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MSA hires new administrative coordinator

Months after the election that prompted the dismissal of Michigan Student Assembly Administrative Coordinator Lou Stefanic, the assembly announced its choice of a candidate to fill the vacancy.

Stephanie Souter was chosen earlier this week by a committee that included LSA Rep. Dan Serota, Rackham Rep. John Lopez, University Student Activities Associate Roger Fisher and MSA bookkeeper Sara Flynn. "We were looking for someone who would have both the ability and incentive to remain impartial, so we would not have a repeat of what happened with Lou (Stefanic)," Serota said.

Serota said the committee was wary of hiring a current or former University student to fill the position because of possible partisan loyalties. "Students obviously have a vested interest in their school," Serota said. "When they put their own vested interest beside their job, that's where we run into conflicts."

Stefanic, who was a University employee while serving as MSA AC, was suspended and then dismissed last March because of accusations that he had aided the Wolverine Party's winter campaign. The MSA election staff cited an e-mail message addressed from Stefanic to several Wolverine Party members, including the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates, as evidence of partisan involvement. The e-mail detailed election strategies, including some using MSA software and resources. The election staff fined the five party members named in the message and turned the disciplinary action involving Stefanic over to Fisher, who oversaw the University employee disciplinary procedures. "When you have a paid worker using student funds to influence the outcome of a student election, this is wrong," MSA President Fiona Rose said.

Rose called the post "critical." "This is MSA's main link with the student body Ñ the glue that holds MSA together." Souter, who is pursuing a master's degree in communications at Eastern Michigan University, said her candidacy stressed an attitude focused on working as a team and to "weed out the fuzzy areas" of MSA. Souter's duties will include communicating with student group leaders, dealing with health insurance requests and coordinating the rest of the MSA office staff.