Now that Student Assembly members have spent time changing ASMSU internally, new Student Assembly Chairperson Andrew Schepers said he is looking toward a "horizon" of university changes.
"Some of these are long-term goals, but you won't get anywhere if you don't start right there on the front lines," he said.
Schepers spoke Thursday night, when he ran unopposed for a chair position of MSU's undergraduate student government. Patty Smith was named vice chairperson for internal affairs at the meeting.
Schepers, formerly the vice chairperson for internal affairs, introduced plans to bring ASMSU lawyers into residence halls and to build community on campus and within the organization.
"Without that community, there's no way we can be effective for all of you," he said.
Schepers discussed a new student center as a way for ASMSU members to work together, as well as with their constituents, possibly collaborating with the Council of Racial Ethnic Students and Council of Progressive Students.
He also touched on the Constitutional Committee, which will examine the effectiveness of ASMSU's services, such as legal services and interest-free loans.
"This is a great opportunity to re-evaluate ourselves and what we stand for - where we need to go in the future," Schepers said.
Additionally, he said, the new session of Student Assembly will look at a major overhaul of Programming Board, which funds student events on campus.
"We'll be going through code, figuring out why they cannot have meetings filled with good, sound debate, rather than just giving money away," Schepers said.
In the past, Programming Board has come under fire from ASMSU Comptroller Mike Trudeau and other members who felt the board was giving money out too freely.
Smith, an art and art history senior, said she shared many of the same goals as Schepers.
She defeated James Madison freshman Jordan Polhamus and political science junior Robert Murphy for vice chairperson for internal affairs.
Smith said she envisioned the vice chairperson as being almost a parental figure.
"They're stern when enforcing policies, but an approachable guide," she said.
Smith was a College of Arts & Letters representative before being elected to the position, where she pledged to "improve contact with constituents at every opportunity" and bring voter turnout, which has been about 6 percent in previous years, into double digits.
"I can think of no one I would have rather lost to," said Murphy, who will remain a College of Social Science representative.
The assembly closed all debate to everyone but voting members and chairs, with members citing the debate as being a personnel matter that does not have to be discussed in public.
For more information, visit http://asmsu.msu.edu.
