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October 10, 2003
©2003 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vol. CXIII, No. 29
One-hundred-thirteen years ofeditordafreedom
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Rep. criticizes lack of ideological diversity at 'U'
Study by state legislator
suggests political
onesidedness among faculty
By Sara Eber
Daily Staff Reporter
issued a statement last week denouncing the
University's alleged lack of ideological diversi-
ty, saying, "If their political donations are any
guide, the University of Michigan faculty is
about as diverse as the old Soviet Politburo."
Since the 2000 presidential election, Univer-
sity faculty have donated more than $126,000
to political campaigns, and 84 percent of those
donations went to Democratic candidates or
Democratic-leaning political action commit-
tees, according to Drolet's statement. In con-
tests between two Democrats, professors "lean
heavily toward the most liberal" candidates,
Drolet said. He cited the 2000 congressional
primary between Lynn Rivers and John Din-
gell, where 85 percent of donations in that race
went to Rivers, the more liberal candidate
according to Drolet.
"The pattern of these donations, combined
with the University's dogmatic defense of its
racially biased admissions policy, demonstrates
that ideas matter less to U of M than the skin
color of those who bring those ideas to cam-
pus," Drolet said.
But nuclear and radio science Prof. Edward
Larsen, who donated nearly $1,000 to U.S.
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Bloomfield Town-
ship), said that although the law supersedes his
personal opinions, he does not think his cam-
paign donations are the public's business.
"The alleged 'lack of ideological diversity'
amongst the U of M faculty is, at best, a laugh-
able issue," Larsen said. "If Drolet is serious
about this, then he's being way out of line. A
litmus test for 'political correctness and ideo-
logical balance' has never been on the radar
screen of any excellent university - which
this one certainly is - and it certainly has no
place here."
University President Mary Sue Coleman
said that the faculty represent a wide range of
political viewpoints, and encourage their stu-
dents to understand a large breadth of per-
spectives as well.
"We don't ask people their political views
when they enter the University. That is not con-
stitutional," she said in an interview with The
See DONATIONS, Page 3
The state of diversity at the University
being attacked yet again - but this time1
issue is not about race, but political affiliatiot
State Rep. Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Tw
Revamped
Pick of the week
Napster
will charge
customers
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Nearly a
year after the Napster brand was res-
cued from the ashes of the ruined file-
swapping service, a revamped online
music store bearing the familiar name
debuted Thursday in limited release.
A test version of Napster 2.0
launched with more than a half-million
songs from all the major music labels
and with individual song and album
downloads as well as a subscription
service.
It will be available to the general
public Oct. 29, officials said.
Santa Clara, Calif-based Roxio Inc.,
which owns the Napster name, shelved
its former online music service, press-
play, and starting moving subscribers
to Napster.
Pressplay, which went off-line Tues-
day, offered access to songs only for a
monthly fee.
Napster 2.0 users will see prices in
line with what other services charge,
which is about $1 per song and about
$10 for full albums or monthly sub-
scription.
Once a participant in Napster's ille-
gal service, LSA junior Courtney Mays
ponders the issue of why Napster was
created. "I think that record companies
should lower the prices of CDs," said
Mays. "If CDs were $10, they would
make more of a profit."
The service allows users to copy, or
"burn," single songs onto CDs an
unlimited number of times, but, like
other services, users can't burn more
than five CDs with the same playlist.
"Our company's passion for what
we're doing will really be felt by con-
sumers and I think it's also very consis-
tent with the original vision for
Napster," said Chris Gorog, Roxio's
chairman and chief executive.
The music industry has seen CD
sales plummet over the last three years
as illegal music file-sharing exploded,
beginning with the original Napster,
which established a peer-to-peer net-
work for users to swap music without
paying copyright holders. That service
was forced to shut down in 2001 after a
protracted legal battle with recording
companies.
Since then, the number of music
fans who download and burn music
from the Internet has decreased. "I
only buy CDs from my favorite
artists," Mays said. "The whole down-
loading thing is not a big deal any-
more."
Roxio is betting the Napster brand
will help set its new service apart from
a bevy of other digital music retailers
that have launched since April, when
Apple Computer Inc. introduced its
iTunes Music Store.
Also vying for a piece of the market
are Buy.com's BuyMusic.com, Real-
Networks' Rhapsody, MusicNow and
MusicNet.
File-sharing over the most popu-
lar peer-to-peer networks has
See NAPSTER, Page 3
Proposal may
increase limits
on gay union
By Michael Gurovitsch
Daily Staff Reporter
Although it is already illegal in Michi-
gan, a group of state lawmakers are aim-
ing to take the ban on same-sex
marriages a step further with a state con-
stitutional amend-
ment affirming the
definition marriage
as only being,
between one man
and one woman.
Sen. Alan
Cropsey (R-
Dewitt) said the
amendment is
necessary in order
to prevent courts Kolb
from trumping the current law. He
said courts are unfairly elevating
domestic partnerships and eliminating
the will of the people.
Cropsey cited an example in Califor-
nia, where although the people voted to
recognize marriage only between one
man and one woman, the courts ruled
domestic partnerships are entitled to the
benefits as a married couple.
But Rep. Chris Kolb (D-Ann Arbor)
said the amendment is unnecessary and
only breeds intolerance.
"The state already has a statute that
defines marriage between one man and
one woman," said Kolb, who is gay.
"These types of intolerant laws are one
of the things that draw young workers
out of Michigan (because) most of the
time young people are looking for a
place to live that's inclusive."
Supporters also argue the amend-
ment's passage would be a moral
victory.
"It cheapens the whole definition of
marriage," Cropsey said. "We need to
protect our law from a radical re-defini-
tion by a court."
"My decision to support new legisla-
tion initiating a referendum for a consti-
tutional amendment that defines
marriage as being between one man and
See MARRIAGE, Page 3
I
JEFF LEHNEK/Daily
Lawrence Riddle picks an apple from a tree at Wiard's Orchards on Merrit Road in Ypsilanti
yesterday. Riddle said he will use the apples to make cider.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Band practce compels former 'U'
prof to change city nois'e ordi'zance
By Michael Kan
Daily Staff Reporter
Before every home football game, the Michigan
Marching Band practices on Elbel Field at 7 a.m. But
University Emeritus Prof. Bernard Van't Hul, who lives
only a half-mile away from the practice field, says the
loud music from the band is often an unpleasant start to
his day.
"It's the roaring of those drums," Van't Hul said.
Waking up in the morning due to the marching band's
music has become a nuisance for Van't Hul. "It's been
like swatting at a mosquito, you just can't take it after a
while," he said.
After several years of waking to the music, Van't Hul
requested Tuesday that the Ann Arbor City Council
change the city's noise ordinance law so that loud public
music can only be played after 9 a.m, extending the cur-
rent law by two hours. This would force the marching
band to change its practice schedule.
"Nothing the University has done is illegal," said
Van't Hul. But he added that the noise is a problem that
could be changed quickly. "All it is, is just postponing
(the marching band's) drums for a few hours. That's all.
There's a lot of working people in Ann Arbor who need
to get some sleep."
A year ago, Van't Hul sent an e-mail to the City Coun-
cil and the mayor asking if something could be done. He
received replies indicating that the council was looking
into the problem, but no measures were taken to make
any changes. "So I started over and I decided to go to the
council meetings," he said. Van't Hul renewed his
request to the council but said he did not know whether
any changes would be to the noise ordinance law.
Despite the complaints, the University is not planning
See MUSIC, Page 3
The Michigan Marching Band practices at Elbel Field yesterday. Some nearby
residents have complained that the band's Saturday morning rehearsals are
creating a nuisance.
Websites lessen online degrees of
separaton, increase networking
By Maria Sprow cating with his friends.
Daily Staff Reporter Fans flock to Friendster and similar sites for reasons
s
LSA senior Yoni Goldstein spent this past summer
farming in North Carolina, isolated from his friends
and most of the outside world. Surrounded by tobacco
fields, he sought a way to keep in touch and connect
with others.
Then he found Friendster, and sud- "I think me
denly, he was part of a community.
"I was isolated in the middle of are Using (
tobacco fields. ... I got an Internetst y
connection, and that was my only SO uiey Ca
contact with the outside world," their friend
Goldstein said, adding that Friendster
- an Internet website that helps con-
nect users to their friends, and the -e
friends of their friends, and their Mec
friends' friends' friends - acted like
a "surrogate for human interaction"
for him.
Goldstein said he began using Friendster after a friend
invited him to join the website. Although the website is
commonly used as a tool for dating and meeting new
Is
-I
:lic
ranging from temporary boredom to curiosity over find-
ing out who else is using the site. Some use them to keep
up friendships with high school pals, while others use
them to make new friends when moving to a new city.
"I think most people are using (Friendster) so they can
quantify their friends," said Medical
it people School student and two-month
Friendster member Derek Richard-
riendster) son. "It's kind of like collecting
. cbaseball cards or something else."
QY Richardson said that through his
40 direct connections, the website is
able to link him to countless people
D Richardson - including a few who claim to be
lerek chardsn famous celebrities, like American
:al School student Idol's Clay Aiken.
"It's just random people. A lot of
(profiles) are probably fake that you
see, but it's still fun to see them," Richardson said of the
celebrities and other people he has been linked to. "It's
addictive, you can sit there for hours."
But although he said the tool was useful for him dur-
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