MSA works to serve students' interests

By Michael Nagrant
MSA President

FILE PHOTO Michigan Student Assembly members meet weekly in the Michigan Union. Two elections are held every school year to elect representatives from the University's schools and colleges.

Do coursepacks and textbooks cost too much? Are you sick and tired of not having a voice in University decision making processes? Is your financial aid package too small? If so, then maybe the Michigan Student Assembly can help. MSA, the central student government, is the offical student voice at the University of Michigan. The Michigan Student Assembly, through the hard work of its representatives, has worked in many capacities to make student life on campus more comfortable and affordable.

MSA has worked to provide entertaining programming to the student body. It has attracted and sponsored high profile speakers such as President Clinton. Although MSA does program to make student life fun, it also pursues much more serious issues of cost containment and affordability in higher education. MSA plays a large role in lobbying the federal and state legislatures to secure better financial aid packages, tuition tax reimbursements and non taxable loans and grants. Continuing a tradition begun last year, MSA representatives participated in a lobby day with members of the Education Committee in Washington, D.C. to ensure that student concerns are met. MSA representatives routinely travel to Lansing to testify in state House and Senate hearings. Currently, MSA is working with Michigan State University to pass legislation that will make textbook purchases non-taxable.

While paying attention to costs at the level of the legislatures, MSA has also paid close attention to the costs directly related to attending the University of Michigan. MSA has worked hard to secure and provide affordable health care to all University of students in need. Currently the assembly is working to create a centralized student run coursepack store, that would cut costs for student coursepacks by $20-30. MSA has provided a significant amount of support to the Ann Arbor Tenants Union, which helps students understand renters' law and helps advise students in tenant-landlord disputes. In the past, MSA has helped support the Graduate Employees' Organization. While it works to secure an affordable education, MSA utilizes its position as the official student voice, to play an active role in University and community decisionmaking processes. MSA has secured a representative on many administrative commitees, including the Board of Control of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Presidential and Provost Search Committtees. MSA also has a student liaision to the board of Regents.

This past year MSA secured voting and non-voting positions on 11 city council committees and commissions. MSA works hard to provide a strong voice and tangible services to the student community. MSA will continue to work on behalf of the student body.

If you have a concern, the assembly is a place where you might just find the resources to change the University. MSA is a body where the old adage "one person really can make a difference" truly becomes a reality.

09-03-97