Lakeisha Williams, Missouri Students Association Multicultural Issues Committee vice chairwoman, presented two resolutions to Senate on Wednesday in support of a non-discrimination policy.

“The legislations propose that our university adds consequences to the M-Book that outlines hate crimes,” said Bryan Like in an email, MU National Association for the Advancement of Colored People president.

The first resolution applies only to MU. It supports a non-discrimination policy to be added to MU’s M-Book, which has not been revised since 1988, Williams said.

According to the first resolution, the current MU M-Book does a poor job of outlining a non-discrimination policy.

“As a point of clarification, the M-Book does have a Non-Discrimination Policy, however it is rather short and does a poor job of conveying the standard of non-discrimination that all MU students should live up to,” Williams said in an email. “The Office of Student Conduct is working to revise this policy and potentially mirror some of our Big XII counterparts with a campus size similar to MU. From what I have been told by Donell Young (Office of Student Conduct Senior Coordinator) this should be fairly easy.”

The second resolution refers to a change in the student conduct code and pertains to the entire UM system, Williams said.

According to the resolution, the current university student conduct code does not have any clauses that address violations motivated by a hateful bias.

“The new clause would suggest that if a student commits a violation in an act of discrimination (due to ones race/ethnicity, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, handicap/disabilities), they may possibly be subject to harsher punishment,” she said. “It’s important to note that a violation must occur for this to be applicable.”  

Both pieces of legislation will be presented at the joint session of MSA, the Residence Halls Association and the Legion of Black of Collegians on April 27.

If the legislation is passed, it does not guarantee that the actions supported by students will be taken, Williams said.

“Passing legislation shows students support of a specific cause, but does not guarantee anything,” she said. “It is helpful though in letting the university know student’s views.”

If action results from the legislation, the writing of the non-discrimination policy will be done by the Office of Student Conduct, Williams said.

“I will continue to have conversations with Donell Young, his office and other interested parties to give my input, however I will not be doing any of the actual writing,” she said. “From what I know, a draft of this may be ready on April 15th.”