Friday
September 26, 2003
@2003 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vol. CXIV, No. 19
Weatber
TODAY
One-hundred-twelve years of editorialfreedom
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cloudy
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Scrutiny of Sigma
Chi frat continues
;By Mada Sprow
Daily Staff Reporter
Members of the University commu-
nity are still reacting to what is the
worst-known case of hazing on cam-
pus since 1999, three days after the
University publicly announced that a
Sigma Chi fraternity member was hos-
pitalized for severe dehydration and
kidney failure.
According to University officials, the
hazing that
occurred at Sigma .
Chi Fraternity Th is was a
included depriving terribly dan
their eight-mem-
ber pledge class of ClrCUMStafl
food and watert
and forcing them ese youn
to do exercises for tfbrough."
an extended period
of time. A Kinesi-
ology junior sub- - Unit
jected to the Ma
hazing was hospi-
talized Sept. 14 for muscle breakdown
and acute renal failure. The student was
released from the hospital Sept. 19.
The Ann Arbor Police Department
began investigating the allegations Tues-
day night, after the University's Depart-
ment of Public Safety informed it of the
incident.
AAPD Sgt. Angela Abrams said the
investigation has just begun and it is
unknown what types of criminal
charges, if any, could be filed against
fraternity members..
"We really don't have anything
besides the initial complaint ... that is all
I can tell you right now," she said,
adding that she does not know how long
such an investigation may take.
Dick Soble, the family's attorney, said
the student is still recovering. He would
not say if the student is currently attend-
ing classes. "He is still getting medical
treatment and is beginning to recover a
bit," Soble said. "This is all the family
wants to share at the moment - their
main concern is getting their son better."
He added that the family has not men-
tioned taking any form of legal action
against the fraternity or its members.
"That is not a discussion that I have had
with them yet," he said.
President Mary Sue Coleman said the
University is taking a strong stance
against the fraternity in order to deter
future hazing incidents.
"It is just inconceivable to me that
people would1
terribly,
igerous
ce to put
g men
versity president
uy Sue Coleman
cumstance to
have wanted to do that to
another person, I don't
understand," she said.
She added that
whether alcohol or
any under-aged drink-
ing was involved is
not the issue at hand.
"I don't see any evi-
dence that alcohol was
involved, and it does
not matter if alcohol
was involved or not.
This was a terribly,
terribly dangerous cir-
) put these young men
Back in t
" h .
Y t
TONY DIN
Forward J.C. Mathis and guard Daniel Horton look forward to the new season at the
Maize Rage meeting in Cliff Keen Arena yesterday.
Payer's set hzgrker^ s1
By Daniel Bremmer Bernard Robinson.
Daily Sports Writer "Growing up, every kid who goes to
a university or college wants to go to
The thought of leaving Michigan the NCAA Tournament," the forward
without a chance to play in an said. "For me, the last two years, going
NCAA Tournament was a difficult into a year knowing I wouldn't be able
one to stomach for senior tri-captain to go is something that hurts you
By Bob Hunt
Daily Sports Writer
he game
NCAA reverses
i ostseason ban on
basketbaliprogram
It's official: The Michigan bas-
ketball team can dream to dance.
The NCAA Division I Infrac-
tions Appeals Committee
announced yesterday it has
reversed the basketball team's
postseason ban for the upcoming
season. The committee cited that
a postseason ban in addition to
the one-year ban the University
self-imposed on itself in 2002-
2003 was excessive.
"I really felt like (the appeals
committee) understood the
issues and distinctions and why
it was different, and why we felt
the original infractions commit-
tee had not really judged them,"
said University President Mary
Sue Coleman, who addresses
the appeals committee in
August.
The ruling is the official end to
the NCAA's investigation behind
the program's scandal in the early
to mid-90s involving booster Ed
Martin, who gave $616,000 and
special benefits to former Michi-
gan players Chris Webber, Mau-
rice Taylor, Louis Bullock and
Robert Traylor.
"With today's announcement,
this long and unpleasant chapter in
the University history has ended
once and for all," Michigan Athletic
Director Bill Martin said. "We have
learned some hard lessons from this
experience, but we emerged from it
with a stronger program and a
renewed commitment to the highest
standards of integrity."
Prior to the 2002-2003 sea-
son, the University imposed
penalties on itself after con-
ducting its own investigation,
including returning more than
$400,000 in tournament rev-
enue to the NCAA, forfeiting
112 games, placing itself on
two years of probation and tak-
ing down Big 10 and NCAA
Final Four championship ban-
See NCAA, Page 3A
through," Coleman said. "We need to
make absolutely sure that everybody
understands that kind of behavior isn't
going to be tolerated."
The last time such a serious hazing
incident occurred on campus was in
1999, when the Alpha Epsilon Pi frater-
nity was suspended for hazing. In that
incident, a member of the fraternity had
fired an air rifle, which the member had
thought was empty, at a member of the
pledge class. The pledge member
received injuries to his groin area.
In 2000, as a result of that incident,
the IFC started the Hazing Task Force to
act as an internal investigative unit that
responds to hazing allegations.
The Hazing Task Force is currently a
12-member panel composed members
of the Interfraternity Council, Panhel-
lenic Association and National Pan-Hel-
lenic Association.
When a complaint is submitted to the
See HAZING, Page 3A
tandards fOr season
inside."
But thanks to the NCAA's reversal of
its postseason ban on Michigan for the
2003-04 season, Robinson won't have
to face that pain again this year.
The Wolverines are once again eligi-
ble for the postseason and will look to
return to the NCAA Tournament for the
first time since 1998.
The NCAA made an official
announcement yesterday afternoon,
but Michigan coach Tommy Amak-
er and his staff informed the team
See PLAYERS, Page 2A
Dean makes Michigan campaign stop
By Michael Gurovitsch
Daily Staff Reporter
MADISON HEIGHTS - Demo-
cratic presidential hopeful Howard
Dean made the first of what he said
would be many stops in Michigan
while speaking at the constitutional
convention of
the Metropolitan
Detroit AFL-CIO ~
yesterday morn-4
ing.
Dean is a med-
ical doctor who '/
served in the
Vermont House
of Representa-
tives for four
years before Dean
becoming lieutenant governor in
1986.
After the death of then-Gov.
Richard Snelling, Dean ascended to
the state's highest office. He served as
governor of Vermont from 1991 until
his final term ended last year.
In his speech, he criticized Presi-
dent Bush and defended the Univer-
sity's policies on affirmative action.
"I think the U of M has never had
a quota system. The only reason
(the word quota) was used by the
president is to scare people into
thinking they would lose their place
in universities," Dean said. "The
president played the race card and
for that reason he deserves a one-
way ticket back to Crawford," Dean
said, referring to Bush's hometown.
Dean said Bush's comments
regarding a quota system were one
of the low points of his presidency.
He also added that the president's
views about the University's affir-
mative action policies were even at
odds with one of the most conserva-
tive U.S. Supreme Courts in recent
history.
"We are going to have a little fun
today at the expense of the presi-
dent," Dean said in his opening
remarks, setting the tone for his
speech.
Dean said although he supported
the first gulf war and the war in
Afghanistan, he was not in favor of
invading Iraq. He sharply criticized
Bush, saying he led the United States
to war by using false information
about uranium in Nigeria and links
between Saddam Hussein and al-
Qaida.
"As commander in chief I will
send our troops anywhere. ... (But)
I will never send them in harm's
way without telling Americans
why," Dean said.
He also added that the war in Iraq
was hurting America's standing
abroad, something he promised to
change if he were elected president.
"We need a new policy. We need a
new president. ... It's time to end
the formation of public policy
based on the petulance of the chief
executive of America," Dean said.
He said it was necessary to shift
the balance of power from the
"right wing ideologues" back to the
working class, a comment for which
he received a large ovation.
"This democracy doesn't belong
to Rush Limbaugh or (U.S. Rep.)
Tom DeLay or (U.S. Attorney Gen-
eral) John Ashcroft or (Vice Presi-
dent) Dick Cheney. ... This flag
belongs to every single one us,"
Dean said.
Event hopes to raise voter participation
Rabbi Alter Goldstein of Chabad House practices blowing the shofar in preparation
for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year that begins tonight at sundown.
New year offers time
for refetofamily
By David Branson
For The Daily
University students should keep an
ear out this Sunday night for the sound
of the shofar and mark the celebration of
the 5,764th Rosh Hashanah. Beginning
at sundown tonight and ending at sun-
down on Sunday, campus organizations
like the Chabad House and Michigan
Hillel will hold a series of religious
services to mark the High Holidays.
As a religious holiday, "Rosh
Hashanah is unique because it is a more
serious time, a reflection time and not a
God is more accessible and the requests
we have are more accepted."
Yom Kippur ends the High Holidays
at sundown on Monday, Oct. 6th. "Rosh
Hashanah is more a time for reflection
and judgment and Yom Kippur is the
sealing date, where everything that peo-
ple have resolved, God seals for the year
to come," Goldstein said.
One of the most important compo-
nents during Rosh Hashanah is the sho-
far blowing. Shofar blowing comes from
a traditional story where a town was
forced to come together as one. Today,
blowing the shofar signifies a religious
Political figures,
artists come together to
encourage voting
By Alison Go
and Anjad Tarsin
Daily Staff Reporters
Former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson
received a standing ovation at the "Our
Future College: Voice Your Vote Tour"
last night.
Wilson is widely known as being
responsible for questioning President
Bush's claim that Iraq was obtaining
African uranium.
In an appeal to encourage students to
participate in political debate, Wilson
touched on subjects like foreign policy,
the missteps of the current government
and the power voters have to change the
political situation.
Wilson blamed what he called an
unnecessary war in Iraq on the small
amount of people able and willing to
make important decisions. He stated that
if more people voted, a larger breadth of
views in the pre-war debate would have
lobbying for solar power and other
oil alternatives. Other sponsoring
groups included MTV's Rock the
Vote, PIRGIM and Campaign for
America's Future.
"I'm proud to be part of this and
sustaining a green energy initiative.
Getting students out and organizing
on campuses is so important," said
John Passacantando, executive direc-
tor of Greenpeace.
Student groups with political affilia-
tions also promoted last night's event.
"It's important that students recognize
the power they have to affect policy,"
said Courtney Skiles, LSA junior and
chair of communications for the Michi-
gan Student Assembly.
"This being a non-partisan event
is important because many students
don't affiliate with any party, and
this event speaks to everyone and
allows them to realize they have a
place in the democratic process,"
Skiles said.
Included in the presentation were var-
ious musical and poetry slam acts.
"We were disgusted with current
social conservatism (and) how they
SETH LOWER/Daily
Former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson addresses a crowd at the Power Center last
night. Wilson encouraged students to get Involved in the political process.
"There is no more solemn obliga-
Wilson and other keynote speak-
L