President Mark Schlissel has approved seven amendments to the University of Michigan’s Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, commonly called “the Statement,” that offer additional clarity, transparency and bring the document in line with other policy changes.
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The changes, which take effect July 1, were approved March 29 following review by the Student Relations Advisory Committee, Vice President for Student Life E. Royster Harper, Central Student Government and the Office of General Counsel.
The amendment process for the Statement is coordinated every three years by the Office of Student Conflict Resolution. The statement is designed to promote “intellectual inquiry through vigorous discourse” and addresses the central values of the university community. Those values include civility, dignity, diversity, education, equality, freedom, honesty and safety.
In approving the amendments, Schlissel commended the students, faculty and staff involved with the amendment process for demonstrating commitment to the guiding purpose of the Statement by encouraging a collaborative and effective approach to the amendment process.
The approved amendments address such issues as:
• Increasing education and awareness among students about the Statement.
• Clarifying the three-year amendment cycle, while providing for off-cycle changes.
• Clarifying the scope of violations.
• Increasing transparency regarding the amendment process by completing the process by the end of the winter semester in amendment years.
• Making changes that reflect current policies and procedures in related areas.
Not accepted were amendments that sought to implement an honor code for students, adding a provision to address falsified information and altering the amendment process to increase the student voice. In each case, Schlissel encouraged Central Student Government to continue developing the proposed amendments, which could be considered in the future.
