Jessie Levine, the newly elected president of the Michigan Student Assembly, filed an appeal Friday, March 25, against the Central Student Judiciary’s ruling that the assembly could not fund a student chapter of the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan.

But Matt Hollerbach, an MSA representative, along with more than 26 other MSA representatives, filed an amicus brief in response to Levine’s appeal, which said they felt was not comprehensive in detailing all the issues Students for PIRGIM wanted to highlight in its effort to create a chapter on campus.

The representatives said they did not feel that Levine had been strong enough with the language in his appeal, Hollerbach said.

“There is a majority of people who don’t think that Jesse filed an adequate appeal,” Hollerbach said.

He added that the language of Levine’s appeal — which refers to CSJ’s decision as “questionable” and “concerning” — is too soft.

“Our amicus brief is much more comprehensive,” he said.

Hollerbach added that, although Levine did agree with many issues that were raised, many MSA representatives are still displeased.

Among these reasons is what many MSA members said they feel is CSJ’s power over the assembly. CSJ voted against a student chapter of PIRGIM because it mandated that guidelines must first be in place before such funding can be approved. Now, MSA members say they feel that CSJ is dictating what the guidelines should be.

But CSJ’s allegedly dictatorial behavior was not the only reason Levine said he filed his appeal. He, along with other representatives, said he believed CSJ’s ruling was too strict and that it violated MSA’s compiled code.

However, drafting the appeal and deciding exactly which issues to address was a source of great dispute within MSA. Levine, who was designated to file the appeal as student general counsel, clashed with other members on what the appeal should say.

Levine did not agree with appealing the CSJ ruling, stating that MSA had to create neutral guidelines that it would adhere to when funding student groups.

“He did come around on some of the points and didn’t spend a lot of time on it. It was put together pretty hastily and sloppily,” Hollerbach said. “We didn’t think that Jesse was really considering the whole case and taking into account what could be lost.”

MSA, along with the Students for PIRGIM, and a faction within MSA all filed appeals and amicus briefs.

Students for PIRGIM also filed a statement against CSJ’s ruling that will be submitted at the pre-trial and trial.

“I believe that the CSJ’s ruling was inconsistent and incorrect in terms of the separation of powers. It gave the judiciary too much latitude in the assembly’s affairs,” said Rese Fox, MSA representative and campus outreach coordinator for Students for PIRGIM.

It the pre-trial, Students for PIRGIM will challenge the CSJ ruling that declared PRIGIM as an actionary organization.

“Qualifying PIRGIM as an actionary organization was wrong,” Fox said.

Fox also expressed dissatisfaction with Levine’s speed in filing the appeal.

As the school year slowly drips away, time is running out for a trial date to be set. After an appeal is filed, a pre-trial date must be scheduled within 10 days.

“If it is not handled before the end of the term, it is going to be a big problem. Members of the public want Jesse to get his act together,” Hollerbach said.

Although Levine has encountered significant bumps in his first week as MSA president, he said he is not discouraged.

“This is all part of the job — it’s a good experience,” Levine said. Because the assembly is meant to facilitate debates, he added, occasional disagreements are not unusual.

“Students for PIRGIM has a right to file the appeal as defendants in the case,” he said.

Despite Levine’s optimism, doubtful representatives are still unsure of how the appeals will affect MSA.

Hollerbach expressed concerns regarding Levine’s presidency.

“I have a lot of questions about how he will do and some other concerns. The next couple weeks will be crucial in seeing how those concerns will work out,” he said.