As the school year begins, a young ASMSU assembly has a full agenda that includes a concert lineup and encouraging MSU students to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
The majority of the organization’s board members are underclassmen looking to utilize their youth to establish long-term goals for the association.
ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.
“We saw the pros and cons of last year’s assembly and now we know what direction we want to take this year’s assembly,” said Garrett Faulk, Student Assembly vice chairperson for internal affairs.
“We are younger, and therefore we are able to stay in our positions longer and we can make more long-term goals. We are all learning at the same rate, so no one feels superior.”
The biggest item on ASMSU’s agenda for the fall semester is its iVote campaign, which will include a concert Sept. 25 at Breslin Center.
With a $225,000 budget for the event, ASMSU plans to put on “the biggest event of its kind ever” at MSU, said Kyle Dysarz, Student Assembly vice chairperson for external affairs.
The free concert, open only to students, will feature performances from rapper Nas and the alternative rock band Brand New.
“Most people would normally pay at least $40 to attend a concert like the one we are hosting for the student body,” Dysarz said.
ASMSU will give out free tickets to students from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 8 at the rock on Farm Lane.
Students will be required to present a valid MSU student ID to get tickets.
After the one-day promotion at the rock, students can pick up their ticket from the Breslin Center ticket office.
“We had some money left over from past years, and with our budget this year we really wanted to take that money and give it back to the students,” Student Assembly Chairperson Michael Webber said.
The concert also will feature a student organization fair that will provide students with political information and encourage them to vote.
Another issue that the student government plans to deal with this year includes the revocation of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s honorary law degree.
Mugabe was issued an honorary degree by MSU 18 years ago but has since been criticized for his reputation as a ruthless dictator.
Although ASMSU has no official say or voting power, it has been working in conjunction with the Honorary Degree Committee, the MSU Board of Trustees and MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon to strip Mugabe of his degree.
“Based on his political and personal actions and what he stands for, we feel that he is not a good representation of MSU,” Webber said.
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