With pagers connected to their hips, two newly elected ASMSU’s leaders said they want to be more connected to the student body.

This month, Matt Clayson and Matt Weingarden were elected chairpeople of the undergraduate student government.

Clayson, ASMSU Academic Assembly chairperson, was elected as chairperson for the second year in a row.

“I’ve learned how incredibly tedious it is to make change in this organization,” he said.

Weingarden, ASMSU Student Assembly chairperson, agreed with Clayson as they sat talking at a table in the student government office.

“You want to include everyone’s feedback at the same time, and it’s a really stressful process,” said Weingarden, who was Student Assembly’s 2001-02 internal vice chairperson.

ASMSU’s Academic Assembly members vote on academic, athletic and university policies. Since Clayson has been chairperson, policies such as no classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the library being open 24 hours have begun.

ASMSU’s Student Assembly members vote on how to spend about $1 million of student tax dollars in addition to making city and state policies. Assembly members helped make policies including parking policies and student housing lease ordinances.

Clayson said the diversity of ideas and opinions is the strength of Academic Assembly, but he plans on finding a way to voice those ideas and opinions to the student body throughout the next year.

“It is essential that we foster an understanding of our duties and goals to the student body,” he said.

But as Clayson takes on organization responsibilities day in and day out, he also has another side - his student side.

The 21-year-old said in addition to his “ungodly” amount of homework, he is president of his fraternity.

The Grand Rapids native said he enjoys working because it keeps him busy.

This summer he’s working on the U.S. senate campaign of state Rep. Andrew Raczkowski, R-Farmington Hills, at the Capitol and will work as a restaurant server in Grand Rapids.

Weingarden, 20, said ASMSU Student Assembly has a good mix of new and old members with a lot of energy. But he wants those goals generated by the energy to be connected to the student body.

“We really need the format where students can give feedback instead of assembly members talking endlessly,” he said.

As Weingarden is transitioning and moving into the office he shares with Clayson, he said his life outside the office is busy, including mentoring for three children in Lansing.

“We go to baseball games and hang out,” the Royal Oak native said. “It’s really fun. As university students, we have this privilege that most people don’t have, so it’s really important to get out and help the community.”

The biology and interdisciplinary studies junior also is an intern for state Rep. Dave Woodward, D-Madison Heights, and will work at the Main Library this summer.

Cathy Neuman, assistant director of Student Life, said it takes a good group of assembly members to help lead the organization.

“Matt Clayson is an inclusive leader, so he knows the importance of having several people involved,” she said. “He didn’t have to be the only leader of Academic Assembly - there were many leaders.”

Neuman said she predicts Student Assembly will be more effective this year.

“Matt Weingarden’s strength is that he knows the history of the organization, so they can put things into context about why things are done they way they are,” she said.