Nagrant addresses regents on fall break, libraries' open hours

Michigan Student Assembly President Mike Nagrant left the world of assembly elections to speak before the Board of Regents yesterday.

Nagrant began his speech by thanking University President Lee Bollinger for helping MSA meet its goal to keep tuition rates at the rate of inflation.

Nagrant reviewed the past semester of MSA's accomplishments. He highlighted the cutting of internal waste out of the budget, the affirmative action forum that occurred this week and the creation of a nonprofit coursepack store.

Nagrant

"Seeing as this board has done its part to help students, it was MSA's turn," said Nagrant, an LSA senior. "MSA started by reviewing its internal spending and was able to return almost $3,000 to student groups."

Nagrant questioned the next step in the relationship between MSA and the regents. He offered three initiatives the assembly intends to pursue.

Olivia Maynard (D-Goodrich) said she thought Nagrant's speech focused on salient points affecting University students.

"I really liked his speech. He (brought up) the issues with such a wonderful sense of humor," Maynard said.

Nagrant began with the goal of extending library hours. Nagrant said extending hours until 2 a.m. would make a difference in the quality and quantity of research students pursue on campus.

"Currently these libraries close at midnight, leaving the (Shapiro) Undergraduate Library as the only study area on campus," Nagrant said. "Students really do prefer the architecture, the ambiance and the silence the Law and Grad libraries offer."

Bollinger said he would do everything in his power to extend library hours and give students another option for a place to study.

"Mark the occasion: I would doubt in any other time in the century that students come to ask for an extension in library hours," Bollinger said.

Nagrant said the administration needs to work on adding a fall break into the academic year.

"The month of October is becoming longer and longer, with midterms and term papers spanning not just a few weeks, but the whole month," Nagrant said. "We really need to look into adding a small break to the fall semester in the future."

Maynard said she has a theory that students need one long weekend every month. She said that if MSA and the administration could fit a fall break into the University semester that it would benefit students. But she said students would probably end up studying and working on their classes during the break.

"My theory is working people and students fit into this category, needing at least one long weekend every month," Maynard said.

Nagrant said MSA has begun working with other campus groups to build a speaker series. He added that the assembly needs the administration's help.

"In order to foster serious intellectual discussion, we need to bring in renowned academics, artists and political leaders of this nation to debate, to deliberate and to speak with the student body," Nagrant said.

Nagrant said he felt more confident speaking before the regents than in the past. He said he was happy the administration seemed willing to work with his initiatives.

"I was a little nervous, conceivably less than before," Nagrant said. "I thought the regents received it well and expressed support for working with my initiatives."

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