ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, passed a resolution supporting the creation of an Office for Veteran’s Affairs on-campus during its general assembly meeting on Thursday.
ASMSU President Evan Martinak announced at the start of the meeting that the office was inaugurated on Thursday and is located in the basement of the Student Services basement.
“I’m glad we’re moving in the right direction,” Martinak said, noting that ASMSU has been previously advocating and supporting the establishment of the office.
Introducer of the bill Evan Schrage said the office is still empty and in need of furnishing, adding that it still needed a lot of help to function.
The general assembly also passed a bill to support and advocate for House Joint Resolution W, which would increase the Michigan sales tax by one percent.
Schrage, who is the seconder of the bill, said the resolution is a chance for students to have lower tuition.
“We’re here to advocate for students and (the resolution) is clearly directed towards benefitting students,” Business College representative Christie Teske said.
Alliance of Queer and Ally Students representative Colin Weidbrecht was against the bill and said his main concern is the negative effect the tax increase would have on low-income families.
“Sales tax is regressive, so it’s going to affect lower income families the most,” Weidbrecht said, explaining that the one percent increase would take up a large portion of their income.
Schrage said the increase would on the long run have lesser effect on low-income families, since, if their kids go to college, they would graduate with a large student debt.
The bill was introduced and initially passed during the ASMSU policy committee meeting on Oct. 24.
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