One month and counting

Allocation policies to be reviewed

By Jeannie Baumann

Daily Staff Reporter

In reaction to the Students of Color Coalition's protest of Michigamua and its use of the Michigan Union tower, University President Lee Bollinger announced plans Feb. 25 to form an administrative committee to look into the current policies and practices of space allocations for student groups.

"Space allocation is a serious and important question for the University. Office facilities on our campus are at a premium, and it is important for us to examine whether space is currently being allocated in a manner that is fair and equitable to all student organizations," Bollinger said in an e-mail message that he sent to the entire University community.

Interim Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper will select three senior administrators from the 19 University schools and colleges, according to the e-mail.

These administrators will examine the way the University currently allocates space and make recommendations before the end of the semester. After the committee submits its recommendations, the University will make a decision about the allocation and function of any exclusively used space, including the Union tower.

Bollinger said the committee plans to hold public forums to discuss the issue with members of the University community.

But SCC spokesman Joe Reilly said Bollinger's response was inadequate.

"It skirted around the real issues of racism and the institutional support of racism and focused on office space," Reilly said. "It's a crafty attempt to look like the issues are being taken care of when they're not even being addressed."

Bollinger said Saturday that if the University forced Michigamua to change any of its practices, such an implementation would infringe the group's First Amendment right to free speech.

"I'm skeptical about the use of administrative power to control student organizations with respect to their beliefs and practices surrounding those beliefs," he said. "We, as a University, have our values. One of them is respect for others. We understand the importance of avoiding stereotypes that marginalize or injure members of the community. But that value does not entitle us as a University to forbid others for holding those beliefs."

Michigamua spokesman Nick Delgado said he was already acclimated to the idea of a panel. "Conceptually, it's going to be a fair and equitable process and that's what we've been hoping the entire time," he said.

But Reilly said he believes the administrative panel cannot be neutral.

"The tower societies have had a long history at the University," he said. "The only way a panel could make a clear decision is if it came from a neutral party."

Bollinger said Reilly's accusations are false. "If it were taken as true, it renders us incapable as an institution to deal with this in any way. It would also lead us into a hopeless situation," Bollinger said.

Michigan Student Assembly Vice President Andy Coulouris said he is glad Bollinger has attempted to address the University community but he hopes the panel is not an administrative ploy to placate the SCC. The responsibility of space allocation for student groups had been contested between MSA and University administration.

"It is positive that the administration is owning up to the issue. I'm proud of the work that MSA and SCC has done to put the pressure back on the administration where it belongs," he said.

Bollinger also said the argument that Michigamua is not an average student group because of its close ties with administrators is a dangerous path to follow.

"Many student organizations have different connections with the University through faculty advising with special kinds of relationships with administration. We must be very careful before we make that the basis for foregoing the rights of students to associate as they wish," he said.

SCC members met with Bollinger on Friday but failed to reach a resolution. "The president wants us to leave the tower. We want to leave the tower. But we need an assurance that the University will follow through on the 1989 agreement," Reilly said.

Specifically, Reilly said SCC demands Michigamua to change their name. He sent a letter to Delgado yesterday requesting a response today in regards to Michigamua changing its name. Delgado said Michigamua members are discussing this issue but have not been able to fully convene due to spring break.

He added that Michigamua has made efforts to remove any items degrading to Native American culture but SCC members need to contact them to tell them what is degrading.

"I'm not saying they're not hurt, but there has to be a point where the has to be some kind of explanation. If you stop a process because someone tells you but you don't understand it, that's not really healthy."