As former student body presidents of MSU, we are writing in support of re-electing candidate Faylene Owen for MSU trustee . In a position which has ultimate control over the direction and policies of the institution, we feel it is essential that members of the university community understand not only why it is important to vote in the trustee election, but to know who they are voting for and why.
Each of us has served in a capacity representing the student body to the Board of Trustees as presidents of the Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU). ASMSU is MSU’s all-university undergraduate student government. Elected by representatives from the student body, this role included several meetings with trustees throughout the year, as well as an ex-officio seat on the board.
During our respective time in office, Trustee Owen has proven to be singularly dedicated to the student body, the university’s primary stakeholders. She has showed unwavering support for the student government, as well as countless student organizations, and has a keen interest in student perspectives.
MSU Trustee Owen has been a board member of MSU Safe Place, a support and advocacy office for relationship violence, which, among many services, provides free and confidential emergency shelter and counseling to survivors of violence. She has also been nationally recognized for her work with the Lester and Jewell Morris Hillel Jewish Student Center. Her passionate work in public affairs earned her an appointment to the Commission on White House Fellowships, by President Bill Clinton.
She goes above and beyond her formal responsibilities as MSU trustee by developing personal relationships with students, supporting their initiatives, advising them, and hosting them regularly at her home. She has been immeasurably helpful to ASMSU and the organized voice of students in university affairs. She treats each student with as much interest and compassion as she would her own children.
Trustee Owen’s primary challenger, Melanie Foster, does not have a similar record. As a former MSU trustee, Foster was by and large dismissive of student concerns, and the initiatives of ASMSU. Despite her statewide endorsements, the endorsement that matters most is that of the students. Foster time and again was cavalier to the endeavors of the student government.
In contrast, Trustee Owen is the only board member over the years to have intimately worked beside students and stood with them when others were indifferent. Trustee Owen takes the time to meet with various student constituency groups, and address their concerns at the board level. She actually values the input from the student body, and regards it as crucial to all decisions made for the university. Unfortunately, based on our experiences and interaction with the trustees, the same cannot be said about Foster.
Foster also supports an admission policy that “overwhelmingly favors Michigan citizens” while at the same time touts a platform of keeping tuition affordable. Out-of-state and international students pay more than double in-state students, and heavily subsidize the cost of tuition for Michigan residents. Put simply, diversity of student residency helps curb tuition hikes. In 2012 MSU had the single highest resident student population, at 81 percent compared to the 65 percent average, in the Big Ten. In other words, MSU already overwhelmingly favors Michigan citizens and has the most homogeneous student population among its peer institutions, despite steady tuition increases and diminishing state and federal funding.
As people who care deeply about the institution and its students, we think voters should know what these candidates stand for, and their records on interacting with the student body. Despite all the rhetoric, Trustee Owen is the only candidate on the ballot who’s interests align with the student body at large.
Michael Webber was the Student Assembly chairperson of ASMSU from 2008 to 2009. Kyle Dysarz was the Student Assembly chairperson of ASMSU from 2009 to 2010. Evan Martinak was the ASMSU president from 2012 to 2014. Kiran Samra was the ASMSU president in 2014.
