XEvIUU
*ri
News: 76-DAILY
Advertising: 764-0554
One hundred six years of ediztor;7/freedom
Wednesday
February 19, 1997
Biology lecturer to receive Golden Apple award
By Janet Adamy
Daily Staff Reporter
Students say Eric Mann could be a stand-up
comedian, but the biology lecturer's sense of
humor is just one of the attributes that makes
him an excellent teacher.
ann has been chosen as the seventh Golden
Ale Award recipient from hundreds of nomi-
nations given to the Students Honoring
Outstanding University Teaching committee -
the group that chooses the winning teacher.
"It's an incredible honor to have been nomi-
nated by students'" Mann said yesterday. "It's
really neat to be awarded for doing something
that's so much fun."
SHOUT co-chair and LSA senior Ilona Cohen
said students nominated Mann because he spends
a considerable amount of time listening to stu-
dents.
"A lot of students praised his commitment to
students and to teaching at a time when research
takes a priority over teaching," Cohen said, adding
that nominations also cited his sense of humor.
Each year SHOUT, a student committee associ-
ated with Hillel, distributes ballots to students and
encourages them to nominate a lecturer or profes-
sor who has exhibited excellence in teaching.
As part of the award, Mann is expected to give
what Cohen called "an ideal last lecture"
"The universal experience of college students
suggests that the best lecture in almost any
course is the last one because
by that time, the professor
realizes that it is impossible to
cover all the material and
decides to explain what it all
really means," Cohen said.
Cohen said Mann was sur-
prised and excited when the
committee presented him with the award after his
lecture yesterday.
"We kept assuring him that it was his own stu-
dents who took the time to recognize his excel-
lent teaching," Cohen said.
LSA senior Mark Pohlman, who h as been a
student in two of Mann's classes, said the lectur-
er is one of the funniest teachers he has ever had.
"The funny thing about him is that he comes
up with these far-out analogies, which is really
unusual in a science class," Pohlman said. "It
makes a boring subject really interesting."
LSA senior Michael Yusaf said Mann is unique
because he takes the time to attend all the lab sec-
tions in his courses and hands out notes for all of
the lectures at the beginning of the semester.
"The way he presents the information is just so
clear ... you get the idea right away"'Yusaf said.
"He really takes time out for students," Yusaf
said. "Unlike other professors, he really likes to
help students - that's his main goal."
Mann taught at the University of California at
Davis before coming to the University, where he
now teaches classes in immunology and cellular
and molecular biology.
Mann is scheduled to give his "last" lecture
April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Rackham Auditorium.
Last year's recipient was Nursing Prof. Carol
Boyd. Other recipients include History Prof
Sidney Fine, English Prof. Ralph Williams and
former History lecturer Thomas Collier.
Winter rolls on by
'U' attorney steps down,
paves road for new team
Cole's resignation
begins construction
of new administration
By Katie Wang
Daily Staff Reporter
The University will bid farewell to
its top attorney this May.
University General Counsel Elsa
Cole announced yesterday that she is
stepping down at the request of
President Lee Bollinger, who is in the
process of selecting his own executive
management team.
"I think she's done an excellent job
over the past years that she's been in
the position," Bollinger said. "There's
been a number of highly difficult legal
questions and her service has been
remarkable."
Cole's resignation marks the first
step in Bollinger's quest to construct
his own administrative core team since
taking office two weeks ago.
"I don't think there will be many
changes, but there will be some,"
Bollinger said. "It's inevitable as we go
from one decade to another under a
new president."
Cole said she planned to resign
when Bollinger arrived so he could
design a new team.
"This was a decision I made after
the president came into office to allow
him to choose his attorney counsel,"
Cole said. "I fully expected that the
president would want to put together
the team he would like.
"I truly have enjoyed working with
the people at Michigan and want to
support President Bollinger in every
possible way in the transition to the
new general counsel? she said, adding
that she is uncertain about her future
plans.
Cole, who was appointed eight years
ago by former President James
Duderstadt, will officially step down
May 16.
"She's done a very good job and
she's led our legal team through some
very tough times," Duderstadt said.
"She is very highly regarded among
university attorneys in the higher ed
community."
As the University's top attorney,
Cole had to contend with a variety of
legal cases, including a lawsuit against
the University during its yearlong pres-
idential search. Three local newspa-
pers sued the University last year,
accusing the regents of violating the
state's Open Meetings Act.
Deputy General Counsel John
Ketelhut said working alongside Cole
was a pleasure.
"I know she has cared about the
University and its people and has
always tried to do her best for them in
performing legal work," Ketelhut
said.
A search team will be formed in the
next two to four weeks to find a suc-
cessor. Bollinger said he is looking
for someone who is "an outstanding
attorney and who can also work com-
fortably and well in the academic set-
ting."
"I think this is a position that is
extremely desirable to attorneys and
we could have someone identified
within one to six months," he said.
Regent Daniel Horning (R-Grand
Haven) said he would not be surprised
to see more shifts in the administra-
tive team as Bollinger settles into
office.
"I wouldn't be surprised because
you have a new chief executive who is
in the process of formulating a new
management team," Horning said. "As
a regent, I'm going to be supportive of
that right of Lee's.
"Some changes will occur now,
some will occur later," he added.
Before joining the University in
1989, Cole was an assistant attorney
for the state of Washington, assigned
to represent the University of
Washington. During her time in Ann
See COLE, Page 7
LSA sophomores Tom Jayasvasti and Scott Domer rollerblade through the
Diag, enjoying yesterday's unseasonably mild weather.
Mebta m ayvr
MApreiv dency
By Katie Plona
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Party, which has won
every Michigan Student Assembly pres-
idential election since its formation five
years ago, has chosen Probir Mehta to
opete for the assembly's top spot.
ehta, who currently serves as MSA
vice president, has not yet confirmed he
will vie for the presidency under the
Michigan Party name. However, some
assembly members not only said that
Mehta's presidential
candidacy is a lock,
but also that he has
chosen LSA Rep.
' Dan Serota as his
running mate.
Mehta said he
will officially
accept the nomina-
tion when the entire
Michigan Party
Mehta declares its candi-
dacy.
"The nomination was offered - I
accepted," Mehta said, adding that the
Michigan Party's official slate has not
been assembled. "Accepting the
ination means I will probably defi-
nitely be running for president.
However, nothing else is definite."
Mehta denied that the Michigan
Party's top two spots were forgone con-
clusions.
"I am happy that others on the assem-
bly are eager to hear the Michigan
Party's ideas and vision for the future;
however, we have made no official
ouncement of our slate and platform
yet,' Mehta said. "Nothing is set in
stone."
Serota, who was the top vote-getter in
the fall MSA election, said he was not
prepared to confirm his vice presidency.
"There is a good possibility that may
"(Mehta) said that he humbly accept-
ed," Nagrant said.
Although many members said they
have heard Serota is Mehta's vice presi-
dential pick, none will confirm the spec-
ulation.
LSA Rep. Andy Schor said he has
heard that Serota, who was rumored to
be running under a different slate, was
having trouble finding a vice president
to run with him.
"(Serota) figured he had a better
chance of winning as vice president on
the Michigan Party slate then as presi-
dent on his own under a different party
name' Schor said.
Nagrant contended that inserting
Serota as the party's vice presidential
candidate would increase the Michigan
Party's popularity.
"I think Probir purely chose Dan on
the basis of electoral strength," Nagrant
said. "(Serota) did very well in the last
election."
Mehta said if he runs for president
with the Michigan Party, Serota is one
of his vice presidential options.
"I've discussed it with (Serota),"
Mehta said. "There's been other choices
too."
MSA President Fiona Rose applauded
her party's nomination.
"I think that (the Michigan Party)
made the right decision," Rose said,
adding that Mehta has not told her
directly whether he has accepted the
nomination. "It's up to Probir to
decide."
Other members said they were not
surprised by the Michigan Party's nomi-
nation.
"I think that was certainly the out-
come everybody expected," said LSA
Rep. Erin Carey, who ran with the
Wolverine Party last winter. "In a lot of
people's minds, (the Michigan Party's
WARREN ZINN/Daily
University General Counsel Elsa Cole sits in her office yesterday after announcing
her resignation, which will take effect May 16.
READY FOR RESEARCH
Stab enow tours
'U' research
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
After two months of adjusting to life as a U.S. rep-
resentative, Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing), toured the
University campus in preparation for her new appoint-
ment to the House Science and Technology
Committee.
Stabenow met with interim Vice President for
Research Frederick Neidhardt and members of the
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program on
Monday to observe the effects of federal funding on
research programs.
"This university is an international leader in research,"
Stabenow said.
A mother of a University alumnus, Stabenow said she
is familiar with the Ann Arbor campus, but Monday was
her first opportunity to see results of the University's
research programs.
"It's the first time I've had a chance to spend a day in
depth talking about research," Stabenow said.
Stabenow said she was impressed with UROP, which
College
GOP pres.
accused
of fraud
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
Nick Kirk, president of the University
chapter of the College Republicans,
allegedly gained access to the state
Republican convention about three
weeks ago by pretending to be a reporter
for The Michigan Review.
"It's just an accusation," Kirk said.
"They have no tangible evidence."
But Sage Eastman, press secretary for
the Michigan Republican Party, con-
firmed last night that Kirk said he was a
Review staff writer.
"I find it odd that someone in charge
of the College Republicans would pre-
tend to be a member of the press,'
Eastman said. "It's disappointing."
Some College Republicans said that
given Kirk's status as the leader of the
9-routn. he would not have needed to Dre-
Debbie Stabenow visits Angell Hall during Monday's meeting
at the 'U' to discuss research funding with administrators.
"She has a good sense of what's going on in research"
Neidha~rdt sai- "Sheareed with u n our nirlew that the
I 1
I