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October 16, 2003
@2003 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
TODAY:
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' 30
Vol. CXIII, No. 31
www~michigandailycom
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Harassment suit
against former 'U'
prof revisits court
By Jeremy Berkowitz
Daily Staff Reporter
A landmark legal victory for a former Music
School student could be diminished if the Uni-
versity gets its way. Attorneys for the former
student, Maureen Johnson filed a brief this
week, expected to culminate at another hearing
in eight to 10 months.
Johnson sued the University in 1999 on
charges of sexual harassment, retaliation, dis-
crimination and race discrimination. In April
2002, a Washtenaw County jury awarded John-
son $250,000. In November, Washtenaw Coun-
ty Circuit Court Judge Melinda Morris upheld
the jury's verdict after the University requested
past medical history, including a session with a
therapist after being raped when she was 14. As
a result, according to precedent, she could not
claim emotional distress damages.
"A defendant facing a claim for emotional
distress damages must be allowed unfettered
discovery not only into the existence of any
alleged emotional distress but also into possi
ble alternative causes of that distress," Univer-
sity attorneys wrote in the brief. "In this case,
(the) plaintiff initially did not assert the privi-
lege. Rather, she simply failed to disclose the:
existence of medical treaters."
But Johnson's attorney. Miranda Massie, said
Johnson had simply forgotton about that partic-
ular therapist because she only went a few
KLLLLINDaily
Ann Arbor resident Tim Hawkins displays one of the new $20 bills while at Stucchi's on South University Avenue. The new bills, released last week,
are the focus of a new advertisement campaign to increase public awareness and prevent confusion.
Colorful dollar bills begin to
circulate amid dCampaig
reconsideration. Univer-
sity attorneys officially
appealed to the Michigan
Court of Appeals in
August.
Johnson entered the
Music School in Fall
1997, and participated in
the University Philhar-
monia Orchestra, direct-
ed by former visiting
Music School Prof Pier
Calabria. Johnson
alleged that Calabria
made several demeaning
remarks to her, including
comments regarding her
clothes.
After Johnson com-
"While (the) plaintiff
alleged that Calabria
made sexually
suggestive comments
in orchestra rehearsals,
these commnents were
made to the group, and
not directed at (the
plaintiff)'
times and the incident had
occurred 10 years earlier.
"They tried to make that
into her committing per-
jury," Massie said of the
University's attorneys.
The University also made
its original claims that.
Johnson could not show
proper evidence of a hostile
situation.4
"While (the) plaintiff
alleged that Calabria made
sexually suggestive com-
ments in orchestra,
rehearsals, these comments
were made to the group,
and not directed at (the
plaintiff)," the brief stated.
Calabria made a number of
By Ashley Dinges
Daily Staff Reporter
This fall, leaves aren't the only things
changing colors. The new, colored $20 bill
was unveiled and released into circulation
last Wednesday.
The most visible change in appearance
of the currency is the ink colors, with the
new green and peach backgrounds on each
side of the note. Blue ink was also added
to the "TWENTY USA" text and eagle
picture, each visible on the sides of
Andrew Jackson's face.
In addition to the colors, several other
designs were added, including two Ameri-
can eagle symbols and small 20s printed
in yellow on the back of the note. Jack-
son's portrait was also altered, removing
the oval border and lines surrounding it,
and extending into the bottom border.
Upon the release of the new currency,
the Department of the Treasury launched
an advertising campaign to increase
awareness of the new bills and help pre-
vent confusion among both merchants and
consumers.
In total, the government plans to spend
$53 million over the course of five years
to educate the public about all of the new
notes, including the new $50 and $100
bills.
"The combined efforts of public educa-
tion, law enforcement, the changes made
to the currency in the late 1990s and
increased public awareness have all kept
currency counterfeiting at low levels,"
said Dawn Haley, head of the Office of
External Affairs in the Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing at the Treasury Depart-
ment, in a written statement.
The Treasury Department's website
offers free CDs, posters, and training
materials to cash-handling businesses.
These materials are also included in the
total cost of the campaign. They hope to
train employees about what to look for
when handling the new bills.
The ads stress that "all bills are good, for
good." Business School Prof. Christina Brown
See NEW BILLS, Page 7A
i
-- C. PriceJoe
News Editor
But Massie said
plained, he demoted her from her first-chair
oboe position and repeatedly humiliated in her
in front of other students, Johnson said. After
she protested to University officials, she said
they did not assist her in any way and broke
several promises, including allowing Calabria
to continue teaching. Johnson withdrew from
the University in the middle of 1998 and filed
suit a year later.
In its brief to the Court of Appeals, the Uni-
versity claimed that Johnson failed to reveal
sexual remarks and advances toward Johnson.
"The only way they can ignore that is to
totally distort the record," Massie said. "It's
sending a message to the campus that it won't
change its policies towards sexual harassment,"
The University also dispelled Johnson's
argument that they responded inadequately to
her case.
"The University doesn't tolerate sexual
See LAWSUIT, Page 7A
Game catches heat for content
By Carmen Johnson
Daily Staff Reporter
A new board game, Ghettopoly - whose
logo is a cartoon of a black man holding a gun
and a 40 oz. bottle of malt liquor - is gaining
criticism from people who say the game is
racist.
Organizations like the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People and the
National Asian Pacific American Legal Consor-
tium have publicly criticized the game for
stereotyping blacks as pimps, prostitutes and
drug users.
Ghettopoly was created by Pennsylvania-
based David Chang, who is hoping to release
his next game, Redneckopoly, this fall after the
first game sold out on his website. "Ghettopoly
is controversial because it's both fun and real
life," Chang said in a written statement.
"The graphics on the board depict every race
in the country and both genders. It draws on
stereotypes not as a means to degrade, but as a
medium to bring together in laughter," he
added.
His other games include Thugopoly and
Hoodopoly.
The game was pulled from the shelves of
many stores after protests from students at the
University of California in Berkeley.
Now campus members of the NAACP and
the Black Student Union are calling attention to
Urban Outfitters on State Street, the only store
on campus selling the game.
Erin Johnson, NAACP campus chapter presi-
dent, said she was shocked when she walked
into the store last week and discovered the
games were sold out.
"They told me the games were on back order,
which means people are actually buying this
game," Johnson said. "This really is disturbing
that stores would sell stuff like this especially so
close to a diverse campus like ours."
Both local and national managers at Urban
Outfitters declined to comment on the board
game.
Kweisi Mfume, president and chief execu-
tive officer of the NAACP, said in a written
statement released last week that Chang
should turn his talents to "more positive
See GHETTOPOLY, Page 7A
PHOTO COURTESY of Ghettopoly.com.
Ghettopoloy, a new board game, has drawn ire from campus and national groups who say the game
perpetuates negative stereotypes of black people.
After hiatus,
Entr6e credit
makes return
to Big House
By Margaret Engoren
Daily Staff Reporter
Entree Plus is back at the Big House.
"Students were very upset when the Entree Plus option
was taken from the stadium this year," said Angela
Galardi, Michigan Student Assembly president. "So, I
worked with the Division of Student Affairs and the Ath-
letic and Housing departments to bring back the program
for the rest of the football season."
Galardi called the reinstatement a "Band-Aid" for the
Entree Plus program because its future for the 2004 sea-
son is not guaranteed.
"The stadium's Entree Plus option was a pilot pro-
gram," Galardi said. "It was tried as a service last year
and then evaluated."
Financially responsible for three expensive Entree Plus
machines, the Athletic Department opted to discontinue
the program when it did not see an increase in profit,
Galardi added.
The program was questioned last year when it led to a
decreased service quality in stadium refreshment lines.
"We decided last year that perhaps the program wasn't
something we should continue," said E. Royster Harper,
The funny man can
'U' set to modernize its
pharmaceutical facilities
By Aymar Jean
Daily Staff Reporter
Rarely in a University renowned for its modern
facilities will faculty and students decry the labo-
ratory conditions. But the College of Pharmacy's
facilities, last renovated in the 1970s, are outdated
enough to merit concern.
To rectify the situation, the federal government
recently awarded the school's investigators with a
$2 million grant from the National Institutes of
Health to help renovate the Pharmacy Research
Building located on central campus. Since the
NIH requires the University to match federal
funding, the total cost is $4.1 million.
The new laboratories will include facilities for
the Center for Molecular Drug Targeting, a coali-
tion of faculty members consolidating their
research interests to research molecular- and cel-
lular-based drug therapies.
Both faculty and students said the facility
needs updating. The current facilities are limiting,
and though faculty members are able to get by,
there is a risk that working conditions will
decrease productivity, said Henry Mosberg, asso-
ciate dean for research and graduate education.
And the outdated facilities have also compro-
mised recruitment efforts.
"First of all, it's hard to recruit bright, young
graduate and postdoctoral students if they see
"So this was a nice boost for us, being able to
tell people that we will renovate these labs. The
University (Office of the Provost) has provided
some matching funds for this grant," he added.
One student confirmed that current facilities
are not up to par.
"The equipment that we used was not up-to
date. Especially for the students, all of it was not
modern," Pharmacy graduate student Kurt Ham-
mond said. "Some of the lab assignments in my
first year didn't work because the equipment was
faulty. It did not do what we needed it to do.
But the new facilities will improve upon cur-
rent conditions and will house the CMDT, creat-
See RENOVATIONS, Page 7A
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LAURA SHLECTERIDaily
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