Nov 6, 2002 
GSG passes anti-war resolution 
One executive resigns over bill, others fear group will 
become members' political
mouthpiece 
By Emily Funderburk 
Staff writer 

The Graduate Student Government passed an unprecedented
anti-war resolution Friday, prompting one group member's
resignation and provoking debate about the organization's
future political involvement.

GSG President Alfredo Perez has until Nov. 15 to sign,
veto or let the bill stand.

"It has brought us to a moment of crisis," Perez said.  
"We need to decide together if the GSG should be involved
in external political matters ... the assembly has
spoken," he said, referring to Friday's vote of 20-15 in
favor of the bill.

The resolution, written by mathematics graduate student
Kobi Snitz, stipulates that "a U.S. invasion of Iraq [is]
unjust" and resolves to publicize the GSG's opposition to
the war.

GSG Vice President for Financial Affairs Whitney Schott,
an economics student, resigned from the executive
committee and said she feels GSG political involvement
goes against the organization's original mission
statement.

"The purpose of the GSG is to represent the interests of
graduate students on issues directly affecting the
graduate community," she wrote in an e-mail. "The purpose
of the GSG is not to represent any specific political
party, support any divisive political issues, nor to take
a firm position on international political events. ...

"...the credibility of the GSG as a meaningful
organization representing graduate students has perished.
The strength of any previous resolution, such as the
position of the GSG on housing or on student fees, has
been undermined, all progress previously gained,
dismantled."

Other GSG members said the resolution may cause more
tension in the assembly.

"More people will want to become involved if they believe
they can further their own political viewpoints," said
Rachel Jablon, vice president for legislative affairs in
the GSG and a comparative literature student. "The GSG
will become fractious as more and more factions seek to
use the GSG as a political stepping stone."

GSG members who support the resolution said they hope to
affect the anti-war movement by joining other schools
including the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the
University of Texas at Austin and Yale University that
have adopted similar resolutions.

"I believe we can stop the Pentagon if we get together
and get our voices heard," said Cathy Jones, a
mathematics doctoral candidate and a member of the
organizing committee of Graduates, Adjuncts and
Lecturers:  Organized Labor. "This is my duty as a
citizen to stand up and say no."

Snitz said he thinks the resolution will have an effect
only if enough students unite to express their opinion.

"The only way we can affect it is if enough people
express themselves. I'm not fooling myself, but we
shouldn't be too pessimistic," he said.  "It makes me
very optimistic that there is cooperation with student
groups."

Jones, who also sponsored the bill, said she thinks after
students have thought about the issue, they will believe
war is not the right option at this time.

Jones said the resolution will encourage students to
question their leaders.

"I am a graduate student; I am trained to question
things," she said. "We are really smart people. Graduate
students have a lot to say."

Perez said he wants to hold a campus-wide debate to
explore the possibility of the GSG representing graduate
students politically.

"My concern now is how to take this moment of crisis into
a moment of debate," he said, citing the GSG's purpose as
an organization designed to serve and represent graduate
students.

Scott Ritter, former weapons inspector in Iraq, is coming
to the campus Nov. 11, and Snitz said he hopes to present
the resolution to him.  Snitz also said Kofi Annan's Nov.
13 lecture in Cole Field House would be an appropriate
venue.

Jones said she hopes the GSG, in conjunction with Peace
Forum, will sponsor a conversation about the potential
war.

"I'm happy it passed and I hope it's the beginning of a
conversation," she said.

Perez said the debate will help the GSG decide its future
direction.

"We need everybody on the same page," he said. "It's a
very important moment to decide our future. It's going to
get people involved, and that is always good."