Faculty, administrators examine student group space allocation

ANN ARBOR—Three senior faculty and administrators from among the University of Michigan’s schools and colleges were today (March 15) named to a panel that will examine both the allocation of space to campus student groups and the nature and scope of the University’s involvement with student organizations.

Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Royster Harper announced the appointment of Patricia Gurin, professor of psychology and women’s studies and former interim dean of the College of Literature, Science, and Arts; Earl Lewis, dean of the Rackham School of Graduate Studies and professor of history; and Christina Whitman, professor of law and women’s studies.

“The expertise in diversity research of Prof. Gurin, Dean Lewis’ perspective as both a historian and senior administrator, and the legal scholarship of Prof. Whitman makes an excellent combination to address these very important issues,” Harper said.

According to a memorandum to the panel members from Harper, their charge is to examine two important issues.

First, the University’s policies and practices regarding space allocation to student organizations, with particular attention to the question of under what conditions, if any, a student organization should be entitled to space which is not subject to a periodic assignment process, review and potential reassignment. The panel’s findings and recommendations on this topic, due by April 13, will lead to a decision by the University on assignment and use of the Michigan Union tower and any other exclusively assigned space that may exist on campus.

The second part of the panel’s charge is to examine and make recommendations on the proper nature and scope of University involvement with student organizations, and under what circumstances and in what ways the University, its administrators and faculty members should be associated with such organizations. This second set of recommendations will be made before Oct. 2.

According to Harper’s memorandum, the panel is expected to solicit student, staff faculty and community input by holding public hearings and utilizing any other methods the panel deems appropriate. A schedule for the public hearings will be announced within the next week.

President Lee C. Bollinger first announced the formation of the panel in his Feb. 25 statement on a protest by the Students of Color Coalition (SCC) against the student society Michigamua. That group, along with two other organizations, Vulcans and Phoenix, has used dedicated meeting rooms in the tower of the Michigan Union for many years. The SCC took over the tower rooms on Feb. 6 to demonstrate their objection to Michigamua’s use of Native American rituals and artifacts in their meetings. That protest ended on March 13.

Student Affairsfindings and recommendations on this topicLee C. Bollinger