Students set meeting tone

By Anna Clark

Daily Staff Reporter

With an unusually strong student presence at the University Board of Regents meeting yesterday, the regents received input on many issues affecting campus.

From Michigan Student Assembly members interested in expressing their views about the Code of Student Conduct to students representing the two sit-in demonstrations on campus, more than 30 students crammed the Regents Room in the Fleming Administration Building yesterday afternoon.

MSA President Bram Elias and MSA Student Rights Commission Chairman Abe Rafi brought their proposed amendments to the Code before the regents for discussion.

Rafi said the general theory behind the proposed amendments, which MSA recently approved unanimously, was to make the Code more "University inclusive."

"The students need to be more of a focus," Rafi said.

Elias pointed out that it is difficult for students to use the Code if they have concerns about faculty behavior. "As it stands now, faculty and staff can easily charge a student under the Code, but it's complicated and difficult for a student to charge a faculty or staff member."

University President Lee Bollinger said he had doubts over how crucial the issue was.

"I don't know of any requests for ways to address the misconduct of faculty-staff," he said. "We simply haven't encountered such claims."

Elias and Rafi also said they wanted to increase student knowledge about the Code, make the Code procedures more public and separate Code repercussions from civil and criminal penalties.

Elias and Rafi said a meeting is scheduled between MSA and the Senate Assembly Committee on University Affair's Civil Liberties Board today to discuss formalizing the proposed amendments to the Code to officially bring before the regents.

Elias said the CLB has examined possible changes to the Code as well. "It seems that MSA and SACUA's CLB, working separately, thought along the same lines," Elias said.

The regents commended the students for their work and input on the issue.

"You should feel very good about our questions and discussion," Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor) told Elias and Rafi. "It shows we're interested in working with you on this."

Numerous students utilized the public comments section of the meeting to address major issues currently affecting campus, including Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality's occupation of LSA Dean Shirley Neuman's office and the Students of Color Coalition's seizure of the Michigamua meeting space on the seventh floor of the Michigan Union.

Bollinger initiated public comments by reading an official statement concerning Michigamua.

"We do not believe that occupation is the way to resolve issues within the University," Bollinger said. "Under our principles it is clear that student organizations must not be recognized or de-recognized, or suffer any other penalty, because the ideas they espouse or beliefs they adhere to are offensive, or even dangerous, to our community."

Bollinger went on to say that the issue of space allocation among student organizations will be addressed, and to emphasize that actions that cause cultural offense or hurt are "not acceptable in a University that values and fosters diversity."

Several members of the SCC an the Black Student Union delivered their thoughts on the situation to the regents.

"Michigamua violates the rights of native people and, in fact, all people," said Joe Reilly, co-chairman of the Native American Student Association. "We've tried to educate them, but now we're forced to take actions into our own hands."

Reilly said he understands the concept of free speech, but he disagrees with it.

"I don't accept (free speech) as a reason that my culture can continue to be degraded at a public university."

LSA junior Sabrina Charles, from BSU, said Michigamua is an example of how the University is neglecting needs of student of color.

"There has been a lack of adequate response to the changing landscape at the University," she said.

LSA sophomore Monique Gifford, from Black Folx Productions, said the lack of response from the administration has resulted in her "almost total distrust of those who run the University."

"If the neglect continues, we'll be left with no choice but to look for outside support," she said.

Michigamua member Nick Delgado, an LSA senior, addressed the regents after the criticism of his group.

"Michigamua encourages students to enhance the University community by upholding the fundamental ideals of leadership and service, friendship and loyalty, and humility," he said.

Delgado said Michigamua "sincerely and deeply apologizes to members of the Native American and University communities to whom these actions have caused offense." He said that while actions of the past cannot be forgotten, the present members of Michigamua are committed to working with the Native American community and University administration to prevent past errors from occurring again.

Delgado said Michigamua are willing to renovate their office to rid it of offensive items. He proposed an advisory committee composed of Michigamua members, University students, administrators and NASA members to discuss the Michigamua's use of the seventh floor of the Union.

Addressing SOLE's occupation of Neuman's office LSA junior Peter Romer-Freidman, a group member, told the regents about the Worker Rights Consortium, a student developed labor policy for the collegiate apparel industry.

SOLE members are demanding that the University endorse the WRC, making the University the first large school in the nation to support the policy.

"More than enough time has passed" for the University to consider the WRC, he said. "It's important to recognize that the WRC is a viable mechanism for change." "We do not believe that occupation is the way to resolve issues within the University," Bollinger said. "Under our principles it is clear that student organizations must not be recognized or de-recognized, or suffer any other penalty, because the ideas they espouse or beliefs they adhere to are offensive, or even dangerous, to our community."

Bollinger went on to say that space allocation for student organizations will be addressed, and he emphasized that actions causing cultural offense are "not acceptable in a University that values and fosters diversity."

Members of the SCC and the Black Student Union delivered their thoughts on the situation to the regents.

"Michigamua violates the rights of native people and, in fact, all people," said Joe Reilly, co-chairman of the Native American Student Association. "We've tried to educate them, but now we're forced to take actions into our own hands." Reilly said he understands the concept of free speech but disagrees with it. "I don't accept it as a reason that my culture can continue to be degraded at a public university."

LSA junior Sabrina Charles, a member of BSU, said the University is neglecting needs of student of color. "There has been a lack of adequate response to the changing landscape at the University," she said.

LSA sophomore Monique Gifford, from Black Folx Productions, said the lack of response from the administration has resulted in her "almost total distrust of those who run the University."

"If the neglect continues, we'll be left with no choice but to look for outside support," she said.

Michigamua member Nick Delgado, an LSA senior, addressed the regents after the criticism of his group.

"Michigamua encourages students to enhance the University community by upholding the fundamental ideals of leadership and service, friendship and loyalty, and humility," he said.

Delgado said Michigamua "sincerely and deeply apologizes to members of the Native American and University communities to whom these actions have caused offense." He said that while actions of the past cannot be forgotten, the present members of Michigamua are committed to working with the Native American community and University administration to prevent past errors from occurring again.

Delgado said Michigamua is willing to renovate its office to rid it of offensive items. He proposed an advisory committee composed of Michigamua members, University students, administrators and NASA members to discuss the Michigamua's use of the seventh floor of the Union.

DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily

Michigamua spokesman Nick Delgado addresses the University Board of Regents at its meeting yesterday in the Fleming Administration Building.