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GEO interrupts regents meeting

While the University Board of Regents conducted its monthly business meeting Friday, 16 sign-carrying members of the Graduate Employees Organization circled the perimeter of the seating gallery.

The group remained silent for most of the hourlong meeting. Then members interrupted, wanting to address the board directly. When University President James Duderstadt continued with the business agenda, the picketers shouted unanswered questions to the board, and then left the Regents'[[pi]] Room at the Fleming Administration Building.

"We are wondering why you are not concerned with GEO," shouted Alejandra Marchevsky, one of the protesters.

"On behalf of the GEO members, we are concerned this does not seem important to you," Marchevsky continued, as GEO members walked out of the meeting.

Duderstadt told the protesters that the regents' business meeting was not the proper place to discuss their frustration with the negotiation process.

"I can assure you it is of great concern to the officers and the regents of the University," Duderstadt said.

Regent Philip Power (D-Ann Arbor) said negotiations are occurring through the proper University channels.

"The key point is the negotiations are taking place through the ordinary process of collective bargaining," Power said.

Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor) said the regents are not directly involved in GEO's negotiation process.

"There is a very specific forum for them to express their views, and that's the bargaining table," Baker said.

Power said the regents are "aware of this matter and regard it with appropriate concern. ... The regents shouldn't do collective bargaining."

Both Power and Baker said the protesters' presence was not distracting to the meeting. "They have every right to be here," Power said.

After leaving the meeting, Marchevsky said she was disappointed her group was not allotted time to express its views.

"We had hoped there would be a space to speak," Marchevsky said. "We in fact did not see it as an interruption. We saw it as an open forum."

On Thursday, the regents allowed time for public comments at their meeting in Dearborn. Two GEO members, including President Scott Dexter, spoke at that time.

Before Friday's meeting, GEO member and comparative literature doctoral candidate Monika Cassel described the group's presence as "an informational picket."

Cassel, who also addressed the regents the day before, said she was impressed with the attention and courtesy the regents gave her at that time.

The University's negotiations with GEO have been occurring since Oct. 31. The contract talks have been extended until March 20.

-- Daily Staff Reporter Jodi Cohen contributed to this report.