Activists Take Over and Shutdown Student Government at Michigan University amid Pro-Palestinian Protests
In an unexpected political maneuver, pro-Palestinian activists have won a majority of seats in the student government at the University of Michigan. They promptly declared that funding for all campus activities would be held back until the university agreed to divest from corporations benefitting from Israel’s war in Gaza. This decision shocked the campus community, as the University’s regents had long proclaimed that divestment was a non-option.
A Political Tug-of-War with Unforeseen Consequences
The University of Michigan’s Central Student Government (C.S.G.), consisting of elected representatives from the undergraduate and graduate population, traditionally manages an annual budget of approximately $1.3 million. This budget supports around 400 campus groups, financing a variety of activities like sports, cultural events, and transport services.
However, following the Shut It Down party’s win, the new student government declared the withholding of all funds, plunging the campus into a virtual standstill. From an Ultimate Frisbee team bereft of competition funds to a ballroom dance crew unable to rent rehearsal space, and an airport shuttle that saw its cost to students nearly double in the absence of a student subsidy, the impact of this political deadlock on student life has been far-reaching and immediate.
“It’s incredibly stressful,” said the president of the campus ballroom dance team, whose activities principally depend upon the funding from the student government. The team needs the funds to cover competition expenses, rent performance spaces, and pay for a coach.
An Innovative Strategy amid Continual Friction
This surprise strategy emerges in the midst of continuous tension between pro-Palestinian activists and the Michigan University administration. The university has been previously criticized for dismantling protestor’s encampments and disciplining protesters.
The takeover by the Shut It Down party is a fresh approach by the activists in response, holding the campus groups’ financing hostage to their demands for divestment. This has consequently put the University in a precarious position while inadvertently exacerbating the hardship of various campus groups.
