[From: The Michigan Daily, 27 September 1993] *Bylaw Will Include Sexual Orientation* Ann Arbor, 24 September 1993 Gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals won a major victory in their struggle for recognition on a campuswide [sic] level Friday. The University Board of Regents voted, 7-1, to approve an amendment to regental Bylaw 14.06, which includes "sexual orientation" in a list of groups protected from discrimination in University Policy. Students and community members will soon see the amended bylaw on all University-sponsored publications. University President James Duderstadt said at the meeting that he will form a commission this week to study the effects of the change on areas such as family housing and employee benefits... [Regent Laurence] Deitch [D-Bloomfield Hills] introduced the amendment. "We need to move to a point where the only relevant factors in judging the worthiness of our students, faculty, and staff are whether or not your are a person of integrity who respects the intrinsic worth and humanness of all people and who is a scholar dedicated to teaching, learning or healing and making this a better world," Deitch said. [Regent Rebecca] McGowan [D-Ann Arbor] completed the argument for the amendment, saying, "It is a fact that many of our students, faculty, and staff are gay, lesbian, or bisexual." She said 150 other public and private universities have similar policies, including Michigan State, Wayne State, Harvard and Northwestern.... ...Taking his traditional stand on issues of sexual orientation, Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor) spoke against the amendment. "I have long argued, unsuccessfully, that these policies restrict both freedom of speech and freedom to practice one's religion by non-homosexual or lesbian students." He said, "The regents have not included 'sexual orientation' in the bylaws primarily because discrimination claimed by homosexuals and lesbians is quite different than, for example, skin color or sex." Baker proposed an amendment to exempt religious groups from the bylaw. Baker's amendment was killed. Deitch responded to baker by saying that "The reason this issue has been contentious on campus is because of you and your personal obsession..." ...Baker said he will continue to represent what he sees as students' position on this issue..."