ASMSU to set criteria for new scholarship

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Members of ASMSU’s Academic and Student assemblies hope to work out the details Thursday for a bill that would finance two scholarships totaling $66,000.

ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

Under the current proposal, ASMSU would contribute a total of $66,000 to create a new scholarship and also contribute to the university’s Spartan Scholarship Challenge, which matches $1 for every $2 spent on creating new endowed scholarships. ASMSU’s new scholarship tentatively is titled New Culture of Leadership Scholarship.

With two weeks left in Student Assembly’s 46th session, Eric Branoff, Student Assembly vice chairperson for external affairs, said the organization wants to finalize the new scholarship’s criteria so newly elected members will have a chance to work on it throughout the summer.

“It is ideal to get it done this session — in the next two weeks — and use the last general assembly meeting to vote on it,” Branoff said.

The Spartan Scholarship Challenge would receive $20,000 and result in an endowment of $30,000. The remaining $46,000 would go toward financing the New Culture of Leadership Scholarship.

The university would set the criteria for The Spartan Scholarship Challenge, leaving ASMSU officials with the job of creating criteria for their own scholarship, ASMSU Spokesperson Portia McKenzie said.

“They will be going over the voice ASMSU wants in the scholarship,” McKenzie said.

“They’re looking at it in terms of GPA and what that should be. They’re going over it with a fine tooth comb.”

Thursday’s meeting will be different from most because members from each assembly will have an opportunity to comment in a forum outside of General Assembly. Academic Assembly Chairperson Kristy Currier said the nature of the scholarships called for an expanded presence in the earlier stages.

“We wanted to make sure the entire organization is on the process,” Currier said.

“Students in general are welcome to sit in. This is everyone’s scholarship, paid for by tax dollars.”

Some students, such as animal science freshman Amanda Schlagel, think the criteria should favor high-performing students.

“They’ve shown they’re willing to work for it,” Schlagel said.

No-preference freshman Kristy Morell said she wanted to see elements involving student government or other community service aspects represented in the scholarship.

“You need a well-rounded student,” Morell said.

“Academics aren’t everything. Well-rounded students are more apt to succeed in the world.”

Academic Assembly representative Justin Epstein said he wants the scholarship to be as inclusive as possible without being too open. Epstein, who represents the Eli Broad College of Business, said if the average grade-point average of the undergraduate student population is 3.1, he would like to see the bar set at 3.0.

“In my personal opinion, we shouldn’t exclude the majority of the student body,” Epstein said.

“We can’t open up to everyone because then we would have too many applications. I think a 3 is a fair mark … so the average student can apply.”

Epstein said it was important to look at the entirety of a student before deciding whether he or she is a viable candidate.

“We’re here for school and grades,” he said.

“At the same time, it is important to take into consideration extracurricular activities, leadership and a student’s financial background.”

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