12 -The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition MSA is voice for campus groups and student body By Toenslav Lalika Daily Staff Reporter Students interested in gaining a voice on campus affairs or those eager to try out something new, have the chance to take on a greater role through the Michigan Student Assembly. MSA is the main student governing body on campus. Every college and school, including the Rackham Graduate School and Law School, is rep- resented proportionally in MSA with at least one representative. The assembly is led this year by LSA senior President Sarah Boot and Vice Presi- dent Dana Glassel, an LSA junior. MSA meetings are open to the public and con- vene every Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. on the third floor of the Michigan Union. The central issues of most meetings are resolutions usually calling for either MSA funding to certain student projects or demanding that the Assembly take an ideological stance on an issue. Committees also report their weekly progress, and budget issues or proposed changes to various MSA procedural rules are often discussed at every meeting. MSA serves two main purposes. It creates tangi- ble results through its large bureaucratic system of committees and commissions, which consist of both representatives and regular students who work on various campus projects during the week. These committees sponsor forums and programs on FOOD FRIGHT T s to surviving the dinig experience LSA senior Sarah Boot was sworn in as the new MSA president April 2, 2002. issues, including campus safety, sexual assault awareness and diversity. One committee and one commission also have power to appropriate MSA funds to various student groups. Groups can apply to MSA for money and each year the assembly hands out over $200,000 to various campus groups. MSA also has the power to lobby the Universi- ty's administration to make major changes on cam- pus. Last year, many MSA representatives focused on several projects, and by the end of the year, the assembly had created a fall study break, extended recreational building hours and expanded the avail- ability of Entrie Plus to Michigan Stadium. MSA's second role is to act as the voice of the student body. Through resolutions, the assembly takes ideological or political stances on issues important to students, ranging from race as a factor in admissions to President Bush's war against ter- rorism to racial slurs written on campus sidewalks. These resolutions ask the assembly to either sup- port or condemn these ideas and events. By KanDelowr For the Daily It is the moment all freshmen have come to dread: Finally experiencing residence hall cafe- teria food. Having only experienced high school entrees, most first-years enter college expecting more of the same monotonous mystery meat lurking behind steamy glass windows, unfriend- ly lunch ladies with hair nets and less selection than the nearest vending machine. But think again - college cafeteria food embodies a whole new world of institutionalized cuisine. LSA junior Amy Jaick said she believes that with a few simple tips, students can survive the experience without too much trauma."If it's not recognizable, then you've probably never heard of it," she said. "Just stick with what you know" LSA senior Nicole Bushhouse also said she would warn incoming students about exotic foods found in the cafeteria. She said these were by far the worst choices for wary cafe patrons. "Your best bet would be to stick with the pasta," she said. "You can't really mess that up." Other traditional items are also on standby. Engineering sophomore Johann Dudley said he usually finds something he likes. "Hamburgers can't be screwed up," he added. Jaick said she believed that Bursley Resi- dence Hall offers the best food. "Bursley has a wider selection and better food than the other (residence halls)," she said, adding that she had "eaten at all of them." However, she said she usually ate "a salad and dessert" and added that the residence hall only offered better food "so everyone wouldn't revolt," due to the inconvenient location of North Campus. Dudley said he also believes the "food was better" at Bursley, but said it was.a different component that kept him coming back for more - "Sexy Grandpa". "Sexy Grandpa" is a well-known Bursley server. Popular among students, he earned his 4 nickname because of a hat he wears bearing the words "sexy grandpa." Jaick named Grandpa the "highlight of Bursley life." No matter where it's served, all food, from yogurt to chicken nuggets, has nutritional infor- mation posted nearby. The dining halls also offer daily fresh salad, sandwich ingredients, soup, pasta and a vegetarian selection. "There is something for everyone," Jaick said. Others, including Engineering junior Andrew Baher, said specialties are the holiday-themed meals, like the Thanksgiving and holiday din- ners. "Thanksgiving was great," he said. "They 4 had everything I could want ... I had at least three helpings!" For those in need of more familiarity and vari- ety, the Entree Office offers several plans allow- ing students to use Entree Plus at Wendy's, Subway, Villa Pizza, Magic Wok, Cava Java and Mrs. Fields in the Michigan Union and Wendy's and Tim Hortons in the Michigan League Underground, as well as the underground restau- rants found inside several of the residence halls, including East and South quads and Pierpont Commons. Bushhouse, who opted not to put Entree Plus dollars on her M-Card, said she regrets her deci- sion. "I wish I had Entree Plus," Bushhouse said. "It's a great deal, but would be even better if more places accepted it." 4 4 4 a