The Michigan Review is on the verge of losing the office it has occupied for 27 years. If the Review must surrender this vital production space, it will deliver a blow to free speech and an independent student press at the University of Michigan.
Publisher Karen Boore said, "This is outrageous. The Review has been in the same office since before anyone now on staff was even born."
Due to a paperwork error from earlier this school year, the Review, which receives no funding from the University, was not re-registered as an officially recognized organization with the Michigan Student Assembly. As a result, MSA did not inform the Review that its office space in the Michigan League was in jeopardy. After missing an initial deadline for office space renewal, the Review filed an appeal with the University's Office Space Allocations Committee, but this appeal has not been heard.
Said Adam Pascarella, who will serve as Editor-in-Chief next school year: "Our office isn't very big, but we really do need it. We have computers, hard drives, podcasting equipment, phones, and other property here. We hold confidential meetings to develop articles and determine editorial policies. Losing our office would be a huge blow to what we do."
The simplest and most reasonable solution would be to let the appeal proceed and allow the Michigan Review to keep the home it has held for so long. All it requires is for the University to cut through its own bureaucracy and resolve this situation before it becomes a crisis.
The Michigan Review was founded in 1982. It publishes issues every two weeks during the school year and distributes them freely on campus. It also maintains a news website that is constantly updated.
For more information, please contact: Karen Boore, Publisher at 586-805-0265 or klboore@umich.edu
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