6 - The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition 2003 STUDENT GROUPS THE MICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY MSA is most prominent voice for student body on campus By Tomislav Ladika either MSA funding to certain student projects or September03, 2002 demanding that the Assembly take an ideological stance on an issue. Committees also report their Supporters, protesters of war clash during rally 4 Students interested in gaining a voice on cam- pus affairs orithose 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 represented proportionally in MSA with at least one representative. The assembly is led this year by LSA senior President Sarah Boot and Vice President 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 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 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. Student apathy, mudslinging contribute to low voter turnout in student elections By Andrew Kaplan March 20, 2003 Although voter turnout for the Michi- gan Student Assembly fell last year - nearly 1,000 fewer students voted in the 2002 fall elections than in the 2001 fall elections - the rate of undergraduate turnout has stayed steady at about 20 percent since 1998. Some students said candidates' inabilities to acquaint themselves with their constituents has led to a sense of apathy toward student government. "Especially because the campus is so large, it's hard to encompass all students and all their views," LSA junior Uzoma Anyanetu said. Reflecting on a relatively low voter turnout in student government elec- tions at the University, several stu- dents said MSA representatives do not serve students' interests. "Students think MSA is a waste of time," Rackham student Eric Miller said. "I don't think MSA does anything useful" "Students feel (student government) is just self-serving, resume-stuffing positions," Anyanetu said, adding that she approves of MSA resolutions advo- cating campus improvements. "If (reso- lutions) are in the University, it's fine, but with Iraq it's a waste of time." "Bush doesn't care what we think," she said, citing an MSA resolution dis- couraging war with Iraq. But students said when MSA can fulfill their purpose as campus lead- ers by passing resolutions that seek to improve University life. "One thing that sticks out is the transportation service to the airport," Rackham student Mohammad Khalil said, referring to the MSA airBus that offers rides to Detroit Metro Airport during Spring Break. Khalil - who is coordinator of the Muslim Graduate Students Associa- tion - added that MSA was quick to fund his student group. "It's the little things like that - it just makes the process more convenient," he said. "They've always been quicker than they tell me (at providing funds)." In addition, the assembly's trou- bles are not unique among student governments of other Big Ten uni- versities. "In terms of voter turnout, 17.5 percent of undergrads voted last year," said Allison Young, Undergraduate Student Government chief of staff at Pennsylvania State University. "I would say feelings are mixed about the role of the USG." By Emily Kraack and Ryan Vicko March21, 2003 More than 2,000 people took to the streets of Ann Arbor yesterday to voice concern and support for the war in Iraq. The rallies began in the Diag and grew as they moved to the Ann Arbor Federal Building on the corner of Fifth and Liberty streets. Students on the Diag divided themselvesinto two distinct groups4 - those who were opposed to war gathered near the steps of the Har- lan Hatcher Graduate Library, while those who supported using military force in Iraq gathered toward the back of the Diag. A dozen student groups sponsored the rally in opposition to the war. The rally included speakers from the Black Stu- dent Union, Muslim Students Associa- tion and the Michigan Student Assembly as well asa drumming rally. "We're just protesting the war," LSA junior Lena Masri, a rally organizer and member of the Mus- lim Students Association, Anti-War Action! and Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, said. Wt three branches in Ann Arbor to serve you e 2800 South State Street 1734) 665-2400 Ne 530 East Liberty Street ( 1734) 761-4539 2609 Plymouth Rad #7 * 1734) 994-0050 Yeah, we've got that. Voted Ann Arbor's best copy location by Michigan Daily come in and see why! 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