The University Democratic Party”s platform focuses not only on student issues but on issues that are politically “left of center,” said vice-presidential candidate Alicia Johnson.
“We brought the leaders of various progressive student groups to work on issues important to students on campus,” Johnson said. “We feel we”re more towards the left than the other Republican parties.”
Reforming the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities is a premier issue on the platform of the U-Dems, which received support from the Michigan Democratic Party to use its name. Presidential candidate Michael Simon has been working closely with the administration on issues surrounding the former Code of Student Conduct as chair of the Michigan Student Assembly”s Student Rights Commission.
“I”ve spent the last year and a half working on this code of conduct,” Simon said. “This has been the landmark issue of my college career.”
The U-Dems said they will place priority on informing students about their rights on campus and increase the accountability of the Department of Public Safety.
U-Dems would like to reform the University committee system to include more student representation.
“We want to make students an equal voice on all University committees,” Simon said.
The U-Dems also place emphasis on how students can be more involved in environmental issues.
“We definitely need some reform on that MSA committee,” Johnson said.
Improving the University”s bus system, supplying more adequate funding for student groups and expanding the hours of the North and Central Campus recreation buildings are all included on the U-Dems platform. They stand in strong support of affirmative action and increasing pregnancy prevention and termination services at University Health Services, Simon said.
If elected, the U-Dems would also try to insert a four-day fall break in the academic schedule.
“You know you need it,” Simon said.
Members of the U-Dems said they are confident students on campus will relate to the issues on their platform.
“I definitely feel that our platform is the most reasonable,” said LSA sophomore Todd Mills. “It should be endorsed by most students since we”re on a liberal campus.”