With student government elections coming up this month, the LSA
Student Government is working to prove that it is not all talk and
no action.
Two issues at the forefront of LSA-SG’s efforts this year
have been potential changes in the foreign language requirement and
the addition of new minors.
Rather than attempting to have the foreign language requirement
lessened or eliminated, LSA-SG is looking to make it a more
personalized, exploratory process for students.
“As student government we advocated one year of a major
language and one year of a language that is less frequently
taken,” said LSA senior Jesse Knight, LSA-SG Academic
Relations officer. “This would allow students to try out
different languages.”
“We are trying to encourage the romance language
departments to encourage tutoring. …We’re hoping that
having more tutoring available will alleviate a lot of the
complaints that students have.”
While LSA-SG itself does not have the power to create new
minors, its representatives can inform administrators of student
wishes and offer suggestions for implementation of new
programs.
Representatives are advocating the addition of both English and
International Affairs minors.
The problem facing representatives is that many administrators
feel that adding minors to already large areas of study, like
English, would do more harm than good because it would add more
students to already-packed concentrations.
“It would hinder departments that are already overflowing
with students,” Knight said, but added, “Minors are
very advantageous in smaller departments.”
Aside from such administrative aims, a main goal of LSA-SG this
year was to get its name in circulation and let students know who
they are.
“We’ve been oriented toward getting our name out
there because we’ve been receiving the impression that
students don’t know what we’re there for,” said
freshman Kyle Killebrew, LSA-SG public activities chair.
The group has employed such publicity methods as flyers and Diag
boards. Representatives will also be setting up tables outside of
residence hall cafeterias in order to inform students of their
undertakings and to encourage participation.
Already this year, LSA-SG has begun working to make changes and
additions to LSA programs, discussed new credit brackets allowing
students with the most credits to be the first to register for
classes, allocated $20,000 to various student groups and begun
planning next fall’s Homecoming week activities.
Nine positions within LSA-SG, including executive positions, are
up for election this month. Candidates will be announced tomorrow,
with several parties expected to deliver candidates.
Members of the Defend Affirmative Action Party, Students First
and University Party are anticipated to be in the running.
In addition to elections, this month LSA-SG will be hosting an
Ethnic Studies Fair in Haven Hall, a Concentration Fair at the
Michigan Union and a booth at the K-Grams Kids’ Fair. Also,
several representatives will be dancing for charity at the 2004
Dance Marathon.
Future events that LSA-SG has in the works include a dialogue
with University President Mary Sue Coleman and other administrative
figures, a women’s defense forum led by members of the
Detroit Police Department and a concert featuring the musician Ben
Folds co-sponsored with Big Ticket Productions and the Michigan
Student Assembly.