CSG passes resolution denouncing antisemitism

The University of Michigan Central Student Government met Tuesday evening in the Michigan Union to discuss AR-14-034, the Standing Up To Antisemitism Act, and a decision by CSG president Alifa Chowdhury to decline an invitation to the President’s Council, an advisory group composed of U-M community members.

During the reports section of the meeting, LSA senior Mario Thaqi, CSG speaker, recounted a meeting with U-M Dean Laura Blake Jones he had the week prior. Thaqui said they discussed CSG’s fall budget, the administration’s response to campus protests, and student life and recreational sports funding. Though Thaqi did not elaborate further on what he and Jones discussed, he said they plan to meet again next week. 

The CSG Executive Nominations Committee recommended LSA sophomore Hayley Bedell and LSA junior Jimmy Mahfet to the Assembly at Tuesday’s meeting. Bedell was nominated to the position of elections director by a 4-0 vote of the Executive Nominations Committee. Mahfet was nominated to the position of deputy elections commissioner for operations by a 5-0 vote.

The Assembly then introduced AR 14-027, a resolution titled Improving Counseling and Psychological Services Part 1. After the introduction to the Assembly, Rackham CSG Representative Angelica Previero sent the resolution back for review.

“This is actually a request from a sponsor of this resolution that thought that this resolution needed more work, and this work is more appropriate to be carried out in a community setting rather than being carried out in assembly,” Preverio said.

The Assembly unanimously passed AR 14-028, or the Protect Our Players Act. This act would allow CSG to advocate for student athletes — particularly those playing hockey and lacrosse — who suffer from injuries due to contact sports. Concussion injuries are responsible for 14-30% of all hockey injuries, and more than 10% of lacrosse players suffered concussions during the regular season. 

Public Policy senior Corrigan Knittle, chair of the CSG communications committee, said it was important to protect contact-sport athletes and referenced the authorization of guardian caps, a kind of head-injury protective equipment, in the NFL.

“This is just a resolution that is encouraging that the University invest in protecting its hockey players and lacrosse players, especially given the fact that they now offer guardian caps for football players,” Knittle said. “We know that contact sports are really injury-plagued with concussions, so this is essentially us saying ‘Hey University, do more.’”

CSG then discussed a resolution condemning the recent antisemitic assault on a U-M student, as well as rising antisemitism in the U-M community and across the U.S

Business junior Nate Cohen, CSG finance chair, and LSA junior Lucas Korn, CSG executive nominations vice chair, spoke about the purpose of the resolution. 

“It is a declarative resolution from this current body of student government to make sure that it is known that we do not support any forms of hate-based violence, and we acknowledge that antisemitism is a large problem on our campus and on a country-wide scale,” Cohen said.

The resolution passed unanimously.

The Assembly also discussed Chowdhury’s decision to decline an invitation from University President Santa Ono to join the President’s Council. Ono invited Chowdhury to join the council via email. In her reply, Chowdhury declined the offer, stating acceptance of his offer would fundamentally contradict the SHUT IT DOWN campaign, which advocates shutting down CSG affairs until the U-M administration divests from companies profiting from the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. 

On behalf of Chowdhury, who was not present at the meeting, CSG Vice President Elias Atkinson read the email exchange between Chowdhury and Ono.

“As a representative of the SHUT IT DOWN campaign, I affirm our movement is rooted in the belief that we must not only uphold but also advance our students’ legacy of leadership, transparency and dialogue by holding its administrators accountable,” Atkinson read. 

Chowdhury wrote that she was grateful for the invitation, but she said she would not join until the University was willing to cooperate with the TAHRIR Coalition, a coalition of over 90 pro-Palestine organizations, and its continued efforts for divestment, according to Atkinson’s reading of the email.    

“While I appreciate the invitation to participate in the President’s Council, I must be clear,” Atkinson read. “Until the administration demonstrates a willingness to engage with members of the coalition and other stakeholders in meaningful, good-faith discussions, I will be unable to consider my participation on the council.” 

Daily Staff Reporter Elizabeth Foley can be reached at elfoley@umich.edu. 

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