You reap what you sow.
The University of Michigan students filled its student government with anti-Israel activists for the school year.
The candidates ran on the “Shut It Down” platform that promised “to halt the activities of student government, including funding to the scores of UM student organizations, until the university fully sells off any UM endowment investments connected to Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.”
Those candidates won the presidency, vice presidency, and two dozen roles.
Did they think the candidates weren’t serious? The activists vetoed the budget, stopped funding student groups, and shifted the money to the anti-Israel crowd.
The decisions ticked off students and the administration.
Again, the developments shouldn’t shock anyone:
“The Shut it Down movement ran on a completely transparent platform,” said Alifa Chowdhury, the 2024-25 student body president. “This is really to send a message to regents that you can’t just give us, student government leaders, a lump sum on money and expect us to stay silent with that. The point of student government is to make our voices heard.”In addition, Chowdhury said, the outcome of the student body election was a litmus test and showed that “the majority of students on campus want divestment to happen and the regents have yet to listen.”
Michigan’s Rugby Football Club receives $20,000 from the student government, which goes to “a quarter of its budget.” Players and donations help the rest.
The club will do what it can to make up any missing funds, but the members have prepared themselves to make cuts:
“We are going to be operate,” Grover said. “The big thing is we will have less operating cash, so we probably won’t be able to focus on our endowment growth, which will be preventing us from developing and becoming a varsity program, which is our goal. It will strain our students, and we probably might not be able to grow long-term.”There is also a chance, Grover said, that if things get dire, the rugby team of about 50 members may have to forego taking buses to tournaments, having trainers at away games and other things that promote safety.”It’s putting a big strain on a lot of groups,” Grover said. “Student orgs at the university are really what makes a lot of the experience, and without a student proper student org experience, it’s going to make life a lot harder for a lot of students.”
The regents stress that the $17.9 billion endowments have a policy protecting “divestment from political pressure.”
Regent Sarah Hubbard said the board won’t change its mind about investments: “And we are not taking them up on their offer to change our approach related to their recommendation.”
The student government has a budget of $800,000. Students pay $11.19 every semester.
U. Michigan officials will watch how the government spends the funds:
UM’s student government has an annual budget of $800,000 that is funded with a $11.19 fee paid each semester by students, according to its website. UM officials will be watching closely to see how the funding is handled, Hubbard said.”We expect them to participate in the process of funding groups that are deserving in line with the policies previously stated by (Central Student Government),” Hubbard said.Regent Jordan Acker added the new student government’s tactics not to finance fund student groups in hopes of prompting a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas “is absurd.”
The anti-Israel encampment hit Michigan last spring:
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