For the first time in at least four years, an ASMSU chairperson had to break a deadlocked vote Tuesday night.

Chairperson Jared English broke the tie to pass an Academic Assembly bill that stated MSU's undergraduate student government condemned the actions taken by the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action & Integration and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary, or BAMN, at a MSU College Republicans meeting last week.

Barbara Grutter, plaintiff in the University of Michigan Law School admissions case, spoke at the meeting while BAMN members countered her views. It eventually escalated into an argument that resulted in police breaking up the meeting.

Many members of the assembly asked for the bill to be clarified.

"Everyone has a different level of harassment," said Charlene Biro, North American Indigenous Student Organization representative. Others worried the bill could be interpreted to condemn BAMN itself.

"After talking with some of the reps who voted 'no,' it did not appear they were against the intent of the bill," English said. "They just wanted time to hammer out the language."

But voting prematurely on bills is not a common problem, English said.

"Usually, it gets to a point where debate becomes circular and points are repeated, and at that point, debate is called," he said. The bill condemns any similar actions by any organization in the future.

"This bill has nothing to do with whether you support affirmative action or you don't," said College of Arts & Letters Representative Brian Forest, who introduced the bill. "Everyone needs to have a right to speak their minds without fear of intimidation or intellectual terrorism practiced by other groups."

Tim Phelps, vice chair of MSU College Republicans, who ran last week's meeting, said he commended ASMSU's action.

"We are open to other views, only if those views are conveyed in a nondisruptive manner," he said.

BAMN members did not return calls Wednesday.