MSA candidates discuss issues at debate

With the help of some off-key singing, the Michigan Student Assembly debate was devoid of any yelling, fighting or emotional confrontation.

Candidates representing five MSA parties discussed their views on issues affecting University students during a televised debate Friday. The debate was sponsored by student television station WOLV and student radio station WCBN.

WCBN News Director Matt Friedman, who moderated the debate, said the debates "enable U of M students to be more informed voters."

The debate format consisted of opening and closing statements and a Q & A session. Affirmative action, academic needs, campus safety and current flaws in the MSA system were in the forefront of the discussion. A candidate from each party was given the opportunity to state views on issues considered pertinent to campus.

The candidates who came to voice their parties' opinions included Dan Serota, who heads the Michigan Party, Andrew Serowik of the Students' Party, Jessica Curtin of the Defend Affirmative Action Party (DAAP), Rory Diamond of the Liberty Party, and Pak Man Shuen of the United Rebels Front (URF). No independent candidates attended the debates.

Serowik, whose party currently holds the majority of seats on the assembly, said the student government has fulfilled all of its campaign promises from the spring elections.

"By any measure, the Students' Party has an enviable track record," Serowik said. "Students' Party is known for real practical changes, really doing something for students."

But Serota criticized the current assembly for unproductive assembly meetings, as well as lack of personal attention to student groups in the process of allocating funds.

This year's Budget Priorities Committee abandoned its traditional practice of hearings with student groups. Serota described BPC's actions as "corruption at its core."

"We need to go back to six months ago when MSA was a more friendly place," Serota said.

During discussion on the issue of campus safety, Shuen said URF is not concerned about safety at the University.

"Ann Arbor is very safe and campus safety is not an issue," he said.

Shuen then used some time to sing a verse of Alanis Morrisette's "Ironic."

Curtin said DAAP's only plank in its platform is affirmative action. But she stated her own views on campus safety, including domestic violence.

"(MSA) should be a place students can come to tell MSA what happened," Curtin said, encouraging rape victims to bring their concerns to MSA. "The administration is concerned with covering up these things."

Diamond emphasized that the Liberty Party's main concerns include the lack of student recognition for MSA, adding that assembly members are self-motivated.

"No one is voting, no one cares," Diamond said. "The people in MSA are in for two reasons - they are in for their resumes and second, they are half-wit political junkies."

MSA President Mike Nagrant said the issues presented in the debate will help to guide MSA in the upcoming semester.

"We'll be able to incorporate the issues in what we do in MSA," Nagrant said. "I found it very entertaining, a really good time."

The debate is scheduled to air on WCBN 88.3 FM tomorrow from 6-7 p.m. and on WOLV channel 70 tomorrow from 9-10 pm.

11-17-97