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Wednesday
January 23, 2002

Regents consider changing bylaws

By Kara Wenzel
Daily Staff Reporter
Members of the University Board of Regents
are considering a change to their bylaws that
would incorporate a chairman, vice chairman
and committee structure to the board -just in
time for the arrival of a new University presi-
dent.
Regent David Brandon (R-Ann Arbor)
talked about the proposed changes during last
week's regents meeting.
Brandon said at the meeting that he and

other members wish to explore the overall
effectiveness of the Board of Regents - some-
thing that has been a topic of discussion for
seyeral weeks.
After looking at how other institutions
operate, Brandon said he believes the imple-
mentation of a committee structure would
better organize communication and action
among the regents. Brandon has served on
several managerial levels, including his cur-
rent position as chief executive officer of
Domino's Pizza.
The chair of the board would act as a liaison

between the president and the rest of the board,
in addition to assisting in setting agenda items.
In theory, the implementation of a chair would
not change the distribution of power among the
regents and the president.
Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann
Arbor) said the proposal is not meant to be an
attempt at diminishing the authority of the new
president.
"Ideally, we'd all get to be chair," Regent
Olivia Maynard (D-Goodrich) said. "The chair-
man would have more of a time commitment
when they're chair ... but they'd probably only

be chair for a few years."
Newman said presidential candidates should
not be concerned about these changes if they
do occur.
"I think every other university board in the
state of Michigan has a chair," she said. "It's a
rotating position; we're looking at one year
terms.
"I think it would be much better for the Uni-
versity community and much easier for the
president to work with," Newman said.
The types of committees and their duties
have yet to be determined.

"In history they've sometimes had commit-
tees and sometimes not," Maynard said. "The
last time the regents had committees, President
(Harlan) Hatcher got rid of them all."
Maynard said committees "could help the
board function better, but it depends on how
carefully they're put together."
"I think the bylaw changes are neutral. It's
what they end up doing that really matters,"
Maynard said.
Brandon said he hopes to collect opinions
about the position and propose the bylaw
changes at next month's regents meeting.

Budget
focus of
Engler
address
By Louis Meizilab
Daily Staff Reporter
When he was first sworn into
office in 1991, Gov. John Engler
faced an economic recession cou-
pled with a state budget crisis and
the Persian Gulf War taking place
thousands of miles away. At that
time, terrorism usually implied
events that occurred in the Middle
East or the
British Isles.
Eleven years
later, it is the
last year of the
governor's stay
in office. The
economy is in
recession, there
is a budget crisis
at the state level,
Engler and given that
National Guard troops are now
patrolling the U.S.-Canadian bor-
der, there is fear that Michigan
could be a target for terrorists.
 These issues and concerns. are
taking center stage tonight as
Engler addresses a joint session of
the Legislature with the final State
of the State address of his 12 years
in office. The governor is term-lim-
ited and thus prevented from seek-
ing a fourth term in office.
Engler's office usually gives
hints prior to the address as to what
the governor will discuss, but that
is not the case this year.
"The governor's always been very
energetic in planning for the years
ahead, so it should be an interesting
speech," said Engler spokesman
Matt Resch.
Many observers will be awaiting
Engler's speech to see how the
Republican governor plans to deal
with the present budget deficit and
the fact that a slowing economy
means more revenue shortages in
the future.
"When you get right down to it,
there's no escaping (it) - the focus
of attention is going to be on the
budget and taxes," said Bill Bal-
lenger, a former state senator who
See ENGLER, Page 7


An
da y
gV(
By Michael Gazdecki
Daily Staff Reporter

apple a
Soloway
n award


Engaging his pupils in discussion
about class material has been a key to
Engineering Prof. Elliot Soloway's
success as a professor. Students pre-
sented him with the 2002 Golden
Apple Award for his unique teaching
style yesterday evening in the
Mendelssohn Theatre.
"I teach differently than you're
supposed to and getting this award is
tremendously reaffirming," he said.
Soloway, who is also a professor
in the schools of Education and
Information, spends the first 20
minutes of every class discussing
current events. He uses national
and international events and relates
it to technology and business - in
addition to how it will affect his

student's lives. He also relates these
events to course material.
Sponsored each year by Students
Honoring Outstanding University
Teaching, the Golden Apple award is
given by students to their choice for
the best professor at the University.
"It is a celebration of everything
.we believe in - (everything) that this
University and this program are
about," said Michael Brooks, the
director of Hillel, which also spon-
sors the award, along with Apple
Computers Inc. and various Universi-
ty organizations.
The honor is bestowed on those
faculty members that uphold the
Golden Apple tradition, which
requires that the selected professor
has given every lecture as though it
was their grand finale. Winners are
See GOLDEN APPLE, Page 7

LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily
Engineering Prof. Elliot Soloway, recipient of the 2002 Golden Apple award, gives his acceptance speech at the
Mendelssohn Theatre last night.


Research expenditures
for 2001 passed records

:R

Circus act

By Kyene Klang
Daily Staff Reporter
According to an annual report from
the Office of the Vice President of
Research, research spending at the Uni-
versity for the 2001 fiscal year reached
an all-time high of $592 million, show-
ing a $42 million increase from the pre-
vious fiscal year.
The University spent $98 million of
its own funds for research last year,
which was a mere 16.6 percent of the
University's tofal research spending.
Interim University President B.
Joseph White said that a strong research
enterprise is vital to our society.
"The breadth and depth of research at
the University of Michigan, and its
impact on our mission to educate lead-
ers and innovators demonstrate our

commitment to the state, the nation and
the world," White said in a written state-
ment.
Despite economic recession,
prospects for research grants in the 2002
fiscal year are likely to surpass last
year's total of $641 million. During the
first half of the current fiscal year, the
report states that research awards totaled
$442 million, which is $179 million
more than the amount received during
the corresponding first half of fiscal year
2001.
"Research expenditures represent a
critical measure of the University's abili-
ty to carry out its mission of education,
intellectual discovery, addressing the
needs of society and contributing to
economic growth," said Vice President
for Research Fawwaz Ulaby who pre-
See RESEARCH, Page 7

Search committee given input at MSA

By Tomislav Ladika
Daily Staff Reporter
Presidential Search Advisory Committee
Chairman Earl Lewis answered questions and
listened to requests about the search for a new
University president at a public forum during
last night's Michigan Student Assembly meet-
ing. The forum was part of the committee's
effort to solicit input from students, faculty,
alumni and staff at all three of the University's
campuses.
Lewis said the new president will have to be
sensitive to the issues affecting the University.
"This is an institution where you have to
have a thick skin and a vision for the future,"
he said.
Whether the new president will be a defend-
ent of affirmative action was one of the main
topics discussed at the meeting. LSA junior
Agnes Aleobua, a member of the Coalition to
Defend Affirmative Action and Integration and
Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary,
said students will pressure the new president to

to the defense of affirmative action and the
defense of minorities," said Aleobua. "There
isn't a public institution that can claim to be a
real institution that isn't standing for that firm-
ly."
Third-year Law student Dave Boyle, who
said he felt BAMN was too conservative, went
one step further by urging the committee to
end the University's streak of selecting only
white, male presidents.
"If we really are the leaders and the best -
if we really are about progress - we need the
most progressive and diverse leadership," said
Boyle.
"I find it very hard to believe there is not
some woman, and of course people of color,
who is capable to lead," he said.
With regard to affirmative action, Lewis said
the committee's criteria will fall in line with
what the regents want. He said an initial set of
criteria the committee has developed include
strong leadership and the continuation of the
work of former University President Lee
Bollinger - including his affirmative action

LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily
Dave Lewis, a member of the Juggling Club, juggles at East Hall In the
Atrium yesterday. The club meets every Tuesday from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Shakespeare online
P

course fnrsi

By Jordan Schrader
Daily Staff Reporter
A new University program offers
a chance to explore William Shake-
speare's histories, ethics in genetics
and the Roman Empire - without
having to leave home.
The first in a series of online
mini-courses premiered yesterday
on Fathom.com, a website that pro-
vides authenticated information
from member institutions such as
universities and libraries..
"We are really focused on our

t or many
shame to keep things cloistered
within our walls," said Louis King,
Fathom liaison to the University.
Though the online classes are not
for credit, King said they may be
used as supplemental materials by
teachers in credit-bearing courses.
"The faculty can tie that in with
the rest of the course," he said.
Taught by English Prof. Ralph
Williams, the first course is called
"The Shakespeare You Never
Knew: The First History Plays" and
will examine the three "Henry VI"
plays and "Richard III." It features

dIL

ALYSA WOOD/Daily

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