MSA candidates tackle tower space

By Lisa Koivu

Daily Staff Reporter

Although members of the Students of Color Coalition vacated the 7th floor of the Michigan Union tower yesterday, the question still remains: Who will have the power to allocate the space currently held by members of secret societies?

Law student Tony Roehl, running for MSA with the Wolverine Party, said he feels the space in the tower should be under the jurisdiction of the Office Space Allocation Committee, as all office space on the 4th floor of the Union is currently. "This is a pretty clear cut issue," Roehl said.

Galaxor Nebulon, an LSA sophomore running for Michigan Student Assembly President with the Friends Rebelling Against Tyranny party, said the FRAT party refrains from making remarks about such issues for fear of alienating either side.

Isa Kasoga, an LSA junior running with the All Peoples' Party, said the administration has been vague as to whether the societies in the Union fall under the jurisdiction of MSA, who has the power to recognize student groups.

"The administration in general has given no straight answer. Some say the groups are not simply student groups and therefore not under the jurisdiction of MSA," Kasoga said.

University President Lee "Bollinger directly said to me that they're student groups, and if this is the case then they should undergo the same office allocations as any other group," he added.

Jessica Curtin, a Rackham student running for vice president with the Defend Affirmative Action Party, said MSA, not the administration, needs to decide what happens in the tower.

"We're glad MSA took a stand because it strengthened their hand. This space, just like any other space on campus should be done on a democratic basis," Curtin said.

"In the resolution passed by MSA we called for the space to be turned into a cultural study lounge and we still support that. It shouldn't be occupied by any secret society," she added.

Roehl said the assembly needs to work harder for all students on campus.

"MSA should take a more proactive role to make sure the rights of all students are protected," Roehl said.

Kasoga, though, said he was happy with the way MSA handled the issue.

"The administration put a lot of pressure on MSA to resolve the problem that was inherently theirs," Kasoga said.

Shana Shevitz, an Architecture and Urban Planning junior running for her school's representative position on the assembly, said she feels the protest has affected much of the University.

"To some extent, protest in general affects the University. But, there are still people who will go on with their lives and not know what's going on," Shevitz said.