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UMich Libertarian Students Prevail in Lawsuit Alleging Political Discrimination
Reason ^ | July 11, 2014 | Robby Soave

Posted on 07/11/2014 10:38:33 PM PDT by bamahead

College campuses often seem culturally biased against non-liberals. But in some cases, political bias so deeply and obviously pervades official campus policy that no one can even defend it when challenged.

On that front, the Young Americans for Liberty declared victory in their legal battle with the University of Michigan after administrators agreed to pay out $14,000 and revise discriminatory funding policies.

Last year, YAL asked the university for $1,000 to bring anti-affirmative action activist Jennifer Gratz to speak on campus. UM collects mandatory fees from all students and uses them to subsidize events hosted by recognized student groups. But the university has a stated policy of declining to fund events deemed "political." Though the Gratz event was merely a lecture on the history of the affirmative action issue—and was open to all students—UM considered it a political event and did not provide funds.

The policy was not applied evenly, of course. UM funded plenty of student groups' political activities, provided that these groups manifested some left-of-center ideology or purpose. Student activity funds subsidized immigrants' rights conferences, Islamic groups, and even pro-affirmative action events. According to YAL's lawsuit, the university helped a students from the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) travel to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate on the Supreme Court steps in favor of race-based admissions preferences.

At least UM has recognized its group funding policy was clearly biased. YAL has agreed to drop its lawsuit in exchange for administrators revising the policy. UM will also pay $5,000 to the club and $9,000 to its lawyers from the Alliance Defending Freedom.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: academia; umich

1 posted on 07/11/2014 10:38:33 PM PDT by bamahead
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To: Abathar; Abcdefg; Abram; Abundy; albertp; Alexander Rubin; Allosaurs_r_us; amchugh; ...



Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!

2 posted on 07/11/2014 10:39:08 PM PDT by bamahead (Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master. -- Sallust)
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To: bamahead

The award should have been ten times that.


3 posted on 07/11/2014 10:44:14 PM PDT by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: bamahead

“Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary”

Please tell me that’s a joke


4 posted on 07/11/2014 10:45:13 PM PDT by Viennacon (Rebuke the Repuke!)
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To: cripplecreek

I can’t remember who runs the Michigan ping list, but I’m sure you know.


5 posted on 07/11/2014 11:36:01 PM PDT by bamahead (Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master. -- Sallust)
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To: Viennacon

It’s real joke.


6 posted on 07/11/2014 11:40:02 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Viennacon

It’s not a joke at all. This is “BAMN”. They started in the Bay Area and they have a presence in Michigan. ]They are confrontational and obnoxious.


7 posted on 07/12/2014 3:24:03 AM PDT by Flash Bazbeaux
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To: Springman; cyclotic; netmilsmom; RatsDawg; PGalt; FreedomHammer; queenkathy; madison10; ...
I personally don't think we should be funding any group like this but they have a right to exist on their own.

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Michigan legislative action thread
8 posted on 07/12/2014 3:59:42 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin.)
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To: Viennacon

BAMN were the primary defenders of affirmative action. They’ve been surprisingly quiet since losing in the supreme court this spring.


9 posted on 07/12/2014 4:01:42 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin.)
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