10 -- i he Michigan Daily - Friday,March 16, 2001
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Between the two of them, Blue
Party candidates Matt Nolan and
Jessica Cash have experience on
all 18 committees and commis-
sions on MSA.
"The role of the executive is not
to promote one's own agenda,"
Nolan said. "They have to know
how all areas of the assembly
work."
Nolan and Cash said they have
developed an intricate knowledge
of MSA through their involvement.
during the past two years.
9 "Matt is by far the most quali-
fied candidate, and no one can do
it alone," Cash said. "We've
proved to be a really good team."
Nolan and Cash said their expe-
rience working with an effective
executive in former president
Brain Elias two years ago and a
poor one this year in Hideki Tsut-
sumi will aid them in being suc-
cessful leaders of MSA.
"To be a successful executive
there are three necessary compo-
nents -- experience on the assem-
bly, knowledge of MSA and
experience in dealing with the
Matt Nolan Jessica Cash
administration," Cash said. "We
can provide all of that."
As executives, Nolan and Cash
first plan to get rid of the turmoil
surrounding MSA.
"The assembly is like a puzzle,"
Cash said. "It has good pieces,
they're just not put together well
right now."
Nolan, who said he has been
engrossed in student government
since the day he set foot on campus,
is confident that educated voters will
pick the Blue Party next week.
"There are two types of voters
on this campus - those who are
voting Blue, and those who haven't
met us yet," Nolan said.
Presidential candidate Erika
Dowdell and vice-presidential
candidate Jessica Curtin have
been working together to defend
affirmative action at the Universi-
ty for three years.
"We're not running for the exec-
utive slate to build our resume,"
Curtin said.
"We would never be doing this
if we weren't trying to build a
movement and change things for
minority and progressive white
students everywhere," Curtin said.
Dowdell and Curtin said their
past actions and accomplishments
regarding student rights and affir-
mative action have proven them to
be successful leaders in MSA.
"We're the only people who
fought to get a trial to happen, and
it happened," Curtin said, referring
to the lawsuits challenging the use
of race in admissions at the Uni-
versity. "We have a possibility of
changing everything now. People's
eyes have been opened up."
Curtin and Dowdell have
numerous years of experience on
MSA. Curtin, a Rackham graduate
Erika uowdell
Jessica Curun
student, has run in more than
seven elections.
Dowdell said they consider
themselves different from other
candidates because they have a
single campaign into which they
can put all of their efforts.
"We actually believe in our pro-
gram, which is more than any of
the other candidates can say,"
Curtin said.
If they win, Dowdell and Curtin
said they will continue to defend
student's rights by any means nec-
essary.
"We are always fighting,"
Dowdell said. "We will fight for
every single student."
Friends Rebelling Against
Tyranny Party presidential candi-
date Galaxor Nebulon, also known
as LSA senior Ryan Hughes, is
running on issues he feels will
"really resonate with students."
"I want to be sure everyone is
having a good time," Nebulon said.
"I saw some people on campus
not having a good time and I want
to change that. The FRAT Party is
all about having fun," he added.
Nebulon said he wants to be
president because FRAT Party con-
cerns from last year still have not
been addressed in MSA.
"There is still no Coke coming
out of the drinking fountains,
'OSU SUCKS' is still not written
on the moon, and I still don't have
a date," he said.
As president, Nebulon said he
promises to attend MSA meetings,
talk to other members of MSA and
continue to play video games.
"Although I would probably play
less video games on Tuesday nights
when I have to go to MSA meet-
ings," Nebulon said.
"I am running for MSA basically
Gaaxor rebulon
sara Sweat,
because I possess an intense dislike
of MSA," said vice-presidential
candidate Sara Sweat. "I feel that it
has done very little since I got here
and that the members take them-
selves way too seriously."
Sweat also supports Nebulon's
platform stance of looking for dates.
"I myself will be taking applications
at Good Time Charley's every
Thursday night from around 11 until
close," Sweat said.
When questioned about the alias
under which he is running, Hughes
said, "It's more fun than Ryan
Hughes. Besides, wouldn't it be
cool to be ruled by Galaxor Nebu-
lon?"
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Doug Tietz and Chip Englander
have included a campaign promise
in their platform like no other ---
if they do not make progress on
the 10 issues specified on their
platform in one semester, they
will resign.
"if I fail, we can have a public
humiliation ceremony on the Diag
where I'll flog myself or some-
thing," said Tietz. "We're going to
put our money where our mouth is."
Taking a cue from Franklin D.
Roosevelt and calling their cam-
paign "The New Deal," Tietz and
Englander said they are adamant
about changing MSA so it has a
more direct effect on students lives.
"Meetings frustrate me immense-
ly," Tietz said. "MSA wastes time
on issues not relevant to students,
such as foreign affairs."
Tietz said he had no doubts
about running with Englander,
who has a history with MSA elec-
tions. Last winter Englander
caused the majority of the Wolver-
ine Party to be disqualified from
the election by being present in
students' residence hall rooms
Doug Tietz Chip Englander
while they were voting online.
"I was ignorant about the rules,"
Englander said. "It was not my
fault. I was trying to help."
"Chip is a hard-working son of
a gun," Tietz said. "I wanted to
work with him because he really
cares about student issues."
Englander, who said he was
recruited by other parties, chose to
run with Tietz because he was the
candidate most committed to
reforming MSA.
Together they plan to change
the way the assembly works in one
semester.
"MSA is broken," Tietz said,
"and we're going to fix it."
Both University Democratic Party
presidential candidate Michael Simon
and vice-presidential candidate Alicia
Johnson have previously been
involved in MSA elections, but they
recently started the University Demo-
cratic Party so there would be no con-
fusion as to their political stance.
"I began to be uncomfortable with
running with people of a more con-
servative nature," Johnson said.
Simon added that he feared for the
future of the assembly if it were to
fall into the hands of the "conserva-
tive idealogues" that are running
against them.
Both have leadership experience
on the assembly and outside of MSA.
Johnson was the chairwoman of Stu-
dents for. Gore in the fall, and Simon
is the Hillel community relations
chair.
"We're not just MSA junkies,"
Simon said. "Both of us have proven
leadership records around campus."
Simon and Johnson plan to focus
assembly attention on reforming the
Code of Student Conduct, now
called the Statement of Student
Rights and Responsibilities. Simon
E . .
Alicia Johnson
is the chair of the Student Rights
Commission and has worked closely
with the administration on issues
surrounding the code.
"Strength and experience are need-
ed on this issue;' Simon said. "We
can provide that."
The U-Dems leaders also plan to
encourage student political participa-
tion and actively seek new ways to
empower the student body..
"Our message and intentions are
clear," Simon said.
"You may not always agree with
us, but you will always know where
we stand. We will not compromise
our ideals and we will fight for stu-
dents each and every day."
MSA President Hideki Tsutsumi
said he is running for re-election
with LSA senior Joanna Hooten
because he would like to continue
the work that he has already begun
on his two main platform issues of
improved campus busing and text-
books online.
"I will be better at running the
meetings," Tsutsumi said.
Tsutsumi said his assembly expe-
rience sets him apart from the other
presidential candidates.
"None of them can say that they
served as president for a year," he
said.
Tsutsumi also has more experi-
ence with respect to his age. He is
still working on his undergraduate
degree at age 27, and becoming
MSA president will allow him to
remain at the University for another
year.
"He's had to conquer a lot in
terms of life experience," Hooten
said. "That's definitely a bonus."
Tsutsumi chose Hooten not only
because she has aided him on his
past platform but also because of
her experience working with the
Hideki Tsutsumi
Michigan state government.
"I don't think that simply going to
MSA meetings directly affects the
student body," Hooten said. "And
since I know how to work with
Hideki, it will be a smooth transfer"
Tsutsumi said he hopes voters will
see his work with textbooks and the
University Bus System as proof of
his words from last year's campaign.
"I have a record of actually keep-
ing my promises," Tsutsumi said.
Tsutsumi said he is confident
that students support him because
of the large margin by which he
won last year's election.
"I am the people's president," he
said.
0'
HidSecreto complete turbulent term
By Carrie Thorson
Daily Staff Reporter
For the past year, the Michigan Student Assembly has been in what
some call a state of turmoil under the executive leadership of President
Hideki Tsutsumi and Vice President Jim Secreto.
"H ideki had good intentions when he was running, but he did a
lackluster job," said Student General Counsel Alok Agrawal.'
When Tsutsumi's yearlong campaign got him elected last fall with-
out any prior student government experience, many were skeptical.
When he spent $1,500 of Michigan Student Assembly money on adver-
tising without the assembly's approval, many tried to get him removed
from office. But executive board members said the work and support of
Secreto kept the assembly running and Hideki
in office.S-
"Jim had to work with a president who not sure
wasn't doing his job," Agrawal said. "He did a pa ant tt
wonderful job carrying his own vice-presiden- candidates
tial duties along with Hideki's duties." Attend the
Tsutsumi began the year with difficulty vice-preside
not only because of his lack of experience
but because English is not his first lan-
wl
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Hage. Along with Agrawal, Hage worked closely with Secreto and W
Tsutsumi throughout the year.
"Hideki has done a wonderful job on his platform," Hage added.
"My grievance is not on the work he's done, it's what he has not done."
Some representatives said there was noticeable tension between
the two executive officers throughout the year. Even though some say
Secreto did twice the workload he should have, Tsutsumi felt he was
not following through with his end of their platform, Hage said. Still,
they kept a positive frame of mind and somehow kept the assembly
together.
"They both care. They're passionate about what they do and sin-
cerely have the best interest of students at heart" Hage said.
At the beginning of the year, frustrated representatives approached 0
Agrawal in search of a way to remove Tsutsu-
'i1o to vote for? mi from office. Agrawal credits Secreto's
work as being the reason students did not
ask tne resign from MSA.
questions? "Jim said to give him a chance. He was a
residential! very staunch defender of Hideki," Agrawal
tial debate.said. "Even today he is still pretty supportive.
de Students elected Hideki to be president, so he
should be president."
day, 4:00 p.m. Still, when Secreto found out that Tsutsu- +
kngell Hall mi was running for re-election he resigned
Aud. D from his position on the Election Board
* .because of his strong believe that Tsutsumi
elevised on should not serve another term in office.
V-TV at 6 p.m. "He is 27 years old," Secreto said.
Despite vocal oppositions from colleagues
and friends, Tsutsumi maintains that he has.
guage.
"It's been hard to work with Hideki because
he doesn't speak English well," said Secreto.
"Language was a definite impediment for him.
To be a good president you must be able tor
communicate your feelings and ideas to the mw,
assembly, and he couldn't do that."
Throughout the year Tsutsumi placed high
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