Sections

Without representation

Wainess lax in important duty

Despite the many changes at the University during the past four months, one thing has remained consistent -- Michigan Student Assembly President Flint Wainess' absence at every regular regents meeting since the November sessions. Wainess is the first student representative to the University Board of Regents. Getting the right to this position was no easy task; many people, including Wainess, put a great deal of work into obtaining a student voice on the board. Wainess described his own attendance at the monthly regents' meetings as "sporadic." By not attending those meetings, Wainess is negating his work.

Wainess told The Michigan Daily his presence is unnecessary at the majority of the meetings because so much of what is discussed amounts to "simple working matters that don't require student input." But last Friday, the Graduate Employees Organization picketed the regents' meeting. At the end of the meeting, they loudly voiced their desire to complete contract negotiations to University President James Duderstadt and the regents -- a sharp variation from day-to-day business. But GEO members were without a representative who could have voiced their concerns when they were not able to speak outside of public comments.

Wainess was not in attendance.

Although Wainess has the option to send a replacement, he has not done so for the last several months (although after questioning, he indicated he may again start sending someone in his place). Meanwhile, students are silenced in the vast majority of regents' business.

Furthermore, his absences leave the regents with a bad impression of the students who worked hard to put a student representative in place. Wainess said he is in constant contact with the regents and characterized their working relationship as amicable. But how can the regents take students seriously if their highest representative doesn't show up to represent them?

Wainess is not only supposed to represent student needs as they arise -- he should be there representing the student body as a competent, concerned group.

Wainess said his is the first "administration" that has the power and responsibility of addressing the regents in this fashion. His disregard creates a weak precedent for successive MSA leaders. MSA intended a representative as an "incremental step in the process of obtaining a full regent," he said. However, future students will have problems attaining a full non-voting student regent in the wake of Wainess' careless neglect.