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One hundred nine years of editorilfreedom
ti
Friday
January 7, 2000
ti~ t 31"bai3
A2 police
chief steps
Cdownamid
citicism
® AAPD Chief Carl Ent
resigns after controversy
over his handling of a
discrimination lawsuit
By Caitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter
*fter garnering much criticism
regarding his handling of a discrim-
ination lawsuit, Ann Arbor Police
Chief Carl Ent, in consultation with
City Administrator Neal Berlin,
announced his resignation on
Wednesday.
"Controversies relating to some
recent lawsuits have hampered, in
reality and perception, my ability to
keep our department focused on the
t ksat hand," Ent said in a written
ement.
"I am concerned that people will
become too distracted by those mat-
ters, or draw the wrong conclusions
from the settlements, and as a result
my attention will be unduly devoted
to defending my actions as Chief
and those of the department (which
I believe were proper)," he said in
the statement.
the conflict arose when a settle-
ment in the case of Lt. Don Leach,
who claimed that he was denied a
promotion to deputy chief because
of a history with depression, includ-
ed provisions made by Ent and
Assistant City Attorney Stacey
Washington.
Those provisions were made
without the authorization of either
Berlin or City Attorney Abigail
E 'as, according to documents
fined by the Detroit Free Press.
"There appears to have been an
extra component added to the Leach
lawsuit that not everyone was aware
of," Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid
Sheldon said.
"Consequently, the city adminis-
trator did go to court to have that
settlement set aside so the real pref-
erences of the city are recorded,"
.Idon added.
n terms of the lawsuit affecting
Ent's decision to resign, Berlin said,
"He explained his reasons for
resigning in his statement but (the
lawsuit) was a significant enough
reason for him to resign."
But Ent has stated that he and
Berlin have resolved the conflicts
between them.
"Although the city administrator
and I have had our differences, we
been able to resolve them and
}tie worked out a transition," Ent
said in his statement.
Sheldon said she was disappoint-
ed by Ent's resignation.
"I feel some disappointment
because during his tenure he has
done so much to reach out to all dif-
ferent citizens and neighborhoods to
help the community realize that we
need to work together to feel safe,"
* said.
Berlin said in a written statement.
"We respect Chief Ent's decision,
and out of respect to him we will not
comment further with regard to it,
We are instead looking toward start-
ingethe process for hiring a new
chief."
Deputy Chief Sherry Woods was
appointed acting chief by Ent when
he announced his resignation.
Former Deputy Chief Walter
L~sford will begin serving as
interim police chief today.
On Berlin's recommendation,
Lunsford's appointment will be pre-
sented to the mayor and members of
the Ann Arbor City Council at its
next bimonthly meeting, which is
slated for Monday.
"No decisions have been made as
to the (process of hiring a new
f) but clearly it will be a com-
pe process in the very near
future," Berlin said.
As for major changes in the Ann
Arbor Police Department due to
Ent's resignation, Woods said, "I
don't see any changes as tar as the
s.nI AJUP nra r,nn tin - nnern-.
Halo, goodbye
By Anna Clark
Daily Staff Reporter
The halo crowning Michigan Stadium - which students,
alumni and other members of the University community have
openly criticized - will come down before next football sea-
son, University President Lee Bollinger announced yesterday.
"While we don't have any official statistics, I have to con-
cede that, according to public response, many more disliked
the changes than liked them," Bollinger said.
Bollinger said the upcoming renovations to the stadium
will be "a much more public process," although he is not
certain how the Athletic Department will garner communi-
ty opinion.
In September, Bollinger said "the renovations to the stadi-
um were a mistake. We were rushed and we did not have suf-
ficient public commentary on the changes."
The halo debuted during the first game of the 1998
football season - the same year the Athletic Department
recorded a deficit of $2.784 million for the 1998-99 fis-
cal year.
Although some speculate that the Athletic Department
lost revenue this year due to the halo's poor reception,
Wayne Baskerville, director of development for the
Athletic Department, said money matters were not the
deciding factor in the decision to remove the stadium's
halo.
"There were so many aspects of the decision to remove the
halo' he said. "I imagine (finances) were looked at as one
of many considerations, but it certainly wasn't the most
crucial aspect."
Baskerville described the financial problems recorded for
the 1998-99 fiscal year as part of the Athletic Department's
usual "up and down."
"There are good years and bad years," Baskerville said.
"The fact that this was also the year the halo went up may or
may not be coincidental."
An audit last year showed a considerable part of the deficit
derived from $500,000 less in gift revenues than was origi-
nally projected.
"That was disappointing and surprising," Athletic Director
Tom Goss said in September. "The (Michigan) Stadium
See HALO, Page 7
DAVID ROCiaKIND/Daify
University President Lee Bollinger said yesterday that the bright yellow halo added
to the top of Michigan Stadium in 1998 will be removed before next season.
Former gov.
defends
S'
admissions
Anti-KKK
protester
nacquitted
By David Enders
Daily Staff Reporter
A jury found Ku Klux Klan protester Robin Alvarez
innocent of inciting a riot during a May 1998 rally after
deliberating for nearly four hours.
Alvarez's supporters filled Judge Donald Shelton's
Washtenaw Circuit courtroom yesterday and cheered as a
jury foreperson read the verdict. Alvarez appeared elated
but immediately tried to shift attention from herself.
"I'm glad (the jury) did the right thing - this is not about
me - this is much bigger than me;" Alvarez said outside the
courtroom. Alvarez was one of more than 20 anti-Klan pro-
testers charged with crimes after the rally and one of only
three to stand trial. One protester, Thomas Doxey, was
See ALVAREZ, Page 2
By Anna Clark
Daily Staff Reporter
Former Michigan Gov. William
Milliken publicly expressed support for
the University's use and defense of
affirmative action in a guest column he
wrote for Wednesday's edition of the
Detroit Free Press.
University President Lee Bollinger
hopes Milliken's show of support will
be one of many public opinions weigh-
ing in the University's corner as it
defends the use of race in its admissions
process.
"I have a goal of getting major peo-
ple from every aspect of American life
to publicly support the University in
these upcoming lawsuits," Bollinger
said.
The Center for Individual Rights, a
Washington, D.C.-based firm, chal-
lenged the University's use of race as
a factor in its admissions process, fil-
ing one suit against the College of
Literature, Science and the Arts and
another against the Law School in
1997.
CIR filed both suits on behalf of
white applicants who claimed they
were denied admission to the
University while less-qualified minori-
ty applicants were admitted.
Both cases are expected to go to trial
this fall.
Milliken joins former U.S. President
Gerald Ford, who publicly supported
the University's case when he wrote a
similar editorial that appeared in The
New York Times in August.
In his column, Milliken said "the
University of Michigan deserves full
support for its efforts to defeat this
assault on its mission."
Bollinger said he is actively asking
for supporters of the University's case
to use advertisements, editorials and
any other method they choose to back
the University.
"We receive information from people
that they are sympathetic to our situa-
tion, or show a commitment to a similar
cause. We look for people who have no
personal stake in the issue as well, so as
to not undermine their credibility,"
Bollinger said.
Associate Provost for Academic
Affairs Lester Monts said the public
affirmations have a positive influ-
ence.
"Because of their age and their
involvement in the political arena, both
Milliken and Ford are in good positions
to see the benefit of diversity in educa-
tion," Monts said.
"The public that puts their trust in
these figures will likely be influenced,
and this can have a positive effect on
our case," he added
Bollinger said the University also
will be looking for chief executive
officers of prominent businesses,
military officials and leaders at other
higher education institutions to sup-
port publicly the University's use of
race in admissions. He also said he
hopes to form a six-member commit-
tee comprised of supporters to
demonstrate further assistance in the
University's case.
The University has been actively
recruiting support for the case since the
lawsuit began, Monts said.
"In the expert testimony, we included
support from the scholarly community
with studies that showed the benefits of
diversity in higher education," Monts
said.
"But at the same time, a lot of sup-
port has come unsolicited - by the
public."
TOP: Ann Arbor resident Robin Alvarez celebrates after
being acquitted on incitement to riot charges for her
actions during a 1998 Ku Klux Klan rally.
ABOVE: Detroit residents Terry Bevins and David Blair
protest in front of the Washtenaw County Courthouse
yesterday morning.
SOA rotester t
ae arraigment
By Shomari Terrelonge-Stone
Daily Staff Reporter
University alum Abby Schlaff will be
arraigned one week from today for par-
ticipating in civil disobedience action in
Fort Benning, Ga., on Nov. 21.
Schlaff, along with more than 10,000
labor, faith and student leaders from
around the world, traveled to
Columbus, Ga., to protest the U.S.
School of Americas in Fort Benning.
The 10th annual demonstration com-
memorated the killing of six Jesuit
priests, their housekeeper and daughter
in El Salvador on Nov. 16, 1989.
SOA was founded in 1946 in Panama
and was relocated to Fort Benning, Ga.,
in 1984. The University students and
protesters allege that SOA is responsi-
We for the death of hundreK of thou-
Benning property in a simulated funer-
al procession carrying signs and cross-
es to commemorate those who were
killed in Latin America by SOA gradu-
ates. Among the 5,000 protesters who
risked arrest by "crossing the line" onto
the base, 65 chose to participate in a
"high-risk action" that consisted of
walking to the front of the procession
carrying coffins and wearing black
robes and white masks.
The 5,000 protesters met head-on with
dozens of Columbus police officers, mil-
itary personnel and 40 buses that trans-
ported them from SOA property to a
nearby park. Schlaff and the "high-risk
action" protesters set down their coffins
on the pavement, poured red paint over
themselves and lay down on the ground.
The 65 involved in the "high-risk action"
Flu epidemic
sweeps state
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
A sudden influx of patients at University Hospitals - and at
other hospitals across Michigan - is the result of an increase
in influenza and influenza-like illnesses in the last few weeks.
As of Wednesday, University Hospitals had filled more
than 90 percent of their more than 850 beds with patients,
said Hospitals spokesperson Kara Gavin.
Gavin said the University Hospitals' Emergency Room is
operating with 50 percent more patients than normal because
it is taking overflow patients from surrounding hospitals.
"We're handling it the best that we can," she said.
The Michigan Department of Community Health reported
an increase in the percentage of flu-suffering patients from
less than 3 percent to more than 10 percent in state hospitals
during the last two weeks of 1999.
Although the hospital is struggling to accommodate everyone,
Gavin said, "We don't want to discourage people from coming to
the ER. (The flu epidemic) does impact us, but we're coping.
Mary Poskie, patient-care director at St. Joseph Mercy
Hospital in Ann Arbor, said "Patients that are getting the flu