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NEWS: 76-DAILY
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Wednesday
February 9, 2000
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Tower protestors meet with administrators
By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
Until Sunday many people at the Universi
ty had no idea what Michigamua was - the
was before the Students of Color Coalitio
tupied the secret society's meeting spac
the seventh floor of the Michigan Union'
tower and made public the organization'
inner workings, which have been largel
unknown since 1902.
Students, faculty and Ann Arbor residen
were lined up until late last night to view why
SCC members claim is an atmosphere thati
degrading to Native American culture.
MSAX
votes to
support
protesters
By Lisa Koivu 8
Daily Staff Reportera
"We're making this open to students :..
(Michigamua) has never been infiltrated like
this before," said Diego Bernal, a Social
Work graduate student who is occupying the
seventh floor of the Union with SCC. Protes-
tors do not have access to rooms on the fifth
and sixth floors.
Those who took the tour led by SCC mem-
bers yesterday saw many items on display in
Michigamua's meeting space, including a
miniature totem pole, a bust of an Indian chief
and a small figure of a Native American.
But Michigamua spokesman Nick Delgado
said these items, and the majority of others
on display to the public, were in storage in
the Union attic prior to the SCC occupation.
"The first time I'd ever seen (the figure)
was this morning when I picked up the
paper," Delgado said at last night's Michigan
Student Assembly meeting.
He was referring to a photo in yesterday's
Michigan Daily of the Native American fig-
ure lying on top of a book titled "Pride of
2000." The book and figure are not related
and Delgado said that while the book was
part of Michigamua's practices, the figure
must have been in the attic prior to the occu-
pation.
"The question needs to be posed - were
these in the room when the SCC took over?"
he asked.
SCC members said they will be vigilant
and will not vacate the tower until the Uni-
versity severs all ties with Michigamua.
*They are also demanding the space currently
occupied by the Tower Societies be convert-
ed into a cultural study lounge.
SNRE senior Joe Reilly, who serves as
co-chair of the Native American Student
Association, said University President Lee
Bollinger, Provost Nancy Cantor, and inter-
im Vice President for Student Affairs E.
Royster Harper met with members of the
SCC on the seventh floor of the Union yes-
terday.
"Where we are now, is trying to begin a
broader discussion about the use of the space
in the future," Harper said.
"At this point in time these students are
not willing to have thatdiscussion," she
added.
Bollinger said he will address this issue
today.
Michigamua receives no funding from the
University and currently pays no rent for the
lease of its space in the Union tower, Delga-
do said.
Bernal said that one of the most offensive
ways in which Michigamua members denigrate
See OCCUPATION, Page 2
eal8
quick,
ossf
is
out
AD's 29-month term
will end next month
By Jeannie Baumann
and David Den Herder
Daily Staff Reporters
The Michigan Student Assembly
voted at their weekly meeting last
night in the Michigan Union to sup-
port the Students of Color Coalition
in their occupation of the seventh
or of the Union as a protest
against the secret society Michiga-
mua.
At the beginning of the meeting
assembly President Brain Elias
admitted to MSA members he was a
member of Michigamua and said
although he would be running the
meeting, he could be overrued at
any time.
Peace and Justice co-Chairwoman
sica Curtin started the heated
date by saying that MSA should
support the SCC.
Curtin said MSA should support
the SCC's goals of turning the
Michigamua meeting place into a
cultural study lounge.
"The fact that the room still looks
like a fake wigwam is very racist
rand demeaning' Curtin said.
External Relations Committee co-
'airman Matt Nolan disagreed
with Curtin, saying MSA shouldn't
support a resolution endorsing the
actions of a group that invaded
another group's property.
"The SCC occupied Michiga-
mua's room, kept the members out
and publicized the items that had
been special to the group for many
generations. Michigamua's right to
privacy was violated. We shouldn't
endorse this group," Nolan said.
*iafa Hage, Budget Priorities
Committee vice chairman, asked
what the room looked like before the
SCC found all of the old artifacts in
the closet and attic.
Nick Delgado, a spokesperson for
Michigamua said there were very
few Native American artifacts in the
room.
"We had a 'Scalper' Yost plaque
the wall, which hasn't been
oved for structural reasons. We
also had a broken tomahawk replica
which was donated to us in memory
of former members that have passed
on' Delgado said.
Diego Bernal, a spokesman for
the SCC and also one of the occu-
piers, said whatever artifacts were in
the room, were too many.
Jasmine Abdel-Khalik asked
where the name Michigamua came
m, and why it hasn't been
c nged since it was first discussed
that the name was offensive.
"We understand the name is
offensive and we need to talk about
it. The name was created in 1902 by
our founders, but we're kind of
groggy about the actual origins. This
is an issue that needs to be dealt
with though," Delgado said.
A big point of contention
*oughout the evening was
whether the use of the Union as a
meeting place for a secret society is
fair to other students of the Univer-
sity community.
Citing an agenda.from a 1930s
Board of Regents meeting, Delgado
i
University President Lee Bollinger
officially accepted the resignation of
Athletic Director Tom Goss yester-
day, after appointing him in Septem-
ber 1997.
"Every decision that I have made in
the past 29 months was made from the
heart and in the best interest of the
University of Michigan and its stu-
dent-athletes," said Goss, who is
scheduled to leave office at the end of
the winter athletic season in March.
"Not everything has been accom-
plished, but a pathway has been char-
tered for the next athletic director,"
Goss said.
Bollinger said the resignation
came after much deliberation.
"This is a decision Tom and I have
arrived at that goes back over many
months and over many discussions,"
Bollinger said. "It is far too complex
for any kind of simple statement.
This is the right decision for the Uni-
versity."
Bollinger refused to give the
specifics behind the athletic director's
departure.
But as Goss addressed his future
options, he mentioned the abruptness
of this development.
"I really haven't had the time to
really consider (my options)," Goss
said. "This just happened real quick."
Bollinger then said the months of
discussion pertained to the future of
the athletic department and not
specifically to Goss' tenure at the
University. He refuted claims that
this development is an attempt by
University administrators to exert
more executive control over athletics.
"I've said from the beginning that
one of the things I would not do is
run the Athletic Department,"
See GOSS, Page 7
Coaches, Board confused by departure
By Jen Fish
and Stephanie Offen
Daily Staff Reporters
On Saturday, the reports of the impending
resignation of Athletic Director Tom Goss
sent shockwaves through the University
community. Ironically, the people most sur-
prised with the news were members of the
athletic community --the coaching staff and
the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Ath-
letics.
In an interview after yesterday's press
conference to announce Goss' resigna-
tion, Michigan hockey coach Red Beren-
son said no one in the Athletic
Department knew the resignation was
was so much written about this if it were just
between the two of them," Berenson said.
"Everyone says there was two sources.
Someone obviously leaked this out to every-
one."
Berenson, who said he spoke to Goss
on Monday, called the resignation not
only shocking, but a disappointment "for
Michigan, the Athletic Department and
for the future of the Athletic Depart-
ment."
Most of the speculation behind Goss'
departure has centered around the recent
problems with the men's basketball program
- most specifically with freshman guard
Jamal Crawford's six-game suspension for
an NCAA violation.
"The timing of all this is very coincidental
with the written problems of basketball,"
Berenson said. "Are any of these significant
enough for an athletic director like Tom
Goss, who everyone thinks the world of, to
be forced out ?" he asked.
At the press conference, Goss and
Bollinger both insisted the resignation
was a mutual decision. Bollinger denied
that he ordered Goss to resign. Goss and
Bollinger also denied that the events sur-
rounding Crawford were the only reasons
behind the resignation.
But the timing of Goss' resignation has
brought much speculation.
"If someone's looking for an excuse to do
something, they found an excuse (in the
Crawford situation) - that's the other side of
it," Berenson said. "Whether he's a scapegoat
or whether this was the straw that broke the
See REACTION, Page 7
Photos by SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Oa2iy
TOP: University President Lee Bollinger speaks at a press
conference yesterday in the Michigan Union where Tom
Goss (right) resigns from his post as athletic director.
ABOVE: Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson and
football coach Lloyd Carr speak before the conference.
coming.
"I was surprised and
confused that there
1 A2)
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remain
recln g leaders
SAM HOLLENSHEAD! Datly
Graduate student David Lee looks at paintings at the Annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners at the Rackham School
of Graduate Studies last night. The exhibit continues through February and features art by 118 prisoners.
Exh ib.-11it featurespat
By Krista Gullo
Daily Staff Reporter
The city of Ann Arbor and the Uni-
versity continue to be among the
nation's recycling leaders despite
.reported lagging recycling rates in the
state and across the nation.
"Recycling is alive and well and
strong in Ann Arbor," said Ramsey
Zimmerman, project manager for Recy-
cle Ann Arbor, a private non-profit col-
lector of the city's recyclables.
The Fall 1999 semester marked the
10th anniversary of the University's
recycling program. Today there are
more than 3,000 collection containers
for recyclable goods in University build-
ings and residence halls for students,
faculty and staff. The program has
expanded from the collection of white
office paper, newspaper and corrugated
faculty and staff. The recycling pro-
gram, which was initiated due to stu-
dent support, has been most successful
in recycling paper.
Comparing 1996-97 and 1997-98. the
amount of paper recycled at the Univer-
sity rose from 2,000 tons to 2,167 tons
and the amount of containers recycled
rose from 124 tons to 127 tons.
"This whole community is so pro-
recycling" said Sarah Archer, the Uni-
versity's recycling coordinator.
While recycling has increased on
campus so has the amount of trash.
The University's trash rose from 7700
tons in'1996-97 to almost 8000 in
1997-98.
"We aren't seeing as much waste
diversion," Archer said, referring to
other ways to dispose of garbage, other
than in landfills.
Archer attributes the increase in
By Marta Brill
Daily Staff Reporter
Artist and former prisoner Thomas Baxter is seeing the
Annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners for the first
time, after being a contributor for the past four years.
Besides seeing a wonderful art show, event organizer and
English Prof. Buzz Alexander said he hopes visitors walk
away with a different perspective on the people currently
incarcerated in Michigan.
"The community and University is full of stereotypes. We
hope to overcome some of these stereotypes," Alexander