by Benjamin Kepple and Evan Knott

The Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) has been referred to as "wasteful". It has been branded "irresponsible". It even has been vilified as a "bloated cadaver of inefficiency." However, this did not stop 101 concerned U-M students from declaring their candidacy in this term's MSA elections, being held on November 20 and 21, in a race for a total of a mere 24 Assembly seats.

Regular MSA election watchers will no doubt notice the absence of the Wolverine Party on the ballot. The party was unable to find the required people necessary to field a slate this election: five people from at least three different colleges or schools. However, the void created by the collapse of the Wolverine Party has been filled by four new parties appearing on the political landscape: the Nihilist Party, the Victors Party, the Slumber Party, and the Crush the Purple Dinosaur Party. These four parties, the last being a "spoof" party, will join the established Michigan Party, Liberty Party, Students' Party, and the United People's Coalition in the battle for the vacant Assembly seats.

The race promises to be, if anything, different. Students will have a myriad of candidates to choose from, with eight parties actively fielding slates and a University-wide total of 28 Independent candidates.

Students in LSA will face a ballot of 56 candidates; Engineering students must choose between 21. Even the usually sedate races, such as for the seats alloted to the School of Medicine, will no longer be simply "easy victories" for the party that is able to find a candidate from that school. Medical students will find four candidates vying for the one open seat. Business Administration students will decide a heated battle between Liberty Party candidate Jeff Cooper and Michigan Party candidate Alex Pavlovsky for the Business School's one open seat. The School of Education will have four competing candidates for one seat, while the one open School of Music seat will be fought over by an Independent, Robert William Myers, and a Nihilist Party candidate, Alex Ruthmann. In a strange twist, the Crush the Purple Dinosaur Party may be able to gain a majority of the seats from the Rackham School of Graduate Studies held by any one party, as they are running 2 of the 3 candidates for the 3 open Rackham seats; currently, only Ray Robb (Independent) and John Lopez (Michigan Party) represent Rackham in MSA. Public Health and Kinesiology students will be able to vote on the proposed student fee increases, but not much else as only one candidate from the Michigan Party is running for each school.

Public Policy and Dentistry students who always wanted to be on MSA now have that chance via write-in ballots, as no declared candidates are running for the one open seat in each school.

The Liberty Party, formed in Winter 1996, has seen impressive growth. The smallest party in the Winter 1996 election, the Liberty Party has grown to field the second largest slate on the Fall 1996 ballot.

The Liberty Party's main focus is on student fees, with the Party actively opposing not only student fee increases, but mandatory student fees. The Liberty Party supports making the student fees voluntary, as they feel this will not only force MSA to be truly accountable for its actions, but will allow the students the choice of whether they wish to fund the Assembly. According to Martin Howrylak, Chair of the Liberty Party, one major goal of the party is to make sure "any funding MSA receives will all go to student groups." Howrylak also stated that "Students are kind of alarmed at the proposed 125% MSA fee increase," and he stated that the proposed fee increases were "ridiculous and absurd."

When asked what was wrong with the Assembly as it currently stands, Howrylak quipped "Almost everything." Howrylak also stated that the Liberty Party hopes not only to make policy changes in MSA, but also to make administrative changes. "We probably would decrease the frequency [of MSA meetings] and increase the productivity." Another change would be to eliminate the Assembly taking positions on outside, non-campus issues. "[MSA's] support for NWROC (the National Women's Rights Organizing Committee) is rather scary; the Assembly is taking positions on issues they shouldn't be taking positions on." Howrylak said. Howrlyak also stressed that it was quite important for MSA to increase student awareness of the Assembly and what it does, in order for the body to gain any kind of legitimacy. "They seem to think they have some kind of a mandate." Howrylak said, wryly noting that "8% of the student body (voting) is not a mandate."

The Liberty Party would also work to improve campus safety, restructure dormitory meal plans so students would receive full credit for unused meals, and it also supports the campus-wise decriminalization of marijuana use. While seemingly a side issue, Howrylak stated that "the city (Ann Arbor Police Dept.) and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) treat marijuana violations differently." Howrylak explained that the city police enforce local law, and issues a simple ticket for posession of small amounts of marijuana, while the DPS enforces state law, where the penalties may be much greater for posession of the drug.

The Liberty Party is running a full slate in this election for LSA and Business Administration, while running two candidates from the Engineering College.

However, the Liberty Party is certainly not the only party running that is disaffected with the current Assembly. The Nihilist Party, a newly formed party running a full slate for the Engineering College, four students for LSA, and one for Music, openly proclaims on their home page that "MSA is a bloated, self-pretentious, over-funded yet under-acheiving student government in dire need of massive reform." The Nihilist Party is quite annoyed with MSA as it currently stands, sarcastically remarking that "We couldn't hope to cover all of the problems in MSA with the limited filespace available, but we'll attempt to list the major changes the Nihilist Party wants to implement."

These changes include redirecting approximately $20,000 to $25,000 a year out of current internal MSA spending to help fund student groups, eliminating the paper edition of Advice magazine in favor of the existing on-line version, greatly expand the resources of the MSA home page to include online voting, comprehensive voting records, and funding allocations, eliminating budgeted funds for political lobbying, eliminate the special interest commissions of MSA and redirect the funding to the appropriate non-MSA student groups, and also ensuring that representatives attend office hours in order to further constituent contact.

The party is generally opposed to the proposed student fee increases on the ballot. Party spokesman Andrew Serowik stated with regards to the proposed $1.50 fee per term increase that "The Nihilist Party can only support fee increases which could be of benefit to ALL student groups." The proposal would mostly fund the Black Volunteer Network (BVN) and Project SERVE. As for the $1 per term increase proposed to fund college governments "we find (it) to be unncessary at a time when college government are already running surpluses." And as for the third proposal, which would increase general funding of MSA by $1 a term, Serowik said "The Nihilist Party will support only fee increases of which 100% is returned to student groups. This fee is just being added to general MSA revenue, and the chance of 100% of it being used for student groups is slim to none."

In fact, the fee increases were what got the party started in the first place. "It was this term, with all the proposed fee increases, that we were really motivated to act. When MSA isn't using students' money for trips to Washington, it really serves some useful functions that could not be handled by another group. I would say it was the fee increases that acted as a catalyst to make us take action."

In their campaign paraphanelia, the Nihilist Party has taken an extensive look at MSA spending and skewered the current Assembly budget, pointing out where money is wasted and spent where they feel it shouldn't be. The party points out what they consider to be major flaws in Assembly spending: hammering at the $56,000 spent on payroll alone for a full time "administrative assistant" and a bookkeeper, $688 spent on magazine and journal subscriptions available in University libraries, $3,367 on advertising, $6,407 spent on office supplies, $10,900 spent "lobbying government officials on undisclosed issues", and a total of $17,500 for copies, printing, and copy machine improvements.

The Slumber Party seems frivolous on the surface, but these five individuals who make up the party are committed to making MSA work -- but just not taking it as seriously as the current Assembly takes itself.

The Slumber Party is running for a variety of reasons. David Bogue, spokesman for the Slumber Party, stated that it was very important for the Assembly to seriously address "how the University treats students." He said the MSA must be a voice for students, and currently "MSA in the majority of most students minds does nothing for students."

Fiscal responsibility is also a major concern for the Slumber Party. Bogue said that he strongly opposed fee increases "until we get numbers" from the Assembly justifiying an increase in a fund. If funds are being spent in an unjustifiable manner, then it is obvious MSA does not need a fee increase, said Bogue.

Examples Bogue gave of "frivolous" spending included the recent MSA lobbying trip to Washington and monies given to fund the "Smiley Days" project, in which students gave donuts and hot chocolate to passerby in the Diag in an attempt to improve the morale of students on campus. The Slumber Party would also examine the current 8 cents per page charge students are forced to pay by the Information Technology Division for printing at campus computing sites, and would work to eliminate that. Noting that out of state students pay upwards of $24,000 (tuition plus living costs) per year to attend the University, "paying for printing paper is ridiculous."

None of the five candidates running with the Slumber Party have previously been elected to the Assembly, but Bogue stated that "(was) not a negative aspect." Finally, Bogue stated that it was important for the Assembly to forget "the idea that (the student body) is a well that they can suck money out of." and that the Slumber Party would represent the average students on campus. The Slumber Party is running two candidates in LSA and Engineering, and one in Education.

But possibly the most disgusted party running for office is the Crush the Purple Dinosaur Party. Party spokesman David Burden responded that "Well, to be honest, MSA doesn't have any sway over how the University operates, other than presenting the student point of view on any given issue. Anyone who claims otherwise is simply inflating an ego that probably doesn't need it." Were the Crush the Purple Dinosaur Party elected to office, "...we would just focus on doing what MSA should do, such as fairly distributing funds to student groups."

The Crush the Purple Dinosaur party may be the only party that refuses to take a stance on most issues important to other parties. "Well, as a rule, we haven't taken any stances as a party on "issues" because, once again, this would imply that we were somehow important politicians with earth-shaking decisions to make." Burden said.

Burden described the Crush the Purple Dinosaur party as "...essentially just a bunch of independents bound together by the fact that we think the party system is silly." When asked why they wouldn't run as independents, Burden replied, "Well, the way the system is set up right now, it is a distinct disadvantage to be an independent. So we decided to have a bit of fun with the system." Seven candidates are going to have a bit of fun with the system, with 3 running in LSA, 2 from Rackham, and 1 each from Medicine and Engineering.

The Michigan Party has the advantage of currently being the most powerful party on the Assembly, and as such has a laundry list of accomplishments they claim to have brought about. Current MSA representative, Michigan Party candidate, and Campus Governance Committee Chair Michael Nagrant said, "The Michigan Party has in the past and with an eye on the future will continue to back its words with deeds. We stand for increased student representation, greater student wellness, and overall improved student well being." Nagrant went on to describe what he described as the Michigan Party's accomplishments in these three categories.

Nagrant listed the creation of the Michigan Student Lobby (a pro-student lobbying group in Lansing), the securing of an official regental address through the MSA president, the securing of a spot on the Presidential Search Committee, and various federal lobbying activities as Michigan Party sucesses. Nagrant also claimed credit for the Michigan Party in implementing the new child care program at the University. He also emphasized that the Michigan Party was working on improving parking on Central and North Campus, "but most importantly, we have begun to work on researching and implementing a low cost coursepack store."

If Michigan Party representatives are elected to the Assembly, Nagrant said "We will continue to pursue better representation through lobbying federally and at the state level. We will fight for a full regental voice. We will work for increasing student wellness through low cost accessible healthcare for students...as well as continuting to address academic issues such as students on curriculum committees...and credit equivalence for all courses, including ROTC programs."

Michigan Party candidate and MSA representative Dan Serota agreed with Nagrant. Serota, who has thus far embarked on a massive campaign for re-election, added that "The Michigan Party supports a broad stream of ideas. Its priorities include Campus Safety, Increased Funding for Student Groups, Increasing the healther services that students can subscribe to, including a dental plan, a Student Regent, Lobbying for Financial Aid...etc."

Nagrant was positive about the current state of MSA's party system. "I feel that now many of the parties have come to the conclusion that we are all here for students." But, he was not so positive with regards to opposition parties. "Other parties mean well, but have only employed verbal attacks and rhetorical plans for changing or bolstering MSA as an organization...I feel that the student assembly has been criticized harshly by the other parties."

Both Nagrant and Serota feel that the Assembly can be improved. Serota said "I think the Assembly needs to be more active. We need to start setting out long term goals, like a Student Regent..." Nagrant responded that "The candidates in this election need to keep in mind that the sole purpose for the Assembly is to serve students and neither personal agendas, nor party politics." The Michigan Party is running a full slate of candidates in LSA, 2 in Engineering, and 1 each in Kinesiology, Public Health, Medicine, and Business Administration.

The Students' Party has traditionally been the Michigan Party's main rival on the Assembly, but MSA representative and Students' Party member "Famous Willy" Jurkiewicz said, "Honestly, this will be a tough election for us. We're up against a lot of incumbents and we don't have many people running or the visibility that other parties have. Still, our candidates are really sincere, dedicated people that won't let people down if elected."

"The Students' Party basically has focused more than ever on picking the hard fights this year." said Jurkiewicz. While Jurkiewicz said that the party would not take a position on something without the consent of all of its members, there were issues the Students Party's candidates felt strongly about.

If elected, the Students Party would continue to attempt to improve the quality of undergraduate math, science, and economics courses; secure voices from the different sectors of the University population, especially student voices, regarding the expansion of living learning programs; increase student representation on the curriculum committee; work to implement a formal process to give students recourse when academic advisors steer them in inappropriate directions, and finally, "lead a student boycott against campus beverage machines until the distributors agree to charge us at a reasonable rate. Prices as they stand are beyond the rip off stage."

When asked about the Party's position on student fee increases, Jurkiewicz said that "...the big issue this election if funding." While Jurkiewicz favored the $1 MSA fee increase and the $1 college governmental fee increase proposals, he said that "the real hot issue in fee increase terms is the project serve/(BVN) buck-fifty. Personally, I'm torn on this one as I know my party is."

Jurkewicz stated that while although good organizations would receive more money for "fantastic programs", "on the other hand, such a proposal means that, in effect, student groups can bypass screening mechanisms such as (the BPC) and just ask the students for cash without really being accountable for how they spend it. If this question passes, I think students could realistically see fee increase questions on every ballot from now on."

To improve the Assembly itself, Jurkiewicz said "...MSA members need to pressure each other into more student-serving (read: not self-serving) activity. We need voters to send candidates and incumbents (a message) that they won't stand for any crap."

While the Students' Party has slipped from its former position of prominence as the opposition party, Jurkiewicz gave assurance that "we're very far from dying out. The type of effective leadership we're seeing develop in MSA now is the type of leadership we've always offered and championed, and we are a perfect match for the MSA of the future."

The United People's Coalition

The UPC is the most left-leaning of any of the MSA parties, and its major focus lies on racial issues. An all-minority party, the party gained two seats in the Winter 1996 election. The UPC has been a powerful factor in campus debate regarding affirmative action. The UPC also is pushing for a cap on tuition, the creation of Latino/a, Asian/Pacific-American, and Native American studies departments, and formation of a Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual studies department. The UPC is currently running a full slate in Engineering, 3 candidates in LSA, and 1 candidate in Medicine. Unfortunately, the UPC did not return our requests for comment, despite numerous attempts.

The Victors Party

The Victors Party is running a full slate in Engineering, six candidates in LSA, and one in Education. Another of the newly founded parties of discontent, it too sees problems with the funding of MSA. They are intensely concerned with fiscal responsibility in the Assembly, and proclaim themselves to be "outsiders." However, they also propose a drastic change in the MSA funding structure. According to an essay written in the November 19th issue of the Michigan Independent, Nicholas Kirk, Party Chair, wrote the following:

"We at the Victors Party propose a solution to this problem of MSA handing out wads of cash to any student who knows how to work the system: refundable MSA fees or filling out a form to make sure that certain groups that you do not wish to give your money to do not receive it. What does this accomplish? It causes all those groups who get money that nobody ever hears from stop receiving money...So then these other, lesser groups will be forced either to raise money on their own, do what they can with what money is left over, or cease to exist. It is time MSA stopped being an ATM for all the marginal groups on campus." Kirk is also President of the U-M chapter of the College Republicans, and despite repeated attempts by the Review was unavailable for comment.

The Victors Party also proposes to review the printing fee currently enforced by the Information Technology Division (ITD), and states that it is committed to working for the student body as a whole.

And of course, there are those who, for a plethora of reasons, decided to run as independents. Out of the 28 independent candidates, 2 are running in Medicine, 2 are running in Social Work, 1 each from Rackham, Education, and Music, 3 in Engineering, and an astounding 17 in LSA.

Many felt disgusted with the current party system. Independent candidate Gary Zhao responded that "I am running for MSA as an independent because I feel that the assembly is currently being plagued by the party system." One of Zhao's proposals is that candidates who are elected to the party must drop their party affiliations as a requirement to serve. Zhao also is opposed to wasteful spending by the Assembly, calling the current spending "extravagant." "Are the lobbying trips to Washington really effective? And how much exactly are they costing the students? Those numbers should be published." Zhao emphasized.

Andy Schor, currently a MSA representative from LSA who is seeking re-election, said that "After running with the Michigan and Wolverine Parties (even as a Presidential candidate) I have found that parties are not necessary and that they, in fact, hinder good government." Schor decried the Michigan Party as "an election machine." and said that "Even the members of that party will agree in private."

Unlike many candidates running for the Assembly, Schor supports the Assembly's lobbying actions in Washington and Lansing. "I feel that the student efforts in the time of the proposed budget cuts lead for the cuts to be withdrawn and the President to veto them." Schor stated.

Schor has served on the External Relations Committee of the Assembly for two years, one year as Federal Liasion and for one term as Chair.

While Schor supports the general MSA fee increase, he does not support the fee increase for Project SERVE and the BVN, calling the proposal "stupid."

"If we pass this, then there will be a rush of student groups who will do the same thing. While they are all good and important groups, this will cause the fee increase to be much bigger than the students really want." Schor said.

Some independents support the proposals to increase fees unequivocably. Independent candidates James Therkalsen said that "Paying one or two dollars extra won't hurt any particular student, but the revenue that would be gained on (the) whole could have quite an impace on the University."

And then, there are those who not only support the proposals to raise student fees unequivocably but also support much more drastic measures.

"We see the most important issues on campus as the fight against racism, sexism, and anti-lesbian gay (sic) bigotry on campus. Our campus has been growing increasingly racist, sexist, and elitist." said independent candidate Jessica Marley, who is running on the unofficial "Voice for Black Freedom and Student Power Slate." The Voice slate is made up of six individuals running as independents in LSA.

If elected, "The Voice Slate will use our positions as MSA reps to organize students to fight back against the racist and sexist attacks, and the racist and sexist atmosphere...by blowing the lid on all the atrocities the administration would like to keep buried, and then by organizing mass demos (sic), protests, and building takeovers, to challenge the U-M Administration for control of a University that they have given us every proof that they are unfit to run." Marley said.

The expanded pool of candidates and parties may lead to a greater turnout in voting. Angie Blake, Elections Director for MSA, felt that there would be an upswing in student interest this election. "I think the large pool of candidates will probably increase voter turnout by approximately 2,000 votes. Traditionally, U-M has had a turnout of around 10%. I think there will be a noticeable increase this semester." If Blake's prediction is on target, the MSA election turnout could reach around 16-17%.

Blake also stated that MSA would be prepared to compensate for a larger turnout at the ballot box this term by extending hours at polling sites and supplying those sites with more ballots. "We have extended the times of some major poll sites this election. For example, Pierpont Commons, EECS, and Dow will be open almost all day Wed. and Thurs. (on) North Campus. Central Campus (sites) at South Quad and West Quad have been open only during the dinner hours in the past, and will now be open from early afternoon through evening."

During last election, some students complained poll workers were rude, but Blake was confident that poll workers would be pleasant. "The poll workers are largely members of student groups on campus. They are people who want to support their student organizations and help MSA with the elections. A significant amount of these poll workers have been involved in previous years, and are familiar with the process. I am certain that they will provide appropriate service to the voters."

When asked about the current state of the Assembly, Michigan Party member and MSA President Fiona Rose said that she felt "the partisanship (of the Assembly) has significantly dissipated" and that her "main focus is NOT to promote one party over another."

Rose denied that she and MSA Vice President Probir Mehta are at odds over the proposed student fee funding increase referenda. "Probir and I are not at odds. He has expressed support for the referenda being allowed on the ballot - meaning, he believes that students should have the right to vote on these issues. The Assembly as a whole has not taken a position on the funding increases: just because we allow the questions to be on the ballot does not mean we support them wholesale." Rose did state that "It is true that I support funding increases," saying that the budget has nowhere near enough money to fully fund student groups.

Rose concluded her remarks by saying "As regards campus governance, we stand at the dawn of a renaissance." To be sure, time will tell whether the Assembly plays a greater role in campus affairs and gains widespread respect from students and the Administration, or continues to be the object of scorn and ridicule for many on campus. However, students on campus certainly have the chance to make their voice heard, and with so many candidates running on so many platforms, everyone will be able to find someone running who holds views somewhat similar to their own. For many, that will be a nice change from a certain much larger election held recently. MR