Hundreds of students attempted to capture the essence of the '60s and '70s social movements as they demonstrated support for affirmative action at the University yesterday.
The National Day of Action, designated by the Rev. Jesse Jackson as a day to support affirmative action nationwide, was celebrated at the University by a rally and march on the Diag, two teach-ins and a sit-in at Angell Hall. Event organizers also encouraged students to skip classes for the day.
The day hit close to home at the University in light of two lawsuits filed against the University last fall that target its use of race in its admissions policies.
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After the morning teach-in, Pimentel stood before 250 students who gathered on the Diag to rally for affirmative action. Pimentel described affirmative action as "the last game of the Civil Rights Movement that is still standing."
Pimentel said that although his classes at the Law School were not cancelled, his professors accommodated students by offering audio and video tapes of missed lectures to students who participated in the day's events.
"I think we have had a great showing of the school," Pimentel said. "The people are really listening to the speakers here at the rally and at the teach-in."
University officials said no classes were officially cancelled for the events. But several professors and graduate student instructors offered alternatives for students who missed classes yesterday.
History GSI Alice Ritscherle said she encouraged her class to attend the sit-in to learn more about how diversity affects the campus.
"I am going to let students make up their own minds," Ritscherle said. "I think it's an unusual case where a lot of different interest groups have come together and listened to each other seriously."
About 20 high school students from Ann Arbor Huron High School and Detroit's Cass Technical High School, several of whom spoke at the rally, came to campus to take part in the day's events.
Alianza Co-chair Diana Derige said yesterday's demonstration in support of affirmative action should not be limited to one day.
"We need to think ahead and show our solidarity together," said Derige, an LSA junior. "The plight of minority students on campus goes beyond affirmative action."
After the rally, nearly 250 students marched through campus, crammed into the Angell Hall Fishbowl area and staged a sit-in. Students sat on the floor for three hours to hear testimonials about how affirmative action, racism and diversity have impacted the campus.
Organizers said they were pleased with the number of students who took part in the day's events.
"I'm really impressed with the turnout. I think it's obvious that a lot of people support affirmative action and are willing to miss a day of class," said Law first-year student Meera Deo, a member of United for Affirmative Action.
Engineering sophomore Robert Green said he was impressed with the diversity of the crowd that attended the sit-in.
"We need to take a stand as students," Green said. "Awesome turnout, but there could be many more."
LSA junior Kevin Bowman said he had expected more students would have attended the events.
"This is definitely a good start," Bowman said. "I think more people support affirmative action than are here, but you have to start somewhere."
The teach-in held in the Michigan Union Ballroom attracted nearly 175 people and featured an address about the Civil Rights Movement by history and African and Afroamerican studies Prof. Jeanne Theoharis and two panels of speakers.
The first panel featured professors speaking about constitutional law, class-based affirmative action and political and social aspects of affirmative action.
"When affirmative action first started in the early 1970s ... it was what was given instead of equal opportunity," said ACLU attorney Marc Rosenbaum.
Students said they had mixed feelings about the day's events. While some students actively participated in the day, others barely noticed the events.
LSA senior Sandra Ruvola said she would have participated in yesterday's events if they had not conflicted with the many midterms scheduled for this week.
Ruvola said she admired the students' activism. She added that the sit-in made it difficult to get to her discussion class in Angell Hall.
"It's great and all," Ruvola said. "What about the students who need to go to class? We have to walk through this whole crowd."
Law third-year student Shana Radcliffe said that encouraging students to skip classes was inappropriate.
"I think it's not the best way to show our support for affirmative action," Radcliffe said. "Maybe it's selfish, but we're (at the University) to go to school."
Law Prof. Lance Jones, who spoke about the Black Action Movements of the 1970s and '80s, urged students to continue the fight to support affirmative action.
"What you are doing by being here is continuing this legacy," Jones said. "So, stay the course, and as we said in BAM I, la lucha continua - that is, the struggle continues."
Law third-year student Mireille Raoul said the teach-in gave students a good opportunity to exchange ideas.
"It's something that we haven't been doing," Raoul said. "To me, it's such an obvious issue in the sense that diversity influences our educational atmosphere."
Engineering senior Rudhir Patel, a member of UAAO, said he was excited about seeing such great support of affirmative action. Patel added that opponents of affirmative action should be intimidated by the intensity students feel toward the issue.
"Today is really to say we will not be ignored as students of color," Patel said. "It shows a collective voice. There is power in a collective voice and power in numbers."
Law first-year student Winnie Kao, a member of United for Affirmative Action, helped organize the event. Kao said students have the ability to raise consciousness nationwide and affect the lawsuits against the University.
"It's important to be apart of a national effort," Kao said. "Students across the board are taking action and showing their commitment."
The day ended with an evening teach-in at Angell Hall, featuring professors Eduardo Bonilla-Silva and Alford Young.
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| (Top) SARA STILLMAN, (Bottom) ALLISON CANTER/Daily Students respond to a speaker during a rally on the Diag (Top) and listen to various speakers in Angell Hall during a teach-in (Bottom) yesterday. The rally and the teach-in were two of the events held on campus for the National Day of Action. |
02-25-98
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