The University of Michigan’s Central Student Government convened Tuesday evening in the Wolverine Room of the Michigan Union for a joint meeting with the Faculty Senate. The Assembly discussed recent acts from President Trump’s administration, CSG elections and support for diversity, equity and inclusion on campus following the University’s recent cuts. This was the last meeting for the 14th Assembly.
Faculty Assembly members Pauline Jones, professor of political science, Craig Smith, senior associate librarian, and Susan Najita, associate professor of American culture and English, began the meeting by expressing concerns about federal threats to democracy and higher education. Najita said University administration and community members alike have roles in protecting the rights to free of speech on campus.
“The University of Michigan has had a brilliant, legendary tradition of standing up for public institutions of higher learning, for leading in the best possible ways at key moments in history,” Najita said. “Now is a time to rise to the occasion again, to hold fast to the means for fulfilling our potential for this generation and for generations to come.”
Following, Speaker of the Assembly Eric Veal Jr., LSA junior, opened the floor to comments from meeting attendees. Curtiss Engstrom, Rackham student government vice president, raised concerns about recent research funding cuts. Engstrom said he was involved in research related to three grants recently terminated by the National Institute of Health.
“I know a lot more of my colleagues on that list (and) all of us had one thing in common,” Engstrom said. “A lot of us were researchers on gender identity, LGBTQIA+ minorities, disparities, health-based disparities, on top of a lot of other key areas that have been deemed, according to my termination letter, not scientifically founded.”
Engineering graduate student Mark Farag expressed concerns during committee reports regarding the recent CSG election. Farag said this year, he felt the Election Commission neglected North Campus students.
“Not having a base in North Campus was upsetting to me, to be honest,” Farag said. “Like, how would they know if there’s an election? And what about (the College of) Engineering with 7,000 students? That’s more than 10% of the students in the whole election. All of these people (didn’t) know that we’re having elections.”
During the executive report, Vice President Jake Frederick, LSA junior, recalled a meeting between him and President Mario Thaqi, LSA senior, with Ono earlier on Tuesday. Frederick explained the meeting was held to discuss the University’s cuts to DEI, student representation in the University’s search for a Vice President of Research and Innovation and repairing relationships between students and University administration. Frederick said he encouraged Ono to make sure student-facing programs, which the University has stated will receive redirected DEI funds, are robust.
“To be very candid, I basically told him that he needs to put their money where their mouth is, and students should really feel the impact of these programs,” Frederick said. “I basically said that if this is the way that the University chooses to proceed and they’re not going to go back on their decision despite clear student sentiment there, there better be a lot of action that we’re able to tell that this is worth it.”
The committee introduced AR 14-109, Legislative Term Act; AR 14-110, Supporting DEI; and AR 14-112, Student Statement on Happenings at Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, moving each to the business section of the agenda with unanimous consent.
AR 14-108, Grocery Bus Funding, would dedicate $5,000 to fund a temporary bus service taking students to local grocery stores. The resolution was passed with unanimous consent. Treasurer Tyler Watt said the resolution will help acquire data to create useful routes for students.
“Ann Arbor is a food desert,” Watt said. “The food located on Central Campus is overpriced and we want to make sure there’s an affordable, accessible service for residents to get to grocery stores.”
LDA VIII, International Scholarships, which would allocate $5,000 to the International Center Emergency Fund passed unanimously. Meanwhile, LDA IX, End of Year Banquet, which would request budgeting $1,500 for a CSG end-of-year banquet, passed in a roll-call vote of 13-2 with four abstaining.
AR 14-109, a resolution clarifying the difference between legislative terms and sessions, passed with unanimous consent. The Assembly then considered AR 14-110. Engstrom detailed concerns with an amendment broadening the scope of the resolution to include the federal government.
“I wholeheartedly agree with the amendments at heart,” Engstrom said. “I’m just worried about, for example, our international students and the outgoing message this has on (the students) it. Especially when we think about attaching names to (AR 14-110) with how far it pushes. I think the message as it stood when it was originally written did what it was doing. I don’t want to start attacking the federal government at all because of our international students.”
AR 14-110 passed 14-0, with four abstaining.
Daily News Contributor Quinn Mittlestat can be reached at qlouise@umich.edu.
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