Posts filed under 'Student government'
MSA Musings — The presidential resignation meeting, 12-4-07
By Dave Mekelburg, written on Dec. 5, 2007
Zack Yost resigned the Michigan Student Assembly presidency at last night’s meeting.
The meeting was held in Hussey Room of the Michigan League instead of MSA chambers. For those of you confused by the switch, it was not an attempt to hide the meeting, but in fact, it was done to accomodate the large expected audience. And the audience was certainly large.
About 90 people sat in chairs, lined the walls and crowded the back door to get a glimpse of Yost. This is a far cry from the average three to five onlookers at meetings.
A sign-up sheet was passed around for anyone who wanted to speak during the community concerns portion at the start of the meeting, and about seven people put their names on the list.
Yost, normally a significant presence before meetings, was noticeably absent from the full room. He walked in about 12 minutes after the meeting’s 8 p.m. planned start time. He came in wearing a large overcoat and his entrance silenced the agitated crowd.
He approached his chair, threw off his coat and aggressively banged his gavel despite an already silent audience. He appeared upset and his voice wavered before he loudly and hurriedly called the meeting to order.
After a few minor changes to the agenda, Yost asked to address the assembly. He stood up and walked to a podium that was set up in a front corner of the room. He then delivered the speech. For a video of the speech click here.
Despite appearing upset when he entered the room, Yost spoke firmly and loudly during the speech. At times, he was nearly yelling, especially when he spoke about how much he loves the University.
Several MSA representatives teared up while Yost was speaking, and a few were sobbing hard.
When Yost finished speaking, he hugged Mohammad Dar, the vice president who is now assuming the presidency, and told him, “You go get ‘em, you understand me?” He then whispered a few more words in Dar’s ear and walked out the door.
As Yost walked out, Dar was being sworn in, and a significant portion of the audience began slowly making their way out of the room.
After Dar was sworn in, a brief recess was called, despite the pleas from MSA Rep. Liana Mulholland, who — rightly — said that the audience would leave with a recess. Roughly half of the representatives left the room during the recess to hug Yost, who was waiting outside.
For about 20 minutes, Yost chatted with well-wishers and friends before leaving with his parents through the side staircase.
The 90-person audience fell to 11 — plus two reporters from The Michigan Daily — once the assembly reconvened.
The people who had signed up to address the assembly regarding Yost apparently left, as well. There were no community concerns speakers addressing Yost’s situation.
MSA Musings — A frosty meeting, 11-27-07
By Dave Mekelburg, written on Nov. 28, 2007
As the temperature plummeted outside last night, the atmosphere in the Michigan Student Assembly chambers was getting equally chilly. For those of you that haven’t yet checked out the story, you should probably take a look now.
Last night’s MSA meeting started off relatively smoothly, and the pre-meeting calm was unusual given elections start tonight at midnight. After a brief update from election director and LSA senior Ryan Bouchard, the community concerns portion of the meeting, where constituents and representatives can address the assembly, began.
It was here that MSA Rep. Kenneth Baker dropped his bomb on the assembly. After Baker read his prepared statement regarding the Facebook.com group that insulted MSA Rep. Tim Hull, lines were drawn in the sand.
Some representatives, including MSA reps. Stella Binkevich and Randal Seriguchi, spoke out against Baker for making the information public. Others, like MSA Rep. Liana Mulholland, defended Baker’s decision to speak during the meeting. Most of the discussion focused on whether Baker should be using time at the Tuesday night meetings for issues like this. After Seriguchi echoed Binkevich’s concerns, a few representatives snapped in approval.
The debate over the issue ended after LSA junior Maricruz Lopez, the Defend Affirmative Action Party, related the Facebook group to the KKK, saying the discrimination against the disabled with the group was akin to that of the hate group. She also said that an apology wouldn’t change the fact that the group was created, just as an apology couldn’t change the American annexation of Hawaii.
MSA Musings — No Passing Judgment Meeting, 11-13-07
By Dave Mekelburg, written on Nov. 14, 2007
The agenda for last night’s Michigan Student Assembly meeting was unusually light, with no resolutions to vote on and a short list of community concerns. But that doesn’t mean things didn’t get heavy.
During the community concerns portion of the meeting, MSA Rep. Kenny Baker made an impassioned speech detailing the faults of the current assembly. He defended MSA Rep. Tim Hull, who has come under fire for his letter to the editor in Monday’s Daily, in which he accuses MSA of having an exclusive, elitist culture.
Baker then said the legal troubles of MSA Rep. Anton Vuljaj were becoming a distraction for the assembly, and that if Vuljaj is found guilty, he must resign.
Baker finished his speech by saying the assembly had lost touch with the student body, as evidenced by the mere 10 percent of the student population that have turned out for the last two elections. Baker also said the assembly had become unable to affect real change with the University administration, using the assembly’s inability to slow down rising tuition rates while the administration undertook expensive building projects as an example of their lack of sway.
MSA Musings — Beat the Buckeyes… or else Meeting, 11-6-07
By Dave Mekelburg, written on Nov. 7, 2007
Correction appended: Advice Online is a website designed to allow students to have access to class evaluations.
For most University students, supporting the football team against Ohio State is a natural part of campus life. Why then, did it take a narrow 21-13 vote to pass a resolution supporting a week of pep rally events in preparation for the game at last night’s Michigan Student Assembly meeting?
The answer is twofold: the Athletic Department and MSA’s Budget Priorities Committee. MSA Rep. Kenny Baker was the first to bring up concerns that the Athletic Department wasn’t providing any funding for the event, and MSA was being asked to carry a heavy financial burden. Several reps echoed his sentiments.
MSA Rep. Max Nowak, who sponsored the anti-Big Ten Network resolution last week, said this provided an opportunity for MSA to stand up against what he said was the Athletic Department continually stepping on students’ toes.
The other opposition to the proposal centered on the fact that the student group that was sponsoring the event, the Student Athlete Advisory Council, hadn’t used the proper methods to obtain funding. The council is a registered MSA student group, which means that it should go through BPC to acquire funding, which it did not.
BPC, which has recently been in the news, reviews all allocation of funding for student groups.
Because of the time-dependent nature of the event, resolution sponsor and MSA Rep. Michael Moses said they needed the money immediately and a proposal was the easiest way to ensure that fact.
In the end, the anti-Buckeye school spirit won out, and a slew of events will occur next week.
As Moses said of the resolution before the debate, “A vote for this is a vote for the University of Michigan.”
MSA to fund pep rally
By Scott Mills, written on Nov. 7, 2007
At its meeting tonight, Michigan Student Assembly passed a resolution to fund festivities next week hyping the football game against Ohio State University. The events are being planned by the Student Athletic Advisory Council with help from the Athletic Department.
SAAC is planning a pep rally Friday on the Diag, which will be emceed by Jim Brandstatter, Michigan football’s radio announcer. The program also includes captains from the football team and performances by student dance teams and the University’s marching band. A pizza eating contest will follow the rally.
SAAC asked MSA for $2011.50 to fund the event in a resolution proposed by LSA representative Michael Moses. The resolution passed with a vote of 21 to 13.
MSA Musings — Halloween Meeting, 10-30-07
By Dave Mekelburg, written on Oct. 31, 2007
It was a Halloween-themed Michigan Student Assembly meeting last night, and several members of the assembly dressed accordingly. During the meeting, a secret-ballot election took place to decide which member had the best costume.
MSA reps. Anton Vuljaj, Gibran Baydoun, Sabrina Shingwani, Nate Fink and Arvind Sohoni dressed as the Flintstones and won the coveted best costume award. According to MSA President Zack Yost, the prize would be Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
MSA rep. accused of crimes to step down from BPC chair
By Dave Mekelburg, written on Oct. 29, 2007
Michigan Student Assembly Rep. Anton Vuljaj will be stepping aside from his role as Budget Priorities Committee chair, according to a Viewpoint submitted to the Daily early this morning by MSA President Zack Yost.
Vuljaj and Engineering senior Joel Alan Schweitzer have been charged with use of a computer to commit a crime — a felony with pnealties of up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine — and interference with an electronic communication device, a high court misdemeanor with penalties of up to two years in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The charges stem from an attack on an MSA party’s website during the March 2006 election.
Vuljaj will not be stepping down from his position as a representative on MSA.
He will be stepping down from the BPC position to take time to deal with the police and other personal matters, according to Yost’s Viewpoint.
MSA funding requested for North Campus mini-golf
By Scott Mills, written on Oct. 24, 2007
The North Campus Affairs Commission of the Michigan Student Assembly has requested funding from MSA for the construction of its second miniature golf hole on North Campus.
The first hole – completed, but not yet installed in Pierpont Commons – was funded by the College of Engineering. The commission now wants to start building the second hole, and has officially requested the funding from MSA. The hole is expected to cost between $629.44 and $689.56, according to an itemized estimate the commission submitted to MSA Treasurer Sabrina Shingwani. MSA will vote on whether to fund the project at a meeting next Tuesday.
The estimate may come as a bit of a surprise if you read the Daily’s October 1 story, which covered the project in its planning stages. At that time, Sujata Syamal, co-chair of the commission, placed the estimated cost per hole at $100 to $150 – roughly $500 less than what is being officially requested now.
The funding, if granted, will come out of the MSA Discretionary Fund – which is supplied by the MSA fee on every student’s bill each term.
Students from the College of Engineering and the School of Art and Design have undertaken the project, and hope to construct six holes by the end of next semester. The holes are slated to appear in University buildings on North Campus and are designed to be portable.
Student Relations Committee to recommend leasing ordinance changes
By Katherine Mitchell, written on Apr. 16, 2007
The Student Relations Committee, made of representatives from the Michigan Student Assembly and Ann Arbor City Council, has decided on amendments to the leasing ordinance.
The ordinance, passed last April, prohibits 12-month leased properties from being shown or signed by new tenants until 90 days after the current lease period begins unless current tenants sign a waiver.
Student Relations Committee Member and MSA Vice President Mohammad Dar said the Committee decided on two changes that MSA members will present before City Council May 7.
The first amendment changes the showing and signing provision from 90 days to 77 days.
Dar said this change pushes many properties with September leases to November signing and showing dates. He says this will help students secure housing before finals in December.
The second amendment eliminates the ability for a landlord to issue a waiver to tenants.
Dar said eliminating this loophole will make the housing market more equal by restricting a landlord’s ability to sign properties early.
Dar said this change should lessen student confusion about the leasing law. Several students had landlords promise property to them, only to sign the property to another party after the waiver was signed.
Dar said MSA members have the support of Councilmember Leigh Greden (D—Ward 3), who sits on the Student Relations Committee.
MSA ramblings from last night’s meeting
By Emily Angell, written on Apr. 11, 2007
Last night’s Michigan Student Assembly meeting was a four-hour event.
At the start of the meeting, MSA representatives voted to place the Resolution to Issue an Open Letter to All Recently Admitted Students and the General Public of Michigan in old business, effectively delaying voting on the issue until the Fall semester. The letter would have been sent to all incoming freshmen to let them know that the passage of Proposal 2 would not affect campus atmosphere regarding diversity.
BAMN representatives, students and a teacher from Cass Tech in Detroit were all present at the meeting to rally MSA representatives to pass the resolution, which they believe will make the campus more welcoming following the passing of prop 2.
BAMN and their allies were clearly shaken when MSA representatives decided to put the resolution on the backburner.
At the meeting, supporters of the resolution said they still plan on sending out a revised version of the letter in the next few weeks.
Following this, the open positions on the executive board were filled by Sabrina Shingwani (Treasurer), Arvind Sohoni (Student General Counsel) and Nate Fink (Chief of Staff). Zack Yost and Mohammad Dar are the president and vice president, respectively.
The rest of the meeting primarily consisted of electing new chairs and vice chairs of the existing committees and commissions. A complete list follows below.
Committees:
BPC Tony Vuljaj (chair) Stella Binkevich (vice chair)
CGC Nicole Vitale (c) Lauren Washington (vc)
R&E Brian Steers (c) Elson Liu (vc)
Comm Sha Beamon (c) Ari Seigel (vc)
ERC Kyle Goszyk (c) Gerasimos Houpis (vc)
Commissions:
LGBT Jen Hsu and Ashley Schwedt
NCAC Rahul Daswani and Sujuata Syamal
MAC Stephanie Parker and Tiffany Torres
WIC (Vacant)
AAC Max Nowak, Alex Jiga
P&J Lisa Treumuth, Aria Everts
SRC Jennifer Reyna and Peter Borock
ISAC (internal election)
HIC Lauren Inouye and Nick Golinvaux
CaSC Bret Chaness
CSC Paula Klein and Aaron Willis
VYV Jon Kendall
CIC Mike Moses and Irene (?)
Alumni Outreach SC Alex Jiga
Internship SC Allison Schneider
Homecoming SC Gibran Baydoun
Disability SC Tim Hull and John Bell