UNIVERSITY MSA votes against divestment " The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - Fall 2005 - 9C By Jeremy Davidson MARCH 16, 2005 Daily StaffWriter Hundreds of anxious students and local community members filled an emotionally charged Michigan Union Ballroom when the Michigan Student Assembly soundly defeated a proposal advocating the creation of a com- mittee to examine University investments in companies that do business with Israel. The overwhelming margin against the resolution - 11 representatives voted in favor, while 25 voted no - came as a surprise to many MSA officials and observers, who had said in the lead up to the vote that they expect- ed a close outcome. "I felt good with the outcome of the resolu- tion especially given the recent developments in the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians," said MSA General Counsel Jesse Levine. Although MSA expected a high - turnout, scheduling the meeting in the Kuenzel Room of the Union instead of MSA chambers, the turnout was so high that the meeting had to be relocated a second time to the larger ballroom and began an hour and half late. The animosity and nervous energy in the room was palpable, leading to spontaneous altercations throughout the ballroom and cramped hallways of the Union and causing the Department of Public Safety to remove a heckler during an address by former MSA Vice President Jennifer Nathan. Raucous cheers and applause, as well as numerous par- liamentary questions, punctuated the meeting, making it difficult at times for MSA President Jason Mironov to control the large crowd. Proceedings involved a speaker's list, with advocates of both sides taking turns voicing their opinion. Speakers included students, Uni- versity professors and community members. If passed, the resolution would have instruct- ed the MSA External Relations Committee to send a letter urging the University Board of Regents to create an advisory committee to investigate the moral and ethical implications of the University's investments in companies that directly support the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Opponents of the resolution argued that its effect and intent went beyond merely forming a committee, targeting Israel and ultimately seeking divestment from the country. They cited language in the proposal that condemned the state of Israel and pointed to human rights abuses and violations of international law. After hearing these concerns from Mironov and other members of MSA, MSA represen- tative Matt Hollerbach and other authors of the resolution made a motion to strike every clause but the last three from the resolution, in hopes to find more support for the formation of a committee. With this move, the resolution was eliminated of any direct condemnation of Israel and called for an "advisory committee consisting of members of the University Sen- ate, students, administration and alumni." Students Allied for Freedom and Equality president Carmel Salhi emphasized that the resolution called for the formation of a com- mittee to investigate University investments. "There are investments that many students on this campus find morally and ethnically questionable," Salhi said. RC junior Ashwini Hardikar explained that the resolution was not to encourage the University to immediately divest from Israel, but called for an investigation into potential human rights violations. "It's not an issue of whether or not you're pro-Israel or pro-Palestine. It's a question of whether or not human rights violations have been committed," Hardikar said. Other proponents of the resolution echoed these sentiments. "This resolution is about academic free- dom, and the right to know whether the busi- nesses that the University invests in realize international human rights principles and business ethics," said Nadine Naber, professor of American Culture and Women's Studies. But Mironov said that the language of the resolution proposed a verdict before the trial. "If it were simply a resolution to create a committee, it wouldn't have 14 clauses con- demning the state of Israel," Mironov said prior to the elimination of 12 clauses. Stories of suicide bombings in Israel were followed by stories of Israeli soldiers attack- ing civilians in Palestine, and while both sides ardently defended their opinions and claims, everyone agreed that the ultimate goals were raising student awareness, and peace in the region. "You can't silence this issue any more. We know that this occupation is immoral and unethical, and we won't be silenced any longer," said LSA freshman and member of Amnesty International Nafisah Ula. Vice-chair and co-founder of the Israeli Students Organization Ziv Ragowski said he hoped the debates would open up talk between Palestinians and Israelis. "People are recognizing the (desire) of both nations to move towards peace and to end the bloodshed," Ragowski said. MSA General Counsel Jesse Levine said he was impressed with the passionate student support expressed at the meeting. "I've never seen so many students at an MSA meeting before," Levine said. RC junior Ryan Bates speaks to another student in attendance during a crowded meeting where the MSA voted against the formation of a committee to appraise Michigan's investments in certain companies. Proposed PIRGIM resolution fails at final MSA meeting By Laura Van Hyfte MAY 3, 2005 Daily Staff Writer A resolution proposed to reserve about $20,000 to fund a University chapter of Public Interest Research Group In Michigan was voted down at the final Michigan Student Assembly meeting on April 19. Approximately 19 MSA representatives voted against the resolution, 13 voted for it, and five abstained. Students for PIRGIM have been asking MSA to fund a PIRGIM University chapter since the fall. The chapter would have several tasks, such as fighting high textbook prices, protecting ten- ants, and attacking environmental concerns. Students for PIRGIM were disheartened after an injunction was filed by Elliott Wells-Reid, a former MSA chief of staff. The injunction enjoined MSA from voting on allocating money to PIRGIM until MSA had fully examined the legality of the PIR- GIM proposal. It was upheld by the Central Student Judiciary. PIRGIM filed an appeal in response to the CSJ injunction, but CSJ will not hear it until this coming fall, after they have had time to fully review the case. PIRGIM then sought immediate action by drafting a resolution. Roughly $20,000 was requested to be reserved in the event that PIR- GIM's appeal to the CSJ decision won. Students for PIRGIM proposed a resolution in an effort to reserve funding that would help establish a housing hotline for students in the fall, said Rese Fox, chair of MSA's External Relations Committee. "By reserving the money for Students for PIRGIM, MSA would have demonstrated a commitment to creating a pilot chapter if CSJ heard an appeal and dropped the injunc- tion against the Student PIRGIM chapter. This monetary commitment would have allowed the Student PIRGs to send a campus organizer to help Students for PIRGIM set up a housing hot- line in the fall and begin work on our textbook campaign," said Fox. Several MSA representatives failed to see how reserving money for PIRGIM would be practical, mostly because any resolution that was passed at the final MSA meeting for the semester would expire by the end of the meet- ing. All resolutions passed at the April 19 meet- ing regarding PIRGIM would be considered symbolic, a source said. Stuart Wagner, an MSA representative, vehe- mently voiced his opposition to the resolution because of its symbolic nature. He exclaimed that it was ridiculous at the meeting. "We don't need to give people $20,000 to do work that we can do," Wagner said. Those for and against PIRGIM have been fair- ly close in number, and a considerable amount of MSA representatives were unsure which way they would vote before the meeting. A 34-page document, written by former MSA Vice President, Anita Leung, was given to certain MSA members to convince them of PIRGIM's short-comings. The document titled "10 Reasons to Vote NO On the Resolution to Fund a PIRGIM Pilot Chapter," was a natter of some secrecy. Stu- dents for PIRGIM were not given direct access to the document, and many had no knowledge of its existence until hours before the meeting on April 19, Fox said. Fox heard about the document the day before the meeting from another representative. She then received a copy the next day. At the MSA office, located at the Union, Rese Fox asked Stuart Wagner for access to the document and was denied. Newer members of MSA who were unde- cided on the PIRGIM issue were the primary recipients of the document, in a hope to sway them into not voting to fund a PIRGIM chapter, a source said. "I thought it was critical for the MSA Repre- sentatives to have an educated understanding of both sides before voting," Leung said. Leung felt that MSA members were not granted knowledge to all of the downfalls of funding a PIRGIM chapter at the University. Leung listed, "Lack of MSA Jurisdiction in Proposal," "Partisan Members and Bias," "Partisan Issues Nationally," and a "Lack of Financial Accountability in Proposal" as rea- sons why MSA representatives should vote no against funding a student PIRGIM chapter. Wagner was pleased with Leung's anti-PIR- GIM work. "It may have won over the people on the fence; it offered some compelling evidence. I think that Anita's document may have swung some voters," Wagner said. 77a 7, -7 w 4 &4 ; , I , 1 9 4 , I I I I . I Q , ; - 1.1-11, .1 "I'll, -, I , - *pII i Li CANPUS RESOURCES PAGE Please join Dr. Ellen Zimmermann, Associate Professor of Gastroenterology, U of M, for an informal discussion of topics including: -Nutrition -Research Updates -New Therapies The IBD student group meets monthly and allows students with 180 to interact with other 180 students and to establish contacts with U of M doctors and scientists. We hope you can make our next meeting in September! Exact date and time TBA. Please call or e-mail for more information (734) -763-7278 rajus@umich.edu N The University of Michigan Tenth Annual ENERGY FEST 2005- Promoting energy conservation, renewable energy, and a sustainable environment Tuesday, September 13 Central Campus Diag: 11:00 to 2:00 Live Music with NOMO from 12-1 Thursday, September 15 North Campus Portico Plaza: 11:00to 2:00 We offer courses suited to Geology majors and non-majors in one of the most picturesque locations in North America. On the Hoback River about 20 miles south of Jackson, Wyoming, Camp Davis is situated between the Grand Tetons to the north, the Gros Ventre Range to the east and the Basin and Range Exhibits! Door Prizes!