Approving the resolution tells Student Life the student body wants to see a clear definition of what free speech is and hate speech is, said Paul Pridgeon, Montgomery sophomore and SGA Senate leader.

"We were hesitant to label a group on campus as a hate group. It was the final straw for most of the senators," Pridgeon said. "The feeling was that it was a pertinent issue to students and we have to take action on it now."

The final straw was a series of anti-gay chalkings some senators claim were done by YAF on the sidewalk between Pearce and Anspach halls. Senate officials refused to identify to Central Michigan Life which senators were involved in the claims.

Topinabee sophomore Dennis Lennox II, past president of YAF, said YAF is not a hate group.

Lennox said he is disappointed the Senate failed to contact the registered student organization.

"They never had the audacity to call us," Lennox said.

He denied YAF's involvement in the chalkings. He said he noticed the chalking and was offended by it.

"This is the first I heard of the allegation YAF had anything to do with it," he said.

Jamelle Dooley, Illinois freshman and SGA senator, saw the chalkings on his way to class Monday morning.

"They (chalkings) were just disrespectful, ignorant," Dooley said.

Dooley took pictures of the chalkings and showed them to the Senate.

Quick to act

The senators suspended their two-week rule when considering resolutions because they wanted to speed up the process and get the resolution out before the end of the semester. The resolution was approved with eight in favor, one against and two abstaining from the vote.

Dooley said he was surprised more people didn't see the chalking.

"Unless you had classes in the Pearce/Anspach bubble, you didn't see it," he said.

Dooley said of the 13 SGA senators, only two knew about the incident and he had told one of them.

A similar resolution was brought before the Senate on Feb. 19 by former SGA senator and Royal Oak junior Matt Bush when Michigan State University's YAF chapter was declared a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

However, the resolution failed because the Senate did not want to hold RSOs accountable for the actions of its chapters off campus, Bush said.

"It's finally time the Senate recognizes it's a problem," Bush said.

SGA response

Mike Zeig, Sterling Heights senior and SGA president, is waiting to get all the facts from the groups involved.

Zeig said it would be inappropriate for SGA to take any type of action in classifying any RSO. Classification is done by Student Life, but SGA is welcome to have its opinion, he said.

SGA does not have a position on the issue as an organization, he said.

"The Senate does not speak for SGA, and if anyone has any information contrary to what the Senate believes they should speak to the Senate during public comment," Zeig said.

The Senate considers the chalkings as crossing the boundaries of free speech.

Dooley said as it stands, free speech is uncharted territory in the university.

"We're just trying to make that distinction between what you can say and what you can't," he said.

Tony Voisin, director of Student Life, declined comment until he had further information.

According to a Listserv e-mail from University President Michael Rao, the chalk markings are protected under the provisions of free speech.

ddefever@cm-life.com