Regent candidates lay out agendas

By Lisa Koivu

Daily Staff Reporter

Five of the eight candidates running for a position on the University Board of Regents gathered yesterday afternoon in a forum to discuss where each candidate stands on the issues that will be affecting the board.

Regents Larry Deitch (D-Bloomfield Hills) and Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor) joined Reform Party candidate and University of Michigan at Flint student Nick Waun, Libertarian and SNRE graduate research assistant Tim Maull and Green Party candidate Scott Trudeau, an LSA senior.

Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs President Jackie Lawson began the discussion by informing audience members that the Republican candidates Wendy Anderson and Susy Avery declined the invitation to attend.

"I regret to announce that the two Republican candidates have withdrawn from the forum," Lawson said. "They confirmed weeks ago but suddenly withdrew."

Each candidate had one minute to answer questions, most of which audience members wrote. The first question, written by SACUA members, asked the candidates to state their positions on affirmative action.

Deitch, McGowan and Trudeau agreed that affirmative action is a necessary policy.

While Maull said he believes diversity is important but that he just does not agree with affirmative action, Waun said the administration has no right to deny admission to any student based on race.

"This administration does not have the moral or constitutional authority to discriminate against any student who applies to this University," Waunn said.

The candidates also tackled whether they thought English Prof. David Halperin's gay literature class should be canceled.

"The regents have no place in the classroom," Deitch said. "The regents need to stand on guard to political interference. What I may think as a person is irrelevant."

Maull agreed, saying, "As long as the class has academic merit, it should be offered."

The Student Code of Conduct elicited varying responses from the students and those now on the board.

McGowan said she is in favor of the Code but she also expects students to express any concerns they have about it.

"With the Code as it is, I support it. However, I also support a constant review of it," McGowan said.

Waun said the Code is so long that students can not understand it.

"The University needs a certain number of rules. However, the Student Code is so long and confusing that people can't understand what they have to follow," Waun said.

When asked whether the University's no-advertising policy in Michigan Stadium should be changed, most candidates agreed that would be a mistake.

"Right now, we're already advertising in the stadium," Trudeau said, referring to the Nike uniforms worn by the athletes. "I think there is an intrinsic value in having public space not covered in corporate messages."

The forum concluded with each of the candidates giving a brief speech on why voters should support them.

While McGowan and Deitch were able to cite their records from the past eight years, the students stressed their desire to have a student representative on the board.

"There is a desire and a need for a student representative on the Board of Regents," Trudeau said. "We want a say, and we take it very seriously. I am running to bring that issue to light."

ALEX WOLK/Daily

University Board of Regents candidates Tim Maull, Nick Waun, Rebecca McGowan, Scott Trudeau and Larry Deitch participate in a panel discussion at the Michigan League's Mendelssohn Theatre yesterday.