Student regent campaign hits another snag

The Michigan Student Assembly's quest for a student regent was deflated again last week when the Secretary of State's office, in a draft letter, found that the assembly's strategy of trying to collect funds via the University would violate the Michigan Campaign Finance Act if sanctioned by the Regents.

In last winter's elections, students approved an MSA-proposed fee increase to be collected through the University that would have been allocated to gather signatures for a statewide ballot question on the issue of a student regent.

In June, the administration refused to propose the fee increase to the University Board of Regents, which must approve all MSA fee increases, citing doubt over the legality of a public body such as the University collecting funds for a political campaign. The MCFA prohibits public bodies from expending funds for a ballot question committee.

While refusing to offer a declaratory ruling on the matter because the fee increase will never be proposed to the Regents and therefore does not constitute "an actual state of facts," the Secretary of State's interpretation of the law effectively means that MSA would have to find another way to place a student regent on the board.

"This really isn't a ruling because the situation proposed doesn't really exist," said Elizabeth Boyd, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State. "What we are looking at here is an interpretation. What was earlier suggested by the students could not be done."

MSA President Trent Thompson said the assembly will continue to fight for full representation on the Board, but he did admit the Secretary of State's decision puts a damper on the campaign.

"It cuts down our options," Thompson said. "We can't use money from students through the University anymore. We have not yet decided which strategy to use in the future."

Among the possible strategies is an ongoing attempt by MSA to convince the legislature to pass a bill amending the constitution and creating a student seat on the Board of Regents. The assembly's efforts in the legislature had been pushed aside by the more promising prospect of the statewide ballot, Thompson said.

MSA is also considering raising funds independently, rather than through the University, to pay for the signature gathering. Another option is to have students themselves gather signatures for the statewide ballot.

The draft letter will be open to public comment for five days, and MSA will respond to the Secretary of State's initial interpretation. A final version of the letter will be issued 10 days later.

07-20-98