The Athletic Department at Eastern Michigan University has decided that it wants to keep educational space all to themselves and to kick EMU Judo out with no safe place to assemble. They have eluded us in talks of negotiations and have no intention to do so.   

The Eastern Michigan University Judo Club has been around for 20 years. In that time we have grown into a martial arts family. Students are able to earn Learning Beyond the Classroom credit which is required for graduation. Alumni come and give their insight and guidance while contributing to the class.We also host LBC Bully-Proofing classes for the LGBT community center at our university. Our club members compete in competitions and represent Eastern Michigan University within the Judo community. Here at EMU Judo we train as equals meant for the betterment of each other and teach anyone with the will to learn. 

My name is Lilly DeRamos, I am an Honors student at Eastern Michigan University. I am also the Vice President of the EMU Judo Club.  I first learned about the Judo Club through the annual Fajita Fest and stumbled upon the EMU Judo Club’s booth.  It was my first semester in college and I wanted to be able to learn how to defend myself.  As I learned and trained in judo, it felt empowering as a woman to be able to walk around campus at night more confidently with each practice. In the classes I could learn more about the philosophy and art of judo and take it as an LBC class. Judo is my main stress reliever, it helps me relax and to calm down to truly think about my actions. The class offered weekend practices where I can make up classes and be able to balance my studies.  I was given guidance on judo and about life from the Alumni that came to the weekend practices.  I felt a bond with my peers that we all were learning as equals. I competed in tournaments and won 2nd place in my first tournament it felt like such an achievement.  In February I represented Eastern Michigan University at the Judo Midwest Collegiates and got 2nd place our overall team won 3rd place.  

Unfortunately, at the beginning of the 2015 winter semester at first, our weekend practices were cancelled. This cancellation cut down our practices for the Midwest Collegiates. And now we won’t be able to have summer practices.  

This gives us a huge disadvantage because students aren't able to make up classes if they are sick or have studies to take care of. We won't be able to host the LGBT Bully-Proofing class. Students are also more limited in their involvement with the club and are given less practice for self-defense situations. Competitors are given a disadvantage by having fewer practices for tournaments giving less chance to perform to their peak. Alumni aren't able to attend practices and thus become less active with the university. The teacher, Frank Gerlitz won’t be able to have his office hours if any student wants to learn more about a technique or a self-defense move. The reason for this is because athletics is being valued over academics. The Judo Club is associated with the Judo classes which are run through Health Promotions and Human Performance program at Eastern Michigan University. The only space which allows us to perform our martial art safely is being given to the athletic department with no room for compromise. The room has special matting which is ideal for the throws and grappling which is the core of Judo. We have not had any issues in the past with the gymnastics team for over 15 years and we have not had any issues now. The Athletic Department claims that reason is, is because the mat is "nearing its end." We have not been included in the conversation to offer financial help for the mat which we as an organization are willing to do. Yet, if you observe our sport the impact of the throw is evenly distributed as we fall. Also the impact of the surface area is larger than a focus on a single point, thus the force of a larger surface area is less devastating than a focus on a single point. 

 We as a club feel that we are being bullied out of a place for selfish reasons, which the gymnastics coach doesn’t want to share.  The room isn’t even being utilized over the summer. 

I ask for your help in gaining access to Warner Gym C again for educational purposes. We would appreciate any effort to help us in getting our practices back. We are willing to accommodate the gymnastics team and any times that they would like, we simply just want to be able to have the ability to assemble as a club and a team in a safe environment. Thank you for your time in advance.