 |
|
 |
|||
 |
 |
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
If LSA sophomore Dustin Lee has his way, his
new group, VOICE-AAA (“anti-affirmative action”) will
become the primary rallying point for students opposed to U-M’s
admissions policies. In a letter to the Michigan Daily on
Oct. 28, Lee wrote, “I would like to be the first to make
the movement that I, and I am sure many others, have waited for.”
He then urged anyone who felt as he did — that any “non
merit-based” factors in admissions should be eliminated
— to e-mail him and become a founding member in the first
anti-affirmative action group in U-M’s history. “As of now, there is no organized group
against affirmative action, and we can change that,” he
wrote. “I want this to happen, and I want to prove there is
a voice out there — a voice that can and will be heard, and
a voice that will inevitably celebrate the day affirmative action
falls by the wayside.” Lee received numerous responses to his letter,
and scheduled the first meeting of VOICE-AAA for Nov. 10. That
evening, approximately 15 undergraduate students convened in the
Michigan Union to hammer out the details of the new group. One student in attendance, LSA freshman
Jessica Cash, had also contributed to the Daily’s
letters section, supporting Lee. “The opposition to affirmative action on
the campus is definitely present, but has not become a force
— yet. Personally, I have always been an opponent of
affirmative action as it is used at the University of Michigan.” Cash pointed out that the due to the
University’s high academic standards, poorly-qualified
beneficiaries of affirmative action often times don’t do
well academically. “I think the whole idea is ludicrous,
and an excellent example of doing too little too late to help
minorities gain access to higher education,” she wrote. At the meeting, the group brainstormed ideas
on how best to get their message out. They are considering a type
of “Day of Action,” in which they would hand out
literature that describes their group, and dispels misconceptions
about how affirmative action is implemented at U-M. At the meeting, LSA sophomore John Mione
succinctly summed up what the group believed. “Look at all
the people who are left out of [U-M] that are deserving,” he
said. Mione felt that if the group could teach people about how
affirmative action really works at the university, “people
would be more apt to change their minds” and oppose U-M’s
admissions policies. While VOICE-AAA feels that all non-merit
based admissions criteria are questionable, they are choosing to
focus on racial preferences. According to LSA freshman Jon Book, the group
should not attack the importance of diversity in higher education;
it should attack how the University handles attaining diversity. Book felt that diversity is very important.
“Diversity contributes to your personal growth,” he
said, the other members nodding in agreement. “You enrich
yourself in being able to know how someone else thinks.” Members of the group pointed out that just
being of a different race doesn’t make people different, yet
the University treats it that way. According to Lee, the
University should “focus on a diversity of ideas as opposed
to racial diversity.” Lee explained why he named the group “VOICE-AAA.” “I tried to pick something that would be
non-confrontational,” he said, emphasizing that unlike the
Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary (BAMN),
his would be “a non-militant group.” The group plans to have a booth at Winterfest
to attract students. “This is the only group that offers
alternative viewpoints,” said LSA junior David Hodge. “We
want to attract as many people as possible to our cause.” However, Lee is sure the group will cause
conflict. “I think BAMN will target us,” he said.
“I don’t want to be ‘the group who opposes BAMN,’
but I’m sure it will end up that way.” The group felt that in order to have an
impact on campus, they must not only point out what they feel are
the problems with affirmative action, but propose solutions as
well. 
|
