Public policy senior Domonique Clemons, president of the associated students, addresses the policy committee at the ASMSU meeting on Sept. 24, 2015 in the Student Affairs and Services building. He said that he hopes to use the skills gained during his time at ASMSU to work in local or state government in Michigan.
The Associated Students of Michigan State University's 52nd Session has come to end, as ASMSU met for the last time Thursday night.
Elections for the 53rd Session's general assembly are taking place this week. Students can vote for up to four existing or write-in candidates of their choice to represent their college at ASMSU, depending on the size of the college's student population. The elections will close Sunday at noon, with results coming at some point during the following two days.
“It's an opportunity to continue to get more involved… I can represent my college on the general assembly and do my best to give back to the MSU community,” physics junior Ian Darling, who is running to represent the College of Natural Science, said. This is his first time running for an ASMSU position.
While voter turnout has been a concern in past ASMSU elections, vice president for internal administration Jason Porter said this year’s vote totals have already eclipsed last year’s elections.
“As of the numbers that we got around noon on Thursday, there were over 1,500 (votes),” Jason Porter said. “Last year’s (total was) 1,264.”
ASMSU’s Office of the President for next year will be elected internally by members of ASMSU’s 53rd general assembly following the conclusion of representative elections.
As all positions are one-year terms, all incumbents will have to run for their seat again.
President and public policy senior Domonique Clemons, vice president for finance and operations and finance senior Calvin Manitowabi, and chief of staff and marketing senior Anna Hogg will graduate at the end of this semester. Current vice president for student allocations and agricultural business junior Sam Terzich has been hired to replace Hogg.
A list of nominees for the president and vice president positions will be revealed April 12, following the conclusion of representative elections.
The representatives of the 53rd Session will assemble for the first time April 14, preceded by a presidential debate moderated by Clemons on April 13, both starting at 7 p.m.
Representatives will meet on April 20 to vote on next year’s budget, president, vice president for academic affairs and vice president for finance and operations. They will meet again on April 21 to elect the vice president for governmental affairs, vice president for internal administration and vice president for student allocations.
“There’s still a ton of work that needs to be done, I think, especially on sexual assault, especially on mental health and especially on diversity and inclusion, and those are the big things I hope I see the assembly next year continuing to work on,” Clemons said. “We have elections coming up and I don’t know who will be in those places, but I am hoping it will be someone that will be strong and be able to take ASMSU even further.”
Votes for your college's ASMSU representative or representatives can be cast here. A list of candidates and their biographies can be found here.
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