Budgeting benefits

MSA budget funds student groups, services

On the Michigan Student Assembly campaign trail, student politicians throw out many promises. Last spring, the Students' Party promised to cut corners at the Michigan Student Assembly and deliver the extra money to student groups. The present leaders of MSA deserve recognition for delivering on the promise they made to the student body.

The 1997-98 budget carries an increase of roughly $150,000 over last year. The operations budget dropped by $2,250 and $3,000 was cut from MSA election funding. Funding for the Budget Priorities Committee - which is charged with funding student groups - was increased from $90,000 to $140,000 this year. Additionally, the $1 increase in student fees this year - passed by a popular vote last year - has contributed to the increase in funding for student organizations. Student groups will now have more resources to draw upon in organizing events. This will provide the opportunity for new developments and programs organized by students.

One thousand dollars allocated to the MSA Student Regent Task Force will allow efforts for a student regent to expand. A student voice and vote on the administrative board would allow student input to be seriously considered concerning matters such as tuition increases. Student opinion is currently presented to the regents, but the board is under no obligation to utilize it. A voting student regent would give students the opportunity to be involved in the decisions that concern their education.

MSA has set aside $20,000 for tenant services, funds previously set aside for the Ann Arbor Tenants Union. The money may still go to the AATU, but the assembly is currently investigating the union's usefulness to University students. MSA members should not dismiss the AATU lightly. In the past, many students used the AATU to help resolve disputes with landlords and remedy injustices. Rather than cutting funding to the AATU, MSA should attempt to fix problems it may have. Students must have the resource of student tenant services available to them.

Within the budget, funding has been set aside for another of the Student Party's campaign promises - the student coursepack store. MSA is currently in the process of organizing the logistics of the store, which will draw on $10,000 special project fund. This project will allow students a cheaper alternative to buying required coursepacks for their classes from stores currently located on campus. The store would be a nonprofit business solely created to meet the students' needs for affordable course packs. MSA should make full use of the funding to create the store.

Supporting student groups are the reason that each student at the University pays a student government fee. This majority of this funding should go straight to student groups. MSA executive officers should be commended for creating a budget that supports student organizations while maintaining services students need.

09-26-97