Day of action to take place tomorrow

Attempting to rekindle the student activism of the '60s and '70s, a coalition of student groups is organizing campus events for a second National Day of Action in support of affirmative action. The event is scheduled for tomorrow.

The first National Day of Action, held Feb. 24, consisted of sit-ins, rallies and teach-ins. But tomorrow's activities will consist of a rally with speaker Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit chapter of the NAACP, and a march scheduled to begin at noon on the steps of Angell Hall.

At 1:30 p.m., immediately following the march, a mass meeting is planned to discuss a strategy for defending affirmative action.

The student organizations sponsoring the National Day of Action include Academics for Affirmative Action and Social Justice, Alianza, the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary, the Black Student Union and the Native American Student Association.

Students from 40 other colleges across the country, including the University of California at Berkeley, Emory University and Columbia University, are planning to join the movement to defend affirmative action.

Lee Felarca, a member of BAMN, handed out fliers on the Diag yesterday to let students know about the day of action.

Felarca said the first National Day of Action alerted campuses nationwide of the need to speak up and defend affirmative action.

"It's not just a day of action," Felarca said. "This one could truly have a national character."

Felarca said that about eight Law School students in the state of New York called for the second day of action to be held tomorrow.

"This is exactly what we have been looking for," Felarca said. "We are looking to foster a new civil rights movement, not just another demonstration."

Felarca said he expects many University students will attend the day's events.

"There is a lot more recognition coming out as a collective group in support of affirmative action," Felarca said. "We should continue as a campus to help build and lead this national movement."

LSA junior Andrea Holoweiko said she does not see a need to recognize a second National Day of Action, adding that she did not agree with student organizations' encouragement of skipping classes for the day this past February.

"I don't think it's called for in the first place," Holoweiko said. "The University is on their side."

Holoweiko said the issues are already taken very seriously on campus.

"No one sees the other side," Holoweiko said. "It's not helping either side by having a day of action."

BAMN member Adam Lerman said the University's first day of action served as a wake-up call for students around the country to stand up for affirmative action.

"This day of action is a direct result from the other day of action," Lerman said. "People are coming out of the woodwork to be a part of the movement."

Lerman said a delegation of University students plans to travel to college campuses in New York to participate in the events planned for the day.

"I think students are starting to get the sense that this is becoming a part of a national movement," Lerman said.

Rackham student Thomas Guglielmo, a member of Academics for Affirmative Action and Social Justice, said tomorrow's events will be aimed at educating the University about the need for diversity.

"Affirmative action is extremely important and it's under attack nationwide in various different levels of government," Guglielmo said.

03-31-98