UA's role as conflict mediator on the rise

Whenever a high-profile controversy emerges among student groups, one organization is almost always involved: the Undergraduate Assembly.

Over the last few years, the UA's role in mediating student conflicts has increased significantly, with student leaders often turning to the UA for help when trying to reach a compromise.

But some say that the UA should do less arbitrating and more facilitating of discussions regarding hot-button issues.

Just two weeks ago, UA Steering - a body that comprises the leaders of all campus umbrella organization - stepped in to mediate between the Muslim Student Association and the College Republicans, when the latter wanted to bring Islamo-Fascism Week to Penn.

The disagreement between the MSA and the College Republicans was brought to UA Steering by College senior Jonathan Weiner, chairman of Programs in Religion, Interfaith and Spirituality Matters, and the UA soon stepped in and put the two in touch.

Because the body's role in cases like this is not completely defined, students differ on what the UA should do when the situation comes up.

"Rather than be a mediator, [the UA] should keep student groups abreast of what's going on," said College and Wharton senior Samir Malik, who serves as president of the MSA.

College Republicans president Zac Byer, a College sophomore, applauded the UA for facilitating dialogue but criticized it for talking about the College Republicans at a Steering meeting without College Republicans representatives.

Since 2004, UA Steering has become a "more influential organization in terms of building relationships between student leaders," director of Student Life Fran Walker said.

Walker, who oversees student groups on campus, attributed the UA's recent successes in conflict resolution to the effectiveness of UA Steering.

Though the tendency for student groups to take issues to the UA is a relatively new phenomenon about five years in the making, past UA chairmen spoke of a similar approach to conflict.

"We didn't take any official positions on what student groups did or didn't do, but as individual student leaders, we were often behind the scenes working with the leaders of the different groups on solutions," said Wharton alumnus Eric Lang, who served as UA chairman from 1986-1987.

Still, Lang thinks the UA is limited to the actions of individual student leaders.

"As a practical matter, 33 people can't mediate anything," he said.

Last year, during a particularly contentious UA meeting, student groups faced off over whether former DePaul University professor Norman Finkelstein should be allowed to speak on campus.

Though nearly 40 students showed up to hear the UA take a stand, the body ultimately refused to discuss the issue.

College and Wharton senior Brett Thalmann, who served as UA chairman during the controversy, attributed the failure of mediation to the last minute nature of the situation.

"The UA can and should play a role in mediating disputes," Thalmann said.

Today, the UA has changed the structure of its meetings to encourage more discussion: The UA now holds an Open Forum each week for non-UA members to voice their opinions.

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