The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com DIVEST From Page 1A personally apologizes for the pro- posal's indefinite postponement, and the fact that the students felt silenced with both support- ers and dissenters being unable to voice their opinions. He also apologized for not helping fos- tering a safe campus climate and expressed regret to any student who felt unsafe at the University because of their identity. After Proppe read the state- ment, which at the time had not yet been made public, #UMDi- vest organizers and support- ers offered amendments to the wording, as they were generally unhappy with the statement's tone. Members specifically took issue with Proppe's explanation of why CSG representatives were unavailable to attend "teach- in" sessions to learn about the divestment proposal, adding that Proppe's assertion that mem- bers didn't have enough time to attend was not true. They added that his apology was insufficient, as it apologized to students who were made to "feel silenced" rather than firmly acknowledg- ing students were silenced. Despite the criticism of the statement's wording, members said the public statement now online is identical to the one brought to the sit-in Sunday afternoon. "The disappointing thing isn't even so much that he didn't address those concerns, it was that even after we brought them up and we sat in the room with him for two hours talking he still didn't change anything," said LSA senior Yazan Kherallah, a SAFE member. During Sunday's discus- sion, CSG representatives and #UMDivest organizers said they have continued to receive threats and intimidating mes- sages through various mediums. Dishell claimed that he was accosted by a SAFE member but did not present the name of the individual and SAFE leaders said none of their leadership was involved in threatening other individuals and has been proac- -ive in removing anyne who would engage in intimidation tactics. SAFE members also said their group members, as well as other students perceived to be Arab, have been threatened and intimi- dated by various individuals on campus. SAFE members said the unsafe campus environment is the result of CSG's decision to indefinitely postpone a vote on the resolution and added that it is CSG's responsibility to not con- tribute to a hateful climate. Administrators visited the #UMDivest sit-in twice on Fri- day and once on Saturday night. Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones also spoke privately with University of Michigan Hillel, the largest Jewish organization on campus. In the CSG chambers Friday, E. Royster Harper, vice presi- dent for student life, listened to DIVERSITY From Page 2A how the decision comes out," Semana said. Marshall added that the presence of DAAP represen- tatives - and, potentially, a DAAP executive - on the CSG Student Assembly could - if the Supreme Court overturns Michigan's affirmative action legislation - help the Univer- sity adopt the policies of a new affirmative action bill. Just as important in this hypothetical situation, Mar- shall said, would be guiding the University to enact the new policies "in a way that effectively increases minority enrollment and also increases the treatment and well-being of minority students." "It's just one thing to get more minority students enrolled," he said. "But it's another thing to actually try to retain them, help take care of them and make sure they feel comfortable on a campus which has, in the past, showed quite a lot of tension toward students of minority back- students' questions in the after- noon about what the adminis- tration can do for SAFE, what influence it has over CSG and how much flexibility is avail- able for the sit-in to remain in the Union overnight. Students repeatedly stressed that their calls for accountability are rea- sonable, adding that their move- ment has been non-violent but has not been treated as such, and that they feel disrespected and silenced. Students occupying the CSG chambers have engaged in limited acts of civil disobedience by staying in the room after the Union was scheduled to close at 2 a.m., leading to confrontations between the group and Univer- sity Police. No sit-in participant has been arrested. Additionally, SAFE represen- tatives and other members of the sit-in claimed the administration has acted with bias throughout this process, and representatives asked for a public statement to be issued regarding the sit-in the same way the University has commented in the past with the SAFE's mock eviction in Decem- ber. Harper returned Friday night with Blake Jones to reach an agreement with #UMDivest sup- porters to draft a statement in support of campus safety. "I have been enormously impressed with the thoughtful- ness, the clarity of thought, how respectful the students have been," Harper said. "(I have) just been a little surprised that peo- ple have been talking about this as a violent movement; it's just not the case. It has been just what you would expect from smart U of M students that are passionate about an important issue." Harper stressed the impor- tance of students' collective right to question the University's val- ues and added that this ability is contingent upon both adminis- trative transparency and agener- ally safe atmosphere. She said the divestment move- ment is not new, adding that "there is nothing odd going on." Rather, there has been a tangible history on campus of students asking the University about where it spends its money. Harper and Blake Jones plan to draft a statement for the administration. Harper said it will address concerns about the climate and clarify that the Uni- versity is no place for threats from either side of this issue. "The climate issues have impacted a wide range of groups of our students this week," Blake Jones said. "Many people have been harmed and have felt fear- ful, and we have to address the climate issues and care about the concerns of all of our students." Harper said the statement will also draw attention to avail- able University resources that can help students combat feel- ings of insecurity and fear, such as Counseling and Psychological Services and the Department of Public Safety. As for letting students stay in the Union, Harper told them it is "not in your best interests to get arrested." While students grounds." Holt also addressed the recent #BBUM and #UMDi- vest movements on campus as examples in which the Univer- sity has failed to fully recog- nize or fix the problems of its diverse constituency of stu- dents - a problem which he, as CSG president, would seek to solve. He said DAAP strives to give a voice back to students who feel marginalized or disen- franchised. "This idea of 'business as usual' through the University has been intimidating or out- right ignoring the issues of many people on campus," Holt said. "Our platform is defying the business as usual." Semana said Monday night's presidential debate will serve as an open invitation not just to vote for a political party, but to joina tangible movement for change. This is something that was also discussed at a DAAP- hosted tribunal last Thursday, Marshall added. "I want the student body to become cognizant of the fact that there is a hostile environ- ment on campus, and to address this issue we must first become noted that previous sit-ins at the University have been allowed to continue without interruption, Harper said the policies have since changed, and students need to be cleared from the building at night for safety reasons. Thus far, the sit-in partici- pants have left every night at about 2 a.m. when the building closes, but have returned to the chambers the next morning. Blake Jones and Harper met again with SAFE and the rest of the sit-in's participants on Sat- urday night to facilitate a simi- lar discussion, but details of that meeting remain private. Blake Jones spoke to students at Hillel Friday afternoon about how the failure of the resolu- tion to reach a vote in CSG has contributed to an increasingly charged campus climate. She spoke privately with stu- dent leaders of Hillel about per- sonal concerns before answering questions from all students who attended the forum. The meet- ing with Blake Jones was open to all students who wanted to express their concerns to the University administration about the sensitive climate on campus surrounding the Israeli-Palestin- ian conflict and the #UMDivest movement. Another purpose of the meeting was to clarify the details of what occurred at the student government meeting for those looking to know more about the issue. "I was here today to listen and to hear from students," Blake Jones said. "I've been doing that all week. I was happy to be able to be here today." Blake Jones stayed for about 20 minutes, and the rest of the meeting was devoted to open dis- cussion about how students felt about the topic. After the meet- ing, many students expressed feelings of frustration, as well as apprehension regarding threats some Jewish students had been receiving. "I think that obviously there's a lot of passions on both sides," said LSA senior Jonathan Aseel, who attended the meeting. "Peo- ple need to just remember to focus on mutual respect and give each other the opportunity to present their own opinions and perspectives." Dishell attended the meeting with Shokar, his Make Michigan running mate. "There was a lot of great con- versation about how there's not just one narrative and not every- one needs to sit down together to discuss the issue," Dihell said. "I was very proud of the com- munity that kept saying how it's important that we don't just talk about Israel on campus but that we talk about everything that's going on and the entire issue." Throughout the process, administrators have been careful to note their role only as facili- tators of conversation and the fact that the University cannot force CSG to take any specific action. Proppe said he plans to motion Tuesday for the proposal to be considered again, but no other separate meeting has been scheduled. aware of this issue," Holt said. "We're serious about it. I'd like to just ask the students to join us in our fight to win, because we can do it." 2 CHAINZ with SpringFest," Bharadwaj From Page 1A said. "We felt at the moment that we didn't want to stretch our- selves too thin by expanding to that will feature a hodgepodge of a new location. That just comes guest speakers and food through- with a whole new logistics plan." out the day, Schermer said. Bharadwaj added that solidify- Extending from the globe ing SpringFest's standard operat- will be sections arranged by five ing proceduresthisyear willmake general themes: arts, identity, it easier to change the musical innovation, social justice and sus- venue in future years. tainability. Schermer added that "It was about building the festi- since the unveiling of this new val, as opposed to scalingthe con- structure in January, the event cert," Schermer said. has been growing exponentially, MUSIC Matterswill sell rough- with more clubs signing up each ly 3,400 tickets for the show, pro- week to participate. ceeds from which will serve a dual Because of the large changes, purpose: supporting MUSIC Mat- the capstone concert will be in Hill ters' recently unveiled Big Think- Auditorium for the third straight ers scholarship and donating to a year, ratherthanmovingto alarger summer leadership camp for at- venue, Bharadwaj said. MUSIC risk Detroit youth. Matters had formerly been consid- "The idea behind this is that, if eringYostIceArenaandthe Crisler we can expose these young kids Center among other venues. to a campus environment while "We just want to perfect the they're young, by the time they're formula that we've been work- 17 and 18 years old, the idea of col- ing on and really do a good thing lege won't be so foreign to them cal to the original eatery. Cobb BURGER said he wants to keep the large, From Page 1A open space of the previous sub shop and add countertop seating as well as a take-out window for size of the original eatery in Bir- late-night dining. He anticipates mingham. OwnerKellyCobb said that the space will not be recog- this expansion will allow sev- nizable once renovation is com- eral changes in the menu, such plete. as more milkshake flavors not Cobb said the move to Ann included in its current offering of Arbor followed his family's close chocolate and vegetarian options. ties to the city and the University. Occupying the former loca- His grandmother bought Hunter tion of Firehouse Subs, which House in 1981, which his mother closed in January, the restaurant now supervises. He and his sister will be remodeled to look identi- are University alumni. "It's showing a message and PARTY PARTY it's a wakeup call," Hayes sad. From Page 2A "It's a lack of engagement and a lack of change that has plagued student government to be an Hayes said even if they do enigma of what it should be." not win, they hope their mes- Hayes and Woods remain sage will resonate and inspire committed to keeping the a change in the way CSG oper- campaign process fun. Their ates. website includes numerous Monday, March 24, 2014 - 3A and it will be more a natural thing for them to experience," said Busi- ness junior Darren Appel, MUSIC Mattersvice president. MUSIC Matters is also working with the National Pan-Hellenic Council,the Center for Education- alOutreach,the Office ofFinancial Aid and the Office of Undergradu- ate Admissions to bring students from high schools throughout the state to SpringFest. These students are set to attend admissions and financial aid workshops, eat lunch in the dorms and take part in the SpringFest events. Overall, Schermer said, MUSIC Matters' success in the three years since its conception is indicative of the University's abilityto facilitate student achievement. "I do believe that SpringFest will get national attention, and that's a testament to the team that is working on this and the ecosys- tem that we all are living within," he said. "The sky's the limit here." He added that the location, a block away from the Diag, will allow for a medley of customers. "It was right between cam- pus and downtown so we could cater to all sorts of people from students to business owners or workers downtown," Cobb said. Cobb said he hopes for Hunter House to be a football game day hotspot for those not at the Big House. "I'm just excited to be back in Ann Arbor, and to be honest with you, I'm excited for game days," Cobb said. pop culture references, such as Woods' love of *NSYNC and Soulja Boy's "Kiss Me Thru the Phone" to set the mood for the site's contact information page. "Laughter might be the satir- ical catalyst for the change we need and there's nothing wrong with that," Hayes said. STAY UP TO DATE WITH TELTSNFOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. @MICHIGANDAILY I TWEET, TWEET, TWEET,II1 TWEET I~ FACEBOOK.COM/M ICH IGAN DAILY