New MSA reps. sworn in

Last night newly elected Michigan Student Assembly representatives were inaugurated, and those they were replacing said their good-byes.

MSA Treasurer Bram Elias gave a simple farewell to departing assembly members, "Bye, everyone who's leaving."

MSA President Trent Thompson welcomed the new members, who received educational folders and descriptions of current assembly projects.

"We appreciate your time spent and everything you've done for the assembly," Thompson said. He gave special recognition to out-going Student General Council Dave Burden, a senior member of the assembly.

Rather than tears, MSA Vice President Sarah Chopp was greeted with laughter as she reminded out-going representatives to clean out their mailboxes.

JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily University Chief Financial Officer Robert Kasdin speaks to the Michigan Student Assembly last night.

"You've done great things for the student body," Chopp said.

About half of the assembly seats are up for grabs during the bi-annual elections, in the fall and again in the spring when president and vice president positions also are open. The Students' Party currently holds a plurality on the assembly.

The last act of out-going assembly members included approving the wording to the assembly's "Know Your Rights" Card. The card is a joint project with the Department of Public Safety to produce a wallet-sized card listing a student's rights when stopped by police officers in a car or on the street.

"The police at the University are absolutely, positively here to serve the students," said DPS sergeant Gary Hicks, who assisted with the project.

The project's organizer, MSA LSA Rep. Mark Sherer, said the card will be ready for students by the beginning of the winter '99 semester.

"It'll be a silk screen on vinyl card," Sherer said. "We don't want it to deteriorate in someone's wallet."

Sherer said the cards will be distributed in the University residence halls, to student groups and in the future to incoming students during orientation.

"The cards are for all members of the University community, but it's geared toward students," Sherer said.

After the completion of the "Know Your Rights" Card, assembly members will begin work on a "Know Your Rights" Party Poster listing the rights students have when hosting a party.

University Chief Financial Officer Robert Kasdin also addressed the assembly last night about several issues, including tobacco divestment.

Kasdin said the issue involves acknowledging the University is neither a political nor an environmental advocacy group.

"We're here to expand and disseminate knowledge," Kasdin said. "What we have at stake is nothing more than our academic freedom."

Tabacco investments make up only a fraction of the University's portfolio, Kasdin said, and divestment would not negatively affect investment returns. But divestment would not necessarily impact tobacco corporations either, he added.

Kasdin said the University's next step will be to access the local community opinion on divestment.

"We want to know there are sustained and widespread and deeply held views on this issue," Kasdin said.

11-25-98