MSA votes out two chairs

By Michelle Poniewozik

For the Daily

The Michigan Student Assembly started its academic year with the departure of two of its members.

Last night at the Michigan Union, the assembly debated whether or not to approve two new chairs to the Minority Affairs Commission, after commission members selected LSA seniors Isa Kasoga and Liza Rios for the positions in April.

Before the heated discussions caught fire, Michael Masters, chair of the community service committee said, "I ask you all to work with everybody. We have the possibility to make a big difference on campus. We may not be unified, at least totally, but we can work together to benefit the students."

Normally, MAC works as a separate entity from MSA and votes and approves its own chairs.

Yet, the question was raised as to what constituted MAC, and whether former co-chairs Erika Dowdell and Erin Gilbert had done enough to publicize the events and meetings of the commission.

"This does not happen in other committees or commissions. Let's have a table and let a legitimate MAC meeting occur," Dowdell said in response to the meeting that was held last spring when Kasoga and Rios were elected.

After numerous arguments both in favor and against tabling a motion that would have given MAC another chance to vote on its representatives, the assembly approved Kasoga and Rios.

"(MAC) has no mission statement, no structure and no means of community access," Students of Color Coalition member Jujuan Buford said during constituents' time. "The organization needs to be equitable. It must have a purpose, structure and demand proof of impeccable records."

"It's unfortunate the decision came to this," Kasoga said. "We want to move forward and serve in the interest of the minority community and the University."

With Kasoga and Rios taking over as the heads of MAC, Dowdell and Gilbert lost their spots on the assembly, since they were voted on as member by MAC.

"The decision was very unfortunate, but I'm going to move on to what the important issues are, which is defending the affirmative action," Dowdell said. "The assembly has a very big obligation to be the leading student government in the nation."

"I think the result was positive. Isa and I are excited. We want to do a lot for the community and have regular meetings with the community," Rios said. "We haven't done anything yet because we just got approval."