Ron Weiser,
namesake of Weiser
Hall, launches 2016
candidacy
By CAMY METWALLY
Daily Staff Reporter
Former
U.S.
Ambassador
to
Slovakia,
Ron
Weiser
announced his decision to run
for
University
of
Michigan
Regent
in
a
press
release
Monday.
Weiser,
a
Republican,
highlighted issues of tuition
as his main concern. In an
interview with The Michigan
Daily,
he
emphasized
that
his
business
background
would provide him with an
advantage in fulfilling the goal
of reduced tuition rates. Weiser
founded McKinley Associates
Inc., a prominent real estate
investment firm, in 1968. He
served as chair and CEO until
2001.
“I think this is a great
university,” Weiser said. “It’s
well run, but there’s always
room for improvement, and
having a business perspective is
an added perspective that they
don’t have right now.”
Currently
one
businesswoman, Denise Illitch
(D), serves on the Board of
Regents — she is president of
Ilitch Enterprises, owner of
Denise Ilitch Designs, owner
and publisher of Ambasador
Magazine.
Both regents whose terms are
expiring at the end of this year,
Ilitch and Laurence Deitch (D)
have not yet announced if they
will run for re-election on the
Board.
In
addition
to
focusing
on tuition costs, Wesier said
he
opposes
policies
that
provide
in-state
tuition
to
undocumented
students.
Currently,
the
University
provides
in-state
tuition
to
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Thursday, February 11, 2016
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WEATHER
TOMORROW
HI: 24
LO: 4
Governor calls for 4.3
percent funding bump
for universities
By EMMA KINERY
Daily News Editor
After an initial 15 percent slash
to higher education funding when
he first entered office in 2011, Gov.
Rick Snyder (R) announced he
intends to return funding levels
to pre-2011 levels in his 2017 -
2018
budget
recommendation
Wednesday.
Snyder’s
budget
recommendation
included
an
allocation of $61.2 million to
go
towards
higher
education
institutions, which equates to a
4.3 percent increase in funding.
The increase is over double the 2
percent allocated last year.
In his budget recommendation,
Snyder said he aimed for a
minimum of 60 percent of state
residents to have a degree or
credential by 2025. The 60 percent
figure is one of several goals in a
December report on Michigan’s
workforce and higher education,
released by a working group of
state legislators, nonprofits and
colleges.
Dave Murray, Snyder’s press
secretary,
said
the
increase
in higher education funds is
important for both students and
the state economy.
“Governor Snyder recognizes
that Michigan’s institution of
higher education play a vital role
in our state’s comeback,” Murray
said. “Every family wants their
children to be able to graduate and
get a job right here and not have to
leave Michigan to find those great
jobs. By increasing our investment,
we’re helping students get the
skills they need and also to help our
industry create more, better jobs
that they know there will be people
graduating with those skills. That’s
good for Michigan now, and long
into the future.”
The University’s Ann Arbor
campus will receive a 4.2 percent
increase in funding equating to
$299,975,000 for operational costs
and an additional $12,718,500 for
performance funding — the largest
sum allocated by the state to a
university — contingent on meeting
cap on tuition increase levied by
the state. The University’s Flint and
See BUDGET, Page 3A
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Ron Weiser, former U.S. Ambassador, in his office during an interview about his ultimately unsuccessful bid for University of Michigan Regent two years ago on
October 9, 2014.
See WEISER, Page 3A
Party platform goals
include appointing a
student to Board of
Regents
By JACKIE CHARNIGA
Daily News Editor
As elections for Central Student
Government draw closer, new
parties are emerging to take on the
prevailing Make Michigan ticket.
newMICH, a platform aimed
at increasing transparency and
student voice on the assembly,
is among the first to announce
theircandidacy, along with Your
Michigan. Leading the party’s
executive ticket are LSA juniors
David Schafer and Micah Griggs,
both current CSG representatives,
running for president and vice
president
respectively.
LSA
sophomore
Anushka
Sarkar,
who
is
currently
on
CSG’s
executive committee as the chief
programming officer, will serve as
newMICH’s campaign manager.
Sarkar said the newMICH
platform surfaced through the
reorganization
and
rebranding
of both the The Team and Make
Michigan, the top two rival
platforms fromlast year’s election.
For the past two years, CSG’s
executive positions have been held
by the Make Michigan platform.
University of Michigan alum Bobby
DAVID SONG/Daily
newMICH members in front of the posting wall in Mason Hall on Wednesday.
Thomas Hislop and
Cam Dotson to run
for CSG president
and vice president
By ANNA HARITOS
Daily Staff Reporter
As
the
March
Central
Student
Government
elections
approach,
parties
are beginning to form for the
upcoming election.
Your Michigan, one of two
new parties to announce thus
far along with New Mich,
announced its candidacy for
the upcoming Central Student
Government elections Tuesday
night. For the past two years,
executive positions have been
held by the Make Michigan
party, which featured safety
initiatives
and
pushes
to
increase
diversity
and
inclusivity on campus in their
past campaigns.
On
Your
Michigan’s
executive ticket is Ford junior
Thomas Hislop, running for
CSG President along with LSA
junior Cam Dotson for Vice
President.
Hislop
and
Dotson
said
their candidacy is centered on
their desire to make CSG more
approachable and transparent
for students.
GRANT HARDY/Daily
Ford junior Thomas Hislop and LSA junior Cam Dotson, who are running for CSG president and vice president on Your
Michigan’s ticket, at Java Blue cafe in East Quad on Wednesday.
See YOUR MICHIGAN, Page 3A
See NEWMICH, Page 3A
Exploring the ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day
in Tree Town
» INSIDE
Modern love in Ann Arbor
Your Michigan highlights
transparency in party bid
GOVERNMENT
Snyder asks
for increase
in higher ed
for FY2017
Former U.S. ambassador
announces run for regent
newMICH campaigns for
diversity of voices in CSG