
the flowery overtures of previous Students'
Party tickets, but what it lacks in flash, it
makes up for in accessibility and focus.
While the Students' platform is simple,
the candidates set their sights high. First
among their goals is streamlining MSA,
which encompasses an itemized plan to real-
locate 40 percent of the current MSA inter-
nal operations budget for student groups, and
the creation of a universal student group
funding application, which would simplify
funding requests to all the University's dis-
parate sources. Second is the commitment to
expand the role of the student representative
on the University Board of Regents to fully
utilize the representative's ability to lobby
the regents on behalf of student issues. In the
past, student representatives have sometimes
placed personal agendas above students'
needs. Nagrant pledges not to repeat that
mistake at the regents table; the student voice
demands such assurances.
Nagrant also pledges to make a proposal
to the regents that would guarantee tuition
increases at or below the rate of inflation. A
similar program met with great success at
Michigan State University and may help
keep University tuition in line. The Students'
Party has also proposed a non-profit, stu-
dent-run coursepack store to produce non-
royalty coursepacks and facilitate an
exchange program for unchanged coursepa-
cks. Through these programs, Nagrant and
Savic spell out tangible and achievable pro-
grams optimized for direct student impact.
The Michigan Party has experience in itsd
corner. Presidential candidate Probir Mehta
is a tireless worker and could effectively lead
MSA. However, the ticket proposed and
endorsed problematic ballot questions. The
first would circumvent democratic represen-
tation on MSA by implementing ex-officio
members for large student groups; the sec-
ond would allow some groups to avoid BPC
by increasing student fees by $1.
The Students' Party has the most experi-
enced slate of candidates running for repre-
sentative seats. School of Natural Resources
Rep. Karie Morgan, Rackham Rep. Ray
Robb and LSA Reps. Erin Carey and Andy
Schor are among the assembly's hardest
workers, most prominent student advocates
and have earned re-election. The practicality
of the Students' Party's plans - and the
direct benefit students stand to gain - make
it the best choice. Vote Students' Party.
F THE ??ESIDENT
EVER ASKS YOU
kWHAT YOU) WANT TO
fEAT, TPON'T.SAY
("CHIN r,
Independents
Jessica Curtin President
Nikita Little Vice President
Lewis Rosenberg LSA
Ferris Hussein LSA'
Aaron Freilich LSA
Dale Winling LSA
William QB Nicholson LSA
Amer Zahr LSA
Tej Shah Engineering
Jon Malkovich Engineering
Aaron Marx Engineering
Matt Lafferty Art and Design
Michigan Party
Probir Mehta President
Dan Serota Vice President
Kamau Peters LSA
Michele Menuck LSA
vamsi Bonthala LSA
Mehul Madia USA
Rebecca Rosenthal LSA
Jason Korb LSA
Ryan Friedrichs LSA
Hilary Rothberg LSA
Heidi Lubin LSA
Genna Solomon Art and Design
Karen Fauman Medicine
Irfan Murtuza Business
Scott Siftn Law
Russ Abrutyn Law
Tamyra Rhodes Rackham
Neel Chokshl Engineering
Martin Lee Engineering
Students' Party
Mike Nagrant President
Olga Savic Vice President
Diana Econom LSA
Trent Thompson LSA
Erin Carey LSA
David Singer LSA
Rachel Schlenker LSA
Becky Beamish LSA
Rich Kovacik LSA
Sireen Reddy LSA
Andrew Serowik LSA
Duncan Robinson Engineering
Justin Wojdacki Engineering
Ryan Kelly Business
Matt Curin Pharmacy
Raymond Robb Rackham
Karie Morgan SNRE
Mark Trafeli Law
Liberty Party
Martin Howrylak President.
Elizabeth Keslacy Vice President
Michael Enright LSA
Michelle Williams LSA
Boyd Sitt Engineering
Dana Hanselmnan SNRE
P.O.K.E. Party
James Smith President
Matthew Tomback vice President
Adam Weber LSA
Ryan Wolters LSA
Sean de Four LSA
Martin Cagin LSA
Markus Gidlund Engineering
Victors Party
Jim Riske President
Craig Myles Vice President
Steve Waterbrook LSA
Joshua Kirkpatrick Law
Stephanie Windisch Nursing
Lydia Yeung Engineering
United Rebels Front
Pak Man Shuen President
Stuart Krein vice President
Young Hee Kim LSA
Allison Lane LSA
R. Ryan Hanley LSA
Jay Kwon LSA
Marc Lau LSA
Anthony King Rackhazn
Yusuke Miyashita Engineering
Lawrence Siva Engineering
Attack ofthe
vote-sucking
resume packers
W ARNING: These words are
written with the presupposition
that complaining about politics can be
done only after examining the candi-
dates and the issues. We're looking for
critical thinking, not apathy.
There is an awful lot about MSA that
we do not talk
about. What I do
hear from candi-
dates, members h
and boosters is
rhetoric and slo-
ganism that is
trite, dull and
repetitive enough
to make Walter
Mondale look like
Huey Long. JAMES
All verbs are in MILLER
the second person MILL, ON
plural: "We must TAP
act proactively
now to ensure a diverse, healthy,
homeopathic environment of holistic
healing and wellness to guarantee that
every student gets an education that
prepares them for the 21st century t eta elyselsm g
gets me that really swell summ
internship that will finally allow me to
get rid of some of my white liberal
guilt."
All the promises every semester
remain the same: Lower tuition, a stu-
dent regent, reduced fees, pot in every
chicken, the sun, the moon, the stars
and a whole bunch of other wonderful
things that look great on cheaply
Xeroxed flyers on the wall of Mason
Hall.
Lower tuition? Student regent?
These would be lofty goals for even
the strongest, most focused organiza-
tion on campus. I don't think the cur-
rent crop of MSA members could have
found a hooker on Bourbon street with
a grocery bag full of $50 bills and a
Ziploc bag of uncut China White.
But the point I'm trying to address is
the disparity between what is on c
paign posters and what is the meat
potatoes of MSA's business. The student
voter registration drive was an excellent
idea and should be commended. The
election information web page and
online voting are great ways to serve the
students better and should also be
encouraged. But it is disheartening to
see more of MSA's time consumed with
spending our money and less time spent
defending us from a political situation
that is built to screw us.
Folks come up to you with wory
requests for money to fund their little
slice of campus and you say "yes or
"no" I could do that. You dole out
money, rather mechanically, and that
sort of thing requires almost no
money, no politics and very little skill.
Any bozo with a Franklin planner
could do that.
Okay, that last one was a cheap shot.
Sorry, Fiona. The $125 for*
Franklin planner is a drop in the buck-
et at a university this large; it's poba-
bly half of what the Assistant Director
of Planning and Strategy for The
Office of Multicultural Community
Resource Education and Awareess
spends on catering.
Which brings me to my next point. Is
MSA totally obsessed With itself? Can
you think of one good reason why
Probir Mehta giving $500 to a cai
organization without going thro
the proper parliamentary rigmarole is
cause for an investigation? Wouldn't
they have gotten the money anyway?
It's not like he gave half a grand to
Pedophiles for Affordable Child Care.
It was just another student organiza-
tion that wanted a little enclave tocall
its own, which is what we all seem to
want, I guess.
When an organization this I
wastes time, money and newspa r
space playing congressmen and stuff-
ing their resumes, they cease being a
student assembly and become the
prom committee. It's like that little
plastic steering wheel you give to tod-
dlers on long car rides. I don't mind
the kid having something to keep him
out of everybody's hair. But wheal he
starts walking around in a Marlboro
racing team jacket and putting S
posters on the side of his crib, w
crossed the line from cute diversion to
dangerous delusion because, yo're
not really driving the car!
Stop strutting around, get the hell
out of the way of the talented men of
conscience you already have and stick
up for us. If you're going to mince
around and play barrister, that's fine.
But you have one or two good lads
who want to run a tight ship. Let thu,
and find some other way to imp s
your parents and get dates.
MSA has an identity crisis that
needs to be resolved immediately.. Are
they going to be the well-funded con-
science of campus? If this is the case,
The candidates speak
Parties tell 'U' what to remember at the polls
Voluntary funding
would legitimize
the assembly
To THE DAILY:
With the elections for the
Michigan Student Assembly upon us,
I believe that itis necessary to com-
ment on a few points of the platform
of the Liberty Party. It is a downright
tragedy that the University treats mar-
ijuana possession and use as a crime.
Smoking marijuana hurts absolutely
no one and thus it is rather amusing,
yet sad, to see the spectacle that the
Department of Public Safety puts on
for us each year during the Hash
Bash. The Liberty Party calls for the
eventual decriminalization of mari-
juana on campus. The process can
start by handling marijuana offenses
in the same manner as the City of
Ann Arbor: A simple $25 ticket.
The Liberty Party is more than a
pro-pot party. Indeed, the keystone of
the party is our plan to change the
funding structure of MSA from one
that is mandatory to one that is vol-
untary. Back in the early '70s, the
student government got its funds
through voluntary sources and it
worked out quite well.
The Liberty Party plan includes a
provision for at least 90 percent of
the collected monies to actually go to
student groups, up from a paltry 50
percent (the current rate). Students
will be able to check off the groups
that will receive their money, too! We
think that this is a great plan, and
others should seriously investigate it.
There is a great deal more to our plat-
form, should you wish more informa-
tion, please feel free to e-mail us at
liberparty@umich.edu.
bell tower to a bookstore on the web.
We have pledged to take $35,000
from MSA's wasteful internal operat-
ing budget and give it to student
groups.
We will negotiate with the
Briarwood and Showcase theaters to
create a student discount. Most of us
have it at home, why not here, too? In
addition, Craig Myles and Jim Riske,
both students in the College of
Engineering, will bring a new focus
to making real improvements in life
on North Campus.
One of our proposals, Ann Arbor
Project Promise, would bring together
student groups, area religious organi-
zations and city and state government
to help the needy. This umbrella orga-
nization could bring new effective-
ness to efforts like the homeless shel-
ter, food and clothing banks, soup
kitchens and so on, while providing
the counseling needed to make this a
hand up, not a hand out.
Finally, we will demand that the
administration provide a full public
accounting of tuition and dorm costs.
We pay $38.30 a lecture here. Why
are there lectures with 300 students
or more? Why are the dorms more
expensive than more spacious off-
campus housing, when the University
does not pay property taxes and is
supposedly non-profit? I ask for your
support in this endeavor and for your
vote, so that we can make it happen.
JIM RISKE
CRAIG MYLES
VICTORS PARTY
Students' Party
wants to make a
'real impact'
trating on five major issues. Although
under our leadership the assembly
will still pursue projects focusing on
campus safety, environmental issues,
academic issues, minority affairs and
campus life, we've chosen to concen-
trate on ensuring assembly responsi-
bility, cutting student costs and solid-
ly representing the student voice.
Cutting Student Costs
Tuition guarantee: We will design
and present a proposal to the regents
that guarantees that tuition increases
will be no higher than the rate of
inflation.
Coursepack store: Many campus
stores overcharge students. To mini-
mize student costs, we will develop a
non-profit student-run coursepack
store to produce non-royalty coursep-
acks at cost and provide work study
jobs to the university community.
Student representation
Regent and community relations:
We will hold dialogues and reach out
to student groups on a weekly basis
in order to understand your concerns.
We will organize more effective
grassroots lobbying of the regents to
get those concerns met.
MICHAEL NAGRANT
OLGA SAViC
STUDENTS' PARTY
Michigan Party
leads 'campus
renaissance'
TO THE DAILY:
The candidacy of Probir Mehta
and Dan Serota for MSA Executive
Officers represents students' opportu-
nity to move forward on real campus
issues.
been cut. Direct loans and other
financial aid have been defended at
all levels of government.
With a diverse slate of student
leaders, Mehta and Serota are poised
to lead the Michigan Student
Assembly into a campus renaissance
- a phase which will protect student
well-being by combining fresh ideas
with past successes. Under this rubric
of "campus renaissance" are issues of
campus safety; tuition cost control;
parking; health and child care; com-
munity outreach; better food on
North Campus and the Union and
academic excellence. The keys to
making real progress on students'
concerns are practical experience and
dedicated leadership. Mehta and
Serota have demonstrated their ability
to lead the student body.
Let's work together to strengthen
campus governance. Elect Probir
Mehta, Dan Serota and the Michigan
Party to the Michigan Student
Assembly.
PROBIR MEHTA
DAN SEROTA
MICHIGAN PARTY
URF supports
MSA action
TO THE DAILY:
There are many issues that are
advocated by our party. Many of the
same issues are also advocated by
other parties, but the difference lies
in the way we are going to push your
causes. Why has MSA, in one gener-
ation, gone from a capital-building
shaker to a quiet little pussy cat? It is
time to say "Let's take a gamble and
let's make a change."
We are prepared to push for
candidates "more of the same s***"
Please vote today and tomorrow
and tell them you still care. If you
want an "industrial revolution" in
MSA vote for the United Rebels
Front. Do you trust your own power?
PAK MAN SHUEN
STUART KREIN
UNITED REBELS FRONT
MSA should build
a student action
movement
TO THE DAILY:
The Voice for Black Freedom and
Student Power slate candidates want
to win seats on MSA so that we can
lead students in building a movement
that can dramatically transform the
University. We want to turn the
University into a place that is free of
racist, sexist and anti-gay discrimina-
tion, where anyone can come to get
an education regardless of how much
money they have. We also think the
University should exist to serve soci-
ety as a whole, instead of primarily
serving big business interests.
Right now, the University is trav-
eling in the opposite direction:
Tuition goes up and up, as do hous-
ing rates, and financial aid is threat-
ened. Our campus is becoming
increasingly elite, white and homoge-
nized and is being closed off to an
ever expanding section of society.
Attacks against black and minority
students, women and gay and lesbian
students are increasing, while the
University administration either sits
on its hands, or more often, plays a
role in the attacks.