Following a year where members of ASMSU's Academic Assembly jokingly referred to an initiative to add candy to the business office as "the best thing we've done all year," student government officials laid out their plans for this year.

Student Assembly Chairperson Andrew Schepers said the Student Assembly will look to gain publicity through on-campus events centered on the upcoming presidential election.

"We're working to get celebrities or politicians in a roundtable discussion for students before the election," Schepers said.

He envisioned something similar to a Michael Moore vs. the Rev. Jerry Falwell open-debate with students to inspire voting.

ASMSU held a voter registration drive at Party at the Aud on Saturday that yielded about 150 new registered voters, but was hampered by technical problems with the Secretary of State's Mobile Branch Office that shifted registration to written forms rather than electronic.

MSU's undergraduate student government plans another voter registration drive during the Notre Dame football game Sept. 18.

Student Assembly Vice Chairperson Andrew Bell said his assembly will work to highlight student issues for the election.

"Students aren't an important voting demographic," he said. "We are working to bring student issues to the forefront."

Shepers also said ASMSU needs to focus on its problem of filling non-traditional seats on Student Assembly.

Academic Assembly Chairperson Dan Weber said he plans to get students involved in the MSU community

"If students say they don't want something, and it passes anyway, it looks really bad for the faculty," he said.

ASMSU also plans to have a larger role in the college reorganization plans, led by President-designate Lou Anna Simon.

"With the president leaving and the president-designate taking over with the revision plan, they have to make sure they connect to us," Schepers said. "Without them connecting to us, it will be a huge downfall."

Weber said because college reorganization plans go directly though Academic Governance, students will be heard.

"With all students being able to apply to Academic Governance, we hope to get strong student involvement with 'Realizing the Vision,'" he said.

Academic Assembly External Vice Chairperson Vinay Prasad said he plans to highlight academic dishonesty.

Recent crackdowns through allmsu.com echo Prasad's plans to focus on academic integrity. He suggested having ASMSU proctor exams to curb cheating.

For students to make curricular changes and get more funding in their colleges, they need to push for representation within MSU's undergraduate student government, he said.

"The more people we have, the more ideas we have," Prasad said. "It's a diversity of ideas that makes us who we are."