Resolution Calling on the Regents to Maintain support for the University's Legal Defense of Affirmative Action
 

Whereas, the two Republican candidates for the University of Michigan Board of Regents, Wendy Anderson and Susy Avery, have declared their opposition to the University's legal defense of affirmative action. Anderson stated "Affirmative action doesn't help the university" Avery stated that she thinks the University has spent too much money defending itself,

Whereas, recent press accounts indicate that the election of these two candidates threatens to shift the balance on the U of M regents so that a Republican majority could prohibit the University from defending itself legally, including either forcing the University to settle before trial or barring an appeal in case of a negative federal District Court decision,

Whereas, the decision of the University of California Regents in July 1995 to ban affirmative action in admissions and employment has created a reputation and atmosphere in the UC system and at the flagship UC schools In particular, UC Berkeley and UCLA, that has meant some of the best academically prepared black, Latina/o and Native American students choose to attend other campuses or to go out of state for higher education,

Whereas, the atmosphere created by the UC Regents decision is so unwelcoming to black, Latina/o and Native American students, that recruitment of admitted underrepresented minority students to actually enroll has been made very difficult,

Whereas, the mistake of the UC Regents must not be repeated in Michigan.

Therefore be it resolved, we, the Michigan Student Assembly, call on the University of Michigan Board of Regents not to allow partisan politics to change its current policy in support of the University of Michigan's right to defend its affirmative action policies

Therefore be it resolved, we, the Michigan Student Assembly, call on the University of Michigan Board of Regents to maintain its policy of support for the University's legal defense of affirmative action in the two cases, Gratz v. Bollinger (the LS&A case) and Grutter v. Bollinger (the Law School case), regardless of the outcome of the election on November 7, 2000.

Therefore be it resolved, we, the Michigan Student Assembly, charge MSA President Hideki Tsutsumi with making the above stated views of the Assembly known to the Regents at the next Regents' Meeting. 

Submitted by Jessica Curtin, October 10, 2000
Voted on October 17, 2000
Passed - 21 for, 11 against, 2 abstaining.
 

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