The Students of Color Coalition (SCC) ended a five-week occupation of the Michigamua student organization's headquarters in the Michigan Union on March 13.

The SCC had petitioned the University to "sever all affiliation with and subsidy" of the secret honor society because of its "offensive and culturally destructive appropriation of Native American culture." SCC spokesperson Joe Reilly '00, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, said the group had seized the tower to show that members of Michigamua "do not simply imitate or mock Native Americans, but seek the creation and adoption of an Indian identity formulated upon romanticized stereotypes of extinct Native American peoples. Our contemporary culture continues to defy the stereotypes forced upon us by organizations such as Michigamua and institutions such as the University of Michigan."

Coalition members displayed Native American artifacts and cultural references they had found in Michigamua offices, including headdresses, statues, photos of Michigamua members performing Native American-like rituals. Reilly said many of those references were offensive to Native American culture.

Reilly noted that in 1989 the U-M administration and members of Michigamua signed an agreement calling for a halt to both behavioral and verbal references to Native American culture, with the exception of the organization's name. Because they believed the agreement remained unfulfilled, SCC insisted in the recent protest that the organization also cease using a Native American-styled name.

In a March 13 statement, U-M President Lee C. Bollinger said that "practices that negatively stereotype groups in our society" are "not acceptable behaviors in a University that values and fosters diversity. We must never take lightly the effects of such perceptions and behaviors."

The U-M "honors the principle that individuals and groups within the University community must be free to express a wide variety of beliefs and ideas," Bollinger said. But it "simply does not condone practices that denigrate the values or traditions of particular racial or ethnic groups. Finally, it must also be said that the University does not condone the illegal occupation of University premises by any student group."

A University panel that is examining the question of privileged space has recommended to the president that no student group "be granted a permanent or indefinite right to occupy space owned by" U-M. That panel is now considering "under what circumstances and in what ways the University, its administrators and faculty members should be associated with such organizations, and it will recommend guiding principles in this regard," Bollinger said. After the panel makes its recommendation this fall, "the University's Executive Officers and I will then decide whether and how to implement such principles," Bollinger said.

Founded almost 70 years ago, Michigamua has enrolled many illustrious U-M figures, including James Angell, the University's first President; Gerald Ford, an American president; Coaches Bo Schembechler, Fielding Yost and Red Berenson; playwright Arthur Miller and many others. In evolving from its past practices, it has included students of African and Asian Americans and female students in recent years.

Michigamua receives no funds from U-M, but acquired an indefinite lease to the top floors of the Union in return for its fund-raising role when the Union was built.

In a Feb. 11 interview in the Michigan Daily, Michigamua alumni and current undergraduate members said the organization's focus is on University and community service.

"Michigamua is not trying to degrade Native Americans," hockey coach Red Berenson '62 said. "The original philosophy behind Michigamua was to honor them. Now in the '90s, it seems different. They're really trying to stay in touch with the University and the times."

Michigamua alumnus Lyell Haynes '98, who has publicly criticized Michigamua practices in the past, also questioned the protesters' actions. "I don't agree with the methods by which the SCC is doing their protest, but I do agree they have valid criticisms that need to be addressed." During his senior year, he added, members "stopped the beating of the drum at our meetings" and took down a totem pole at a recreation center on Dix Road.