Vote Bhatia, Linnear

Students' Party is best choice to lead LSA-SG

While advertisements and hype for the Michigan Student Assembly elections are rampant across the University's campus, each individual school or college is also holding elections for the leadership of their respective student governments. In the race for LSA student government - the body that represents the University's largest college - three parties are vying for control of the president and vice president positions. Of them, the Students' Party candidates - Geeta Bhatia and Greg Linnear - are the best choice to lead the government.

Bhatia is a well-known face around LSA-SG. As the current vice president, she is well -versed in the many issues facing the government. In addition, her accomplishments on LSA-SG speak well of her ability to get the job done. Linnear is one of the co-founders of the Speaker Initiatives, which has brought many notable academics to the University.

Michigan Party candidates Pak Man Shuen and David Silver are worthy of note. Shuen has served as MSA's Peace and Justice Commission chair for a year while Silver is a former LSA-SG representative and has been active in efforts to oversee the use of the Code of Student Conduct. But while their respective credentials are impressive, their ticket is not as cohesive as it should be.

At the center of the Students' party platform is the increase of student input into the ways that LSA departments work. Departmental committees guide curriculum development and faculty promotion and procurement. The party's efforts toward getting students on these committees will help provide much-needed student insight into departments' activities.

Another of the party's strengths is the expansion of departmental clubs. The clubs provide students with an opportunity to become better acquainted with faculty in their concentration departments and can also help them in their search for internships and jobs in their respective fields. While the Michigan Party candidates viewed such a diversion of resources as damaging to LSA-SG's role of supporting all student groups, LSA-SG should work to support such worthwhile groups.

The Students' Party also has made connections with other student organizations and the LSA administration. The Office of Student Affairs has pledged to expand present living-learning programs in both number of student involvement - while some of the present ones continue to be flawed and problematic. The programs tend to be academically restricting - preventing students from fully exploring all of the options available to them at the University. The Students' Party plans to set up a committee with both the Residence Hall Association and the dean's office to evaluate present programs before new ones are established.

With a significant class-action lawsuit pending against LSA, the college's student government is in a position to greatly influence students. As Linnear said, "Education is the first role the LSA student government can play in this very controversial issue." The Students' Party has supported the University's affirmative action symposium and also has brought speakers on the issue to campus.

LSA-SG plays a large role in the University community. The Students' Party shows the best combination of vision and experience to expand the group's role and serve student interests. Vote Geeta Bhatia and Greg Linnear for LSA-SG president and vice president.

03-17-98