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Law School acts to ease community tensions

In the wake of racial tensions within the University's Law School, the school's faculty and administration are adopting three resolutions in an attempt to help remedy the community's concerns.

The resolutions include creating a search committee to find a successor for Student Services Associate Dores McCree, creating a committee to assess the educational environment of the Law School, and agreeing to faculty participation in discussion groups.

The problems culminated in a written racial attack against assistant Law Prof. Lance Jones during spring break. This act prompted an "open faculty meeting" in which students voiced concerns directly to the faculty and administration.

During this meeting the Ad Hoc Committee on Issues of Race, Gender and Sexuality presented four proposals, which include hiring a director of diversity, creating a Standing Committee on Educational Environment, conducting an independent, outside review of the Law School, and hiring more minority faculty.

The committee then asked faculty to participate in an open roll call to gauge faculty support for the proposals. A faculty meeting was held after the committee submitted the roll call ballots.

"The faculty meeting was long and frank about general issues confronting students of color," said Law Associate Dean Kent Syverud. "Many of the faculty viewed these resolutions as a response to the open roll call."

The roll call ballots were tallied Monday and revealed only mixed faculty support for the proposals.

In a statement released from the meeting, faculty and administration agreed that, "The University of Michigan Law School is a great institution that has improved and must continue to improve, and we as a faculty have a responsibility to make it improve. We accept that responsibility."

At the meeting, the faculty adopted resolutions that included creating two committees. The first is a search committee to find a successor for McCree, whose duties include helping students with career placement and acting as a student adviser.

Faculty and students agree that McCree, who plans to retire this summer, has been particularly helpful to minority students in these areas.

Law School Dean Jeffrey Lehman said McCree is "an invaluable participant in the Law School's efforts on behalf of students of color."

"Students of color, like all of us, respect her judgment and find her a ready source of information," Lehman said.

Law second-year student Lauren Francis said she believes replacing McCree is important to the Law School community.

"I think that Dores McCree played a huge role here," Frances said. "Replacing her is pertinent."

The second committee, which will be composed of students, faculty, administrators and staff, will assess the educational environment of the Law School.

"I expect this committee to consult widely within and outside the Law School community, and to suggest further mechanisms for exploring the full range of issues relating to our institutional climate," said Law Dean Jeffrey Lehman in a written statement to students.

Syverud said the committee plans to specifically look at race issues.

"The role of the committee is to do what is requested by the ad hoc committee," he said.

Law School spokesperson Catherine Cureton said she believes the formation of this committee will benefit the school.

"It's real important that the students, faculty and staff have the opportunity to come together," Cureton said. "It's hard to see how there isn't going to be value."

Faculty members also agreed to participate in discussion groups, which were proposed by Law School Student Senate President Allison Lowery.

These groups are a "mechanism by which faculty and students can come together in an informal, small group atmosphere to discuss the racial climate of the Law School," Lowery said.

The goals of these groups include encouraging discussion between students and faculty outside the classroom, encouraging discussion about race and giving an opportunity to discuss proposals and suggestions about racial issues in an informal, non-binding atmosphere. Lowery said she plans to include students from the minority affairs program in these groups.

Lehman said the resolutions adopted at the meeting are important to improving the Law School.

"I think they begin constructive conversation," he said yesterday in an interview with The Michigan Daily. "It's important for faculty and students to carry the conversation."

Law first-year student David Lange echoed Lehman's opinion and said the recent actions of students and faculty are a good step.

"I think it's good that they've started a connective dialogue," Lange said. "It's definitely brought a lot of the issues out in the open."