RSG elections focus on students' needs

While the campus is abuzz over Michigan Student Assembly and LSA Student Government elections, another important University organization is holding its elections this week.

The Rackham Student Government, the elected graduate student governing body representing the interests of more than 6,000 students, will be filling its open representative seats for the fall term throughout this week.

RSG Co-president Anne Reeves, a fourth-year graduate student, said that although RSG is not well known on campus, it does play an important role as a mediator between graduate students and the administration.

"We're the go-between. RSG is a service organization that specifically focuses on the needs of graduate students," Reeves said. "When a graduate student has a problem or concern, we are here to help."

The government, which consists of 13 seats and two co-presidents, also appoints graduate students to various campus organizations, such as the Student Relations Committee. Another function of the government is to allocate funds to student organizations, most of which are graduate student groups, Reeves said.

RSG representative Mitch Rohde said RSG's small size makes it a lesser-known, but often times more-effective assembly.

"We don't do things that are groundbreaking in nature. We don't take stands on the Middle East or current political issues," Rohde said. "We're smaller and address the specific needs of graduate students. As a result, I think we're more effective."

Rohde added that compared to other bigger organizations, RSG has the ability to focus on individual students.

"I'd be a little apprehensive going to a long, arduous MSA meeting," Rohde said. "Students know they can feel free about approaching us."

Rohde said one of the concerns recently brought to the attention of RSG members concerned parking in University lots late at night.

Recently, graduate students have been denied access to University parking structures after normal business hours.

Rohde said that since most research and lab work continues into the evening and sometimes early morning, this presented a problem for a majority of Rackham students.

"Now, students can apply for parking passes for after-hours use in the Thompson and Church street structures," he said.

"We're hoping graduate students will go to our homepage and vote or come directly to Rackham," Reeves said.

The elections are held this week until tomorrow at 5 p.m.

Student can access online voting at http://www.umich.edu/~rstugov/.

11-20-97