Tomorrow is the deadline for students to file for candidacy for
offices in the Michigan Student Assembly.
So far, the University can expect candidates from the
traditional parties, Defend Affirmative Action Party, Students
First and the University Party.
Last semester, an estimated 8,500 students voted in the MSA
election, granting Students First control of the executive board
and 15 of the 35 seats available to new representatives.
Jason Mironov, prospective Students First candidate for MSA,
praised the accomplishments of the new representatives.
“Since the new representatives have been in office, they
have brought important improvements to student life such as a
sponsoring a free late-night taxi service, proposing renovations to
the Trotter House, helping bring a Ben Folds concert to campus and
ensuring students have low-effective transportation for spring
break through AirBus,” said Mironov, a Business School
junior.
“We are confident that our new reps will not only bring
fresh ideas to the Assembly, but also ensure existing projects are
brought to fruition.”
The two other parties are not as optimistic about the current
state of MSA.
Business School senior Timothy Moore and the University
Party’s likely presidential candidate, said he feels that
presently MSA does not have any concrete goals.
MSA should be much more of a student union and more accountable
to the students, said potential MSA presidential candidate Kate
Stenvig from DAAP.
Other candidates from last semester’s election remain
hopeful about the upcoming election.
Prospective MSA vice president candidate Anita Leung from the
University Party said it was optimistic about this semester’s
election, despite a current minority of seats for their party and
last year’s loss in the presidential election.
“I hope this election will be fair,” Leung said.
“Both parties (Students First and University Party) need
campaign reform, in regards to spamming and cooperation with the
Residence Hall Association.”
The University Party will try to do things by the book by
networking and trying to talk to as many students as possible about
the party, Moore said.
Some students found last semester’s campaigning techniques
to be beneficial.
“I have no particular party preference. But just based on
the people who come to our rooms, it seems that Students First is a
better party,” LSA sophomore Priyanka Shah said.
Whereas last year DAAP’s platforms were propelled by
support for the University’s admissions cases in the U.S.
Supreme Court, its main focus this semester is combating the
Michigan Civil Rights Initiative to ban racial preferences in
government programs.
DAAP also wants to reach out to students by providing factual
information about issues it supports.
“We want to put out a lot of facts about affirmative
action to remind people what is at stake,” said Stenvig.
Students First’s possible vice president candidate
Jennifer Nathan, an LSA junior, said her party is also eager for
the upcoming election.
“We are excited about the upcoming election, because we
are planning to run a slate of candidates consistent with our
founding principle that every Michigan student has the right to
have active representation on student government,” Nathan
said.
“Fresh thoughts and new faces will continue to give us the
energy and ideas, propelling MSA to the next level.”
MSA candidates will be announced and begin campaigning after
spring break.