Alert to Student Voters: The Threat to Affirmative Action at U of M in the November 7 Election
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 "[A]ffirmative 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 incumbent Regents, Democrats Laurence B. Deitch and Rebecca McGowen, support the University of Michigan's right to defend its affirmative action policies in court,
Whereas, the Michigan Student Assembly has supported the affirmative action policies of the University of Michigan,
Therefore be it resolved, the Michigan Student Assembly calls on students and other members of the University community to take this threat to the University's affirmative action policies into account in casting their Votes in the November 7 election.
Therefore be it resolved, the Peace & Justice Commission will undertake to educate student voters about these candidates' positions on affirmative action before the November 7 election.
Submitted on October 7, 2000
Passed in the following amended form [?], 22 for, 9 against, 3 abstaining, October 17, 2000:
Whereas regential candidates have differing views,
Whereas, the Michigan Student Assembly has supported the affirmative action policies of the University of Michigan,
Therefore be it resolved, the Peace & Justice Commission will undertake to educate student voters about these candidates' positions on affirmative action before the November 7 election.