Resources for Instructors Who Address the Issues of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative in Their Teaching

On November 7, 2006, Michigan voters passed the “Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, (MCRI),” which is an amendment to the Michigan Constitution prohibiting state programs that “discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.” In short, MCRI bans – or, at the very least, inhibits – affirmative action policies and practices.

The University of Michigan opposed the passage of MCRI. In the aftermath of the election, the University of Michigan remains fully committed to the pursuit of social justice and to maintaining and enhancing the diversity of our community, as U-M President Mary Sue Coleman made clear in her speech on November 8th [1]. CRLT plans to pursue with enthusiasm our programs that contribute to a diverse learning environment.

Citizens from all sectors of our state and campus continue to hold strong positions and opinions about the merits of MCRI and about the appropriate courses of action to pursue in the future. Thus, public debate will continue to be heated, and some of it no doubt will spill over into our classrooms. This CRLT website is intended to stimulate thoughtful and informed discussion on the U–M campus and particularly in classrooms where the issues arise.

This Website

This website offers guidelines and resources for discussions that help cultivate good citizenship practices among students. Guidelines are provided for discussions that emerge spontaneously in class, and for those the instructor wants to plan. Use the resources section below to find links to many informative reports and websites on affirmative action as well as the civic organizations that were involved in MCRI. Unless indicated, the links on this page will open a new browser window so that you may easily return to this page.

Guidelines for Discussions:
          Spontaneous Discussions (below)
          Planned Discussions (below)

Resources
          University of Michigan Information [2]
          CRLT Resources on Affirmative Action [3]

Guidelines for Discussion

Spontaneous Discussions: Dealing with the Unanticipated
Affirmative action is a charged topic not only because differences over this policy seem to align with differences in views of how a democratic society works, but also because people’s personal histories and successes are often invoked. In addition, the impact and implications of MCRI will probably receive significant media coverage as they unfold over time. For these reasons, discussion of affirmative action may erupt spontaneously in classes.

The following guidelines can help instructors handle such moments in class, moments in which they must decide to open discussion for exploration, to defer, or to relocate the discussion to another forum. 

1.  Acknowledge the student who raised the issue while noting that students may vary in their responses and concerns.

2.  Decide whether you are ready and willing to engage with this topic right away. 

3.  Quickly assess whether the class would like to spend time sharing views about the topic. If students want to have a dialogue, schedule a discussion for a later class and suggest ways that students could prepare. Consider the strategies outlined in the “Planned Discussions” section below.

4.  If a discussion seems inappropriate or undesirable, encourage students to attend campus forums and events related to affirmative action, rather than discussing the matter in class.

Planned Discussions (Click on the link in each statement for more expanded guidelines.)
The following steps will help create a firmer ground for good exchange in a class discussion of issues of affirmative action and the ballot initiative. Experienced instructors may want to skip down to the resources section

1.  In advance, identify an objective [4] for the discussion, and review strategies for handling tensions [5] that may emerge.

• Handling Emotional Responses [6]
• Handling Issues That Involve the Instructor’s Identity [7]

2.  Provide a common base for understanding [8]. For example, assign readings on affirmative action, instruct students to select their own readings to bring to class, or show a video clip to prompt discussion. An instructor may also have students read short materials during class. (Click link for ways to keep students focused. See Resources section for information to use.)

3.  Establish ground rules for the discussion [9]. An instructor should work with students to develop guidelines for conduct during the discussion. Some suggestions include the following:

• • Listen respectfully, without interrupting.
  • Respect each other’s views.
  • Criticize ideas, not individuals.
  • Commit to learning, not debating.
  • Avoid blame, speculation, and inflammatory language.

4.  Establish a framework for the process of the discussion [10], to better handle complexities and divergences.

5.  Establish a clear role as instructor [11] Clearly separate the times when the instructor is providing information and framing a discussion from the discussion itself.  Then, during the discussion, the instructor should be a facilitator – not a participant – unless the instructor is experienced in handling potentially volatile moments.

6.  Encourage broad class participation [12]. Do not allow the most talkative or most opinionated students to dominate the discussion. Click link for effective strategies.

7.  Encourage students to examine the issues from a variety of possible viewpoints [13] Also, strive for balance [14] in the dialogue.

8.  Provide opportunities for students from different backgrounds to interact with one another [15], not just with the instructor or through the instructor.

9.  At the end of the class session, leave enough time to summarize the main points of the discussion. Students are more likely to feel that a discussion was valuable if the instructor, with the help of the class, synthesizes what has been shared.

10.  Obtain student feedback [16] about the quality of the discussion and to identify issues that may need follow-up. The Minute Paper is one strategy for obtaining feedback.

To discuss additional strategies or concerns, contact CRLT consultants by phone (764-0505), by email (crlt@umich.edu [17], or in person (1071 Palmer Commons).

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