LOCAL/STATE
___The Miichigan Daiy - Friday, .: v 22 ..2
Pet the pup
Former DPS officer sues
'U' for racial bias in firing
nd
ecr
end
Sleeping student
reported to DIPS
[e 'An Angell Hall staff member
reported a person sleeping, Depart-
ment of Public Safety reports state. It
was later found that the subject was a
student waiting for class.
Boyfriend's items
stolen in Barbour
A Betsy Barbour resident reported
- several of her boyfriend's items stolen
for from her residence hall room Monday
>ce evening, DPS reports state. The stu-
dent returned to her room to find her
boyfriend's jacket, cell phone and sun-
rs glasses missing.
R
on Subject reported
or looking at porn,
yelling in library
A Shapiro Undergraduate Library
as staff member reported a subject look-
ing at pornographic material Tuesday
morning, DPS reports state. The sub-
ject had also been yelling on the first
l floor. The subject was read the tres-
passing violation and was escorted
from the building.
Employee locates
fire outside SAB
A Student Activities Building
employee noticed a fire on the build-
W ing's dock Wednesday evening, DPS
o0 reports state. The employee did not
observe anyone in the area. There was
no damage to the building or any
& other property. The supervisor
r a advised it may have been a result of
ble employees discarding cigarette butts
ign in the dumpster.
ing
on Contractor found
St dumping chemical
26 A Hospital security officer found a
contractor dumping chemical stripper
e a into a parking lot on the 1500 block of
er E. Medical Center Dr. Monday evening,
ies. according to DPS reports. The officer
rs, suspects the contractor gave a false
& identification. The unit took the license
es, plate and the contractors cleaned up the
ry non-hazardous chemical. There was no
ry, environmental damage.
me
w Subject found
Mc relieving himself
A subject was reported urinating
along Bishop Street Tuesday morning,
an DPS reports state. Housing officers
ns. checked the area and were unable to
ek locate the subject.
ble
u1 Money stolen
* from office twice
A caller reported $500 stolen from
her office in John P. Weidenbach Hall
s Tuesday morning, DPS reports state.
er In addition, $800 had been stolen last
week from the same office. DPS had
nd . no suspects.
By Rtyn Nixon
Daily Staff Reporter
A hearing has been set for April 9 regarding a former Uni-
versity Department of Public Safety officer who alleges he
was wrongfully demoted.
Joseph Miller, whose job was terminated Jan. 18, filed a
federal lawsuit last week claiming a violation of the Whistle-
blower's Act of 1980.
The act states an employer shall not discharge, or discrimi-
nate against an employee who reports a violation of law. Also
included in the lawsuit are violations of Miller's constitution-
al right to free speech and racial discrimination. Miller is ask-
ing for compensation for attorney fees, damages and
reinstatement.
Miller's attorney, Marian Faupel, said her client's troubles
began after he and fellow officer Heather Mc Donald met
with DPS Director William Bess in November to discuss
their proposal of a canine unit.
"The two officers met with him in confidence," Faupel
said. "And with the invitation to talk openly, Miller began to
describe abuses of power and he complained about discrimi-
nation in the department."
Faupel said Miller complained about DPS Associate
Director James Smiley, who he alleges gave his family mem-
bers parking permits.
"Mr. Smiley's behavior was well known through the
department," Faupel said. "His son had a field pass and his
car blocked a police car at an event."
Bess said in a written statement that members of the
department are encouraged to bring issues of concern to his
attention and should do so without fear of reprisal. "This is a
university community that expects and deserves the best of
its public safety personnel, and unquestioned integrity is
essential to community trust," Bess said in the statement.
Faupel said within a week of meeting with Bess, a female
public safety officer made a complaint about inappropriate
contact with Miller.
"Her story changed repeatedly. In any other instance, the
case would have been dismissed, but Miller was served a sus-
pension and was then demoted," Faupel said.
Faupel said DPS also claimed Miller was tampering with a
witness.
"ie warned a friend that they were going to meddle in
their business. And he hoped it wouldn't cause he trouble at
work," Faupel said. "She was not a witness to anything and
was not an employee of the University. It was based on that
they terminated him."
University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said in a written
statement that the facts and circumstances surrounding this
matter have been thoroughly investigated. "We believe Mr.
Miller was treated fairly and appropriately, and that there was
no discrimination,' Peterson said in the statement.
Miller was hired in September 1998 as a security officer,
Peterson said. In December 1999 he was promoted to a police
officer, and was subject to a 12-month probationary period.
Faupel said the department's nine black officers do not get
many promotional opportunities based on their qualifications.
In addition, Faupel said the officers face inappropriate racial
references and are disciplined more strictly than other officers.
Currently Miller.is earning money doing non-police work,
Faupel said. "He's been damaged in the process. He wants the
environment in the department to become less hostile to male
minority officers," Faupel said.
An arbitration in early April could allow Miller's reinstate-
ment, which could continue through the litigation process.
"At any time the University can make a proposal to settle
this. Litigation makes matters worse," Faupel said.
AP PHOTO
Adam Malicke of Mesick, Mich., Introduces Kira, one of his 21 sled dogs, to
students at Uving God Christian School in Traverse City yesterday.
Bil ouldmae
men s, women S
sports concurrent
, u ..
By Louie Meizlish
Daily Staff Reporter
A bill that would synchronize the
seasons of men's and women's high
school sports teams in Michigan was
introduced this week in the state
House of Representatives.
Rep. Chris Kolb (D-Ann Arbor)
said he believes the current system,
in which women play sports such as
basketball, tennis, and golf during
different parts of the year than men
do, "reduces women's potential to
receive scholarships and their
recruiting potential."
The bill proposes that "if a public
school has both a male and female
interscholastic athletic team in the
same sport at the high school level,
the governing board of the public
school shall ensure that the seasons
for both teams coincide."
lie added that since women's
sports usually occur at different
times in other states, college
recruiters are less inclined to visit
Michigan sports stars because "they
have to make a separate trip to come
here and they may have run out of
scholarships by the time they get
here. "
The present system, he said,
"sends a subtle but strong message
that women's sports are second-rate
and that's a bad message."
But two local women's coaches
said they do not support Kolb's plan.
Jeff Wright, the assistant women's
varsity basketball coach at Ann
Arbor Gabriel Richard High School,
said there was no need to alter the
current system.
"It has never really been a prob-
lem," he said.
Wright added that since women's
basketball occurs in the fall in
Michigan, when few other sports
besides men's football are occurring,
women's basketball players already
receive a great amount of attention.
Pat Battani, varsity women's bas-
ketball coach at Ann Arbor Huron
High School, echoed Wright's com-
ments.
Battani said the system Kolb pro-
poses would cause havoc for teams
trying to practice. Huron currently
has three men's and three women's
basketball teams.
"I can't imagine how we could
have six basketball teams practicing
at the same time," he said. "At two
hours a pop, if you have practices
from four to six, six to eight, and
eight to 10, that's awfully late."
Battani added that the recruiting
problem mentioned by Kolb does not
exist.
"I have been working in girls' bas-
ketball for 23 years and I can tell
you that coaches come at any time of
the year if there is a player they are
looking at."
Another reason Kolb said his bill
would help women athletes in
Michigan was that it would allow
them to participate in out of state
tournaments that now occur at times
different than when their seasons
occur.
Battani also disagreed on that
point, saying, "there are not many
teams that want to go out of state
tournaments." Of the few that do, he
said, their players are usually good
enough to receive plenty of attention
from college recruits without attend-
ing the tournaments.
Kolb's bill has been referred to the
Committee on Education.
He said that although he could not
predict whether it would be
approved, he was "hopeful that we
will get some movement on this
issue."
Ulrich's
Bookstore
549 E. University
Ann Arbor, MI
48104
(734) 662.3201
rk,
4W
ad
70.ud
this
a's
in
aff,
Subject arrested
for marijuana
Housing officers in Bursley Resi-
dence Hall requested DPS assistance
with a person possessing marijuana,
DPS reports state. The subject was
arrested for possession and minor in
possession of alcohol.
1WS
'00
Damage found on
elevator doors-
An incident of malicious destruc-
tion in South Quad Residence Hall
was reported Wednesday afternoon,
DPS reports state. An elevator mainte-
nance worker witnessed the elevator
doors beaten with lacrosse sticks. The
incident occurred about two weeks
ago.
Trespasser found
in study room
A Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library
staff member found a trespasser in a
study room Wednesday evening, DPS
reports state. This frequent trespasser
was found asleep. He was soon escort-
ed from the building.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Jacquelyn Nixon.
Uniform system for
voting approaching
LANSING (AP) - Michigan voters
are going to see some major changes in
the state's election system in the coming
years, state Elections Director Chris
Thomas told a state House committee
yesterday.
States' elections systems are catching
up with today's technology, Thomas told
the House Redistricting and Elections
Committee during a hearing about the
state's election system.
"It's got to get better," Thomas said.
"Technology in elections hasn't been the
best in the world."
Michigan Secretary of State Candice
Miller, the state's top election official,
has pushed for a uniform voting system
for the state's 5,380 precincts and reduc-
ing the number of elections to four a
year.
Michigan is considering different
elections systems to service the needs of
a statewide system. Thomas said the
secretary of state's office will offer the
Legislature several recommendations
about elections next month.
The state is considering several sys-
tems for statewide use, including com-
puter touch screens and optical scan,
Thomas said.
THE CALENDAR
What's happening In Ann Arbor this weekend
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
"Anthropological
Research in the Lowland
Philippines," Sponsored
by the Center for South
Kiwanis Resale, 9:00
a.m. - noon, Corner of
Washington and First
streets. 665-0450
"ArtVideos," Sponsored
by the Museum of Art,
Kiki Smith's work, 1:00
p.m., UMMA audiovisual
room, 525 S. State at
South University, 763-
SERVICES
Campus Information
Centers, 764-INFO,
info@umich.edu, or
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