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Face time Jeff Sakwa and Brian Mosallam

April 26, 2012

Come November, Michigan voters will head to the polls, not just to play their part in choosing the next president of the United States, but help shape the future of their public universities.

Current MSU trustees Joel Ferguson and Melanie Foster are up for re-election, and two additional candidates have thrown their hats into the ring for the trustees’ spots.

Democrat Brian Mosallam, a financial adviser for Dearborn-based AXA Advisors, and Republican Jeff Sakwa, a real estate broker from Farmington Hills, Mich., each spent a moment to share what’s on their minds as they vie for a first term on the MSU Board of Trustees.

What is the biggest issue facing college students?

Jeff Sakwa: Rising tuition costs.
Brian Mosallam, via email: Without question, it’s the cost of tuition.

SN: How would you address said issue?

BM: I will scrutinize the budget, understand revenue flow and costs and find ways to decrease the percentage of the budget that comes from tuition.

JS: Line by line, item by item, going through budgets. We’ve got to take it one step at a time. It’s basically like running a business, it is a business — MSU is a big company.

SN: What experience do you have that makes you qualified to sit on the board?

BM: As a financial adviser in my 16th year with over 15 municipalities as clients of mine, I have gained extensive knowledge of understanding budgets, revenue flow (and) employee benefits … You cannot reduce tuition if you do not understand revenue flow or where costs are incurred.

JS: I’ve run my own business since I was pretty much 22 years old. I’ve done many real estate projects. Even through the toughest of times, I’m still standing because I was fiscally responsible. We need to prepare students to get jobs. I think that’s what our universities are set up to do.

SN: Why should Michigan student voters vote for you?

BM: I think because of my youth, the brain drain taking place in Michigan … hit a little closer to home for me. I see it with my siblings and friends who are still paying off their loans. I would support some type of loan forgiveness program — if you stayed and worked in Michigan — or definitely interest-free loans.

JS: They should vote for me because I’m going to give the best value for their tuition dollar and make sure we can compete with every university in the country. I believe the jobs are here. I don’t believe the education is here for every student. We have to attract the best professors … for 21st-century jobs.

SN: Who’s your Spartan?

BM: (Former) coach (and current trustee) George Perles. He was tough on us, but it was out of love. He molded boys into men. I would not be where I’m at if not for MSU and MSU football, and now it’s time to give back.

JS: Tom Izzo. I’ve known him before he was the head coach. What you see is what you get. He creates a family atmosphere for MSU, and I think that he’s brought a lot of pride to our university.

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