The Senate Assembly has issued the following statement in regards to the recent CSG Vote Cancellation:
Whereas the draft Principles on Diversity of Thought and Freedom of Expression asserts that the University of Michigan strives to ‘stimulate and support diverse ideas and viewpoints’ and to ‘meet conflict and controversy with empathy and reason, refuting our opponents rather than refusing them a platform’; and
Whereas Central Student Government resolutions 13-025 and 13-026, which respectively concern the ongoing military campaign conducted by the State of Israel in Gaza and the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel, were opened for voting on 28 November 2023; and
Whereas the University’s leadership cancelled voting on both resolutions on 30 November 2023, citing an email that was, in the leadership’s view, inappropriately sent to the student body;
Whereas the University has acknowledged that a University administrator reviewed the email and sent it to the student body;
Whereas President Ono said the University will not allow any future votes on the two resolutions;
Be it resolved that the Faculty Senate Assembly deprecates this unwarranted interference in the free expression of opinion, and calls on the University’s leadership to protect and encourage the practice of deliberative democracy within the student community.
Approved by Senate Assembly: 1/29/24