DAAP plans political platform

Members of the Defend Affirmative Action Party have presented a primarily politically-based platform to encourage students to offer the party their support in next week's Michigan Student Assembly elections.

Established in the winter of 1998, the DAAP obtained its first seat on MSA during that term's elections. The party expanded its involvement on the assembly to six seats in Fall 1998 elections.

"To a large extent, the DAAP has determined the direction of MSA, even with six seats," said DAAP Presidential candidate and current Rackham Rep. Jessica Curtin.

LSA sophomore student Julie Fry, a DAAP candidate for MSA said she joined the party because it is "actually concerned about political issues."

Defending affirmative action and fighting "for equality and integration form K- 12 through college" tops the party's agenda.

"What we've done here has been an essential part of tuning the tide against the attack on affirmative action," Curtin said.

The DAAP's platform also includes expanding financial aid and ending future tuition increases. Curtin said the party's plans to end increases involve contacting other campuses and initiating a statewide movement.

Abolishing the Code of Student Conduct is also a priority for the party's candidates, which Curtin said doesn't protect the rights of student on campus.

"We see MSA as a union to fight for students' rights," said DAAP Vice President candidate and current LSA Rep. Erika Dowdell.

The party also defends supporting the Graduate Employees Organization and ending what party members say is police harassment of student social parties.

"Since the death of (LSA first-year student) Courtney Cantor there has been a lot of harassment of students at parties," Fry said. "No one has been ready to challenge the police and security on campus."

Since December, the party has used its six seats on MSA to present resolutions on the "police persecution" of students at parties, freezing tuition, supporting GEO in negotiations, the walkout and strike and condemning UN sanctions on Iraq.

Curtin said some of the party's passed resolutions - including the resolution to "Oppose Scapegoating and Police Persecution" - have been amended to be weaker.

"The Defend Affirmative Action Party represents the growing national student movement in the country," Curtin said. "We think MSA should be a leading organizer of the growing national movement."

03-17-99