Candidates disagree on MSA's role

By Jane Krull

Daily Staff Reporter

The Michigan Student Assembly has tackled some tough issues including resolutions for lifting United Nations sanctions on Iraq and recent conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Independent candidate Tony Goodman said he recognizes the University as having a great influence nationally.

"I read that we're the second most active campus in the country," Goodman said. "There's no reason why we can't do more, once we get local stuff done."

Independent candidate Dan Barrera disagrees.

"Globally, MSA has no power," he said. The purpose of MSA, Barrera said, is to allocate funding to student organizations. "They don't have a great deal of power to affect policy. They can only give money to organizations to get the point out."

Members of the Defend Affirmative Action Party believe MSA can be at the forefront of issues that on any level, said DAAP member Agnes Aleobua.

"MSA should address any issue that is at concern to students at any level," said Aleobua, who is running for an LSA seat. "I think MSA can play a leadership role for issues that are bigger than Michigan."

DAAP candidate Neal Lyons said he agreed with MSA's leadership role on issues outside the University, citing MSA's work to in support of lifting U.N. sanctions against Iraq.

"We were the first student government to pass a resolution against the sanctions on Iraq and around 16 other schools followed our example," Lyons said.

Incumbent Matt Nolan of the Blue Party said he believes MSA can have a massive effect on the local scale.

"MSA is the voice of 37,000 students in a town of 100,000," Nolan said.

Blue Party member Jessica Cash, running for an LSA seat, said she thinks MSA should recognize its responsibility to the students above all else.

"It is a bit mind-boggling that we would spend hours in a meeting tackling world issues when there are local matters to deal with," Cash said.

Michigan Party member John Mione said that the University should not stray from campus issues.

"We should only focus on University issues," said Mione, who is running for an LSA seat.

"There is not much voice we have nationally," Michigan Party chair Doug Tietz said. "I think MSA has zero voice in world events."

Other Big Ten universities stick to University community issues.

Associated Students of Michigan State University Academic Assembly Chairperson Charles McHugh said that the job of Michigan State's student government is to deal with academic and student life on campus.

"We don't ordinarily venture upon issues of a political nature," McHugh said. "Students pay ASMSU $13 per semester to make their lives better on campus, not debate national policy."

Minnesota Student Association President Matt Clark said the Minnesota student government once supported the grape workers union of unfit labor practices by banning grapes on campus. Students laughed at the student government and now they stay away from issues outside their immediate area.

"There are no grapes served on our campus to this day," Clark said. "Now we are focusing on campus and metro wide issues."