MSA debates Day of Action, tuition

Of the several issues brought before the Michigan Student Assembly last night, two ensued heated discussion.

LSA Rep. Erica Dowdell originally proposed a freeze on tuition hikes at the University. The resolution called for MSA members to "peacefully rally at the Fleming administration building" to support the freeze.

Communications Chair Joe Bernstein's motion to remove the clause that calls for a rally sparked debate among assembly members. "The best approach we can take to accomplish things is to work with administration ... to look into ways to keep tuition low," Bernstein said.

But Music Rep. Gabriel Regentin argued in favor of the rally. "The rally is in because the administration needs to see that there are students that really care about this," he said.

DARBY FRIEDLIS/Daily Michigan Student Assembly LSA Rep. Mwanaisha Sims voices her opinion on the proposed tuition freeze at last night's assembly meeting.

The assembly amended the resolution to remove the questionable clause. But in the end, MSA voted the resolution down.

MSA Treasurer Bram Elias said administration has yet to receive word on how much money the University will get from the state. "Right now, the fight is in Lansing," Elias said.

Vice President Sarah Chopp said she disapproved of the assembly's decision not to act on the issue. "I'm shocked and disgusted that our response is complete inaction," she said. Chopp added that she would begin work on a draft of a new resolution regarding a tuition freeze.

Also debated at last night's MSA meeting was the enactment of a resolution passed Dec. 8 that called for MSA to support the Student and Youth Nation Day of Action in Defense of Affirmative Action on Feb. 24.

Engineering Rep. Dave Burden called for the resolution to be reconsidered because - according to fliers distributed by members of United for Affirmative Action - the Day of Action's goal is to defeat an anti-affirmative action ballot initiative for November of 2000.

Burden said the assembly did not know about the Day's events to defeat the ballot initiative.

Also adding to the controversy is the legality of indirectly taking a stance on a ballot initiative by supporting the Day of Action. "Because MSA is a part of the University, we are considered a public body," LSA Rep. Elise Erickson said. "It is illegal for a public body to take a position on a ballot initiative."

Members of the Defend Affirmative Action Party questioned whether reconsideration was allowed under parliamentary procedure. "The motion was out of order," Dowdell said. "It said if you start acting upon a resolution you already voted on, you cannot reconsider it."

MSA President Trent Thompson ruled that the motion for reconsideration was not out of order.

The assembly voted not to support the Day of Action by a majority vote.

"What the assembly passed and what was put on the flyers was not the same," Thompson said after the meeting.

"I have been trying so hard to get the assembly to trust each other," Thompson said.

"When those flyers were put out that trust was broken," he added.

Last night the assembly also passed a resolution with consent to conduct forums on Affirmative Action.

The series of events would be similar to MSA's Affirmative Action 101 Symposium held in fall of 1997.

Thompson said the symposium is intended to educate the student body by holding student panels and sponsoring speakers.

02-17-99