Sections

Longest continous member of MSA resigns from seat

The longest continuous member of the Michigan Student Assembly, Brian Elliott, resigned from his seat on the assembly last night.

In a speech to the assembly at MSA's last meeting before today's elections, Elliott, a Students' Party Engineering representative, expressed frustration with the assembly's current president and vice president, Flint Wainess and Sam Goodstein. Elliott accused the pair of embezzling MSA funds, taking credit for the work of other assembly members and consciously breaking MSA rules.

"Please take heart, it can't get any worse," Elliott told the assembly.

Elliott, whose term ends in the fall, said he resigned now to allow the University of Michigan Engineering Council enough time to appoint his successor to serve for the rest of the year and through the summer. Elliott said he would have had to give up his seat by this spring because he decided to attend the Minnesota School of Public Policy.

Engineering Rep. David Burden said UMEC will appoint a new representative in two weeks.

Elliott said Wainess and Goodstein have repeatedly ignored MSA rules, especially in terms of the assembly's internal budget.

"They chose to feign ignorance of the rules in order to not follow them and that really got frustrating," Elliott said.

Students' Party presidential candidate Olga Savic said Elliott's low attendance and involvement this year stemmed from his frustration with the current MSA administration.

"Brian would have been much more involved in the last year if he thought it would have made a difference," Savic said.

The contributions he did make during Wainess and Goodstein's administration were not recognized, Elliot said.

"The last straw was when Flint and Sam took credit for MSA Online. I put a lot of time into that web page and that's really essentially MSA Online," Elliott said.

Elliott was first elected to the assembly in fall 1993. Before that, he served as a commission chair in 1992.

"I hope UMEC chooses carefully because it's a big seat to fill," said LSA Rep. Dan Serota.

Wainess would not comment on Elliot's resignation or accusations.