The state of diversity at the University is being attacked yet again - but this time the issue is not about race, but political affiliation.

State Rep. Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Twp.) issued a statement last week denouncing the University's alleged lack of ideological diversity, saying, "If their political donations are any guide, the University of Michigan faculty is about as diverse as the old Soviet Politburo."

Since the 2000 presidential election, University faculty have donated more than $126,000 to political campaigns, and 84 percent of those donations went to Democratic candidates or Democratic-leaning political action committees, according to Drolet's statement. In contests between two Democrats, professors "lean heavily toward the most liberal" candidates, Drolet said. He cited the 2000 congressional primary between Lynn Rivers and John Dingell, where 85 percent of donations in that race went to Rivers, the more liberal candidate according to Drolet.

"The pattern of these donations, combined with the University's dogmatic defense of its racially biased admissions policy, demonstrates that ideas matter less to U of M than the skin color of those who bring those ideas to campus," Drolet said.

But nuclear and radio science Prof. Edward Larsen, who donated nearly $1,000 to U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Bloomfield Township), said that although the law supersedes his personal opinions, he does not think his campaign donations are the public's business.

"The alleged 'lack of ideological diversity' amongst the U of M faculty is, at best, a laughable issue," Larsen said. "If Drolet is serious about this, then he's being way out of line. A litmus test for 'political correctness and ideological balance' has never been on the radar screen of any excellent university - which this one certainly is - and it certainly has no place here."

University President Mary Sue Coleman said that the faculty represent a wide range of political viewpoints, and encourage their students to understand a large breadth of perspectives as well.

"We don't ask people their political views when they enter the University. That is not constitutional," she said in an interview with The Michigan Daily yesterday afternoon.

Coleman added that although the University is often characterized as "liberal," she thinks it is "an undeserved label."

Ken Braun, a legislative assistant to Drolet who was involved in researching the faculty donations, said, "There is very little diversity of ideas (at the University). It is diversity of the Left."

But social sciences Prof. Dennis Papazian, a contributor to Republican and Democratic candidates, said that, despite its legality, poking into faculty political contributions "is not in harmony with the freedom of conscience that each individual American should enjoy," and said he was a bit offended by the intrusion. Papazian, who teaches at the University's Dearborn campus, contributed a total of $5,900 in the past three years to both parties.

"If the political thinking of individuals goes in one direction or another, who is to say what is right? Should the University demand that the business faculty, law faculty and medical faculty are all divided equally? (Drolet's assertions) are all very absurd and fascistic on the face of it," Papazian said.

The campaign disclosures came from the state's elections website and www.opensecrets.org for federal candidate information.