Tuesday, March 2, 2004 News 3 'U' Party dissolves, new party joins race Opinion 4 Sports 8 How Ralph Nader made columnist Aubrey Hen- retty more masculine Cagers prepare for last regular season week Viggo Mortensen talks about his upcoming film 'Hidalgo' ... Arts, Page 5 Weather "1, 51 1: z32 TOMORROWf: S'013 One-hundred-thirteen years ofeditorialfreedom www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXIII, No. 103 ©2004 The Michigan Daily Singing for your seats BRETT MOUNTAIN/Daily sArt and Design Junior Jeremiah Brown talks about his work in his illustration class, Art and Design 419. Several art students said they are still adjusting to a new curriculum. Students protest arts cuicuu By Gennaro Filico Daily Sports Editor The Michigan Athletic Department announced yesterday that in 2005 it will employ a preferred seating program in Michi- gan Stadium, in which seat location for non- students will largely rely on donation levels. "Requiring an annual seat donation for select season ticket locations is common among our peer institutions," Michigan Ath- letic Director Bill Martin said. "Michigan is the only school of the top 20 attendance lead- ers in college football that has not implement- ed a preferred seating program." Once the program is fully operational, the self-supported athletic department plans that it will mill raise $9.5 million annually. These earnings will benefit the entire athletic depart- ment by funding scholarships and facility improvements, Martin said. "A lot of people think (the funds effect) just football, but we're a department of intercolle- giate athletics, we're not simply a department of intercollegiate football," said Joe Parker, associate athletic airector for Development. "A lot of people feel like it should directly benefit football, and football gets a lot of attention and we always want to make sure it's appropriately resourced. But, at the same time, we're trying to meet the needs for 24 other sports teams." This preferred seating program affects 31 percent of Michigan Stadium's seats, but leaves ticket prices unchanged for all students, except seniors who will graduate before the fall. Season ticket holders in these preferred areas will be required to make a payment ranging from $125 to $500 per ticket, depending on seat location. The payment is 80-percent tax deductible. People who partici- pate in the program will become members of the Victors Club. , Season ticket holders currently in the pre- ferred seating area who do not make dona- tions will be given options for an alternative seating location. For just one year - May 1, 2004 through April 30, 2005 - a ticket hold- er will be able to transfer tickets to another person by providing a $500 tax-deductible donation for each seat. "A lot of people look at it as a seat license, and I'd say it's not really that," Parker said. "We're encouraging philanthropy and for those people that are willing to make the gift, they get the benefit of a better site line (in Michigan Stadium). Over time people will See SEATING, Page 3 New preferred seating program at Big House will favor those who make donations to 'U' By Donn M. Fresard Daily Staff Reporter I -, - The new School of Art and Design curriculum had what might be called a rocky beginning, with some dis- gruntled students leaving the art school in protest during the program's first year. Now in their second year under the new curriculum, art students are still largely frustrat- ed with its broad and demanding requirements. But rather than transfer, some students have taken a more hopeful tack, forming a new student government with an aim to improve the program through dialogue between students and administrators. Lydia Gregg, president of the Art and Design Student Government, said she and other art students formed the organization last year intending to work with the adminis- tration to discuss and change aspects of the new program that students find troubling. "It's a very complex system, and we disagree with parts of it and agree with other parts," said Gregg, an Art and Design senior. "I have faith in (Art and Design Dean Bryan Rogers') ability to change things, but at this point it's a work in progress." The art school's curriculum was redesigned in 2002 to require students to become proficient in a wide range of artistic techniques and media before choosing an area of concentration. But many Art and Design students feel that the new requirements limit their choices, leaving them without enough time to develop skills that are important to them. See ART SCHOOL, Page 7 , DPS reports fewer residence hail incidents By Ashley Dinges Daily Staff Reporter As the installation of electronic locks in residence halls continues, the University's Department of Public Safety reported that the amount of home invasion crimes - thefts from student rooms and other locked areas - in residence halls has decreased since the last academic year. "Our best sense is that the decline in statistics is relat- ed to multiple efforts. It is a combination of restricted access, lock sets, enhanced communication, education and awareness. All of those create a multiplier effect for improved safety and security," said Housing spokesman Alan Levy. In the 2001-2002 academic year, there were 99 reported incidents of home invasion, whereas the following year there were 35 reports. The preliminary data collected for the fall of 2003 indicates about 13 reports of home invasion. Capt. Joe Piersante, commander of police services, also said that the decrease is a result of combined efforts from several programs. "Where the camera initiatives and other deterrents were installed - along with crime prevention programs - there was a decrease in crime in those buildings," Piersante said. Specific statistics about crimes in residence halls for 2003 will not be available until October, but Piersante said that most crimes involve theft. After a rise in burglary and other incidinces, such as peep- ing Toms, in residence halls from 2001 to 2002, the halls converted to being locked 24 hours a day, accessible only by See RES HALLS, Page 7 BRETT MOUNTAIN/Daily Students volunteering to give tours of an exhibition of art by Michigan's prisoners explore the exhibit last night ahead of its opening today. The exhibit, placed in the North Campus Media Union, is sponsored by the Prison Creative Arts Project. Expressions from within Charity group showcases more than; 340 works ofart by M chiran prisoners By Nicole Frehsee For the Daily Beginning today, pictures of animals, landscapes and nature scenes will line the walls of North Campus' Media Union Gallery. Though it sounds pastoral, this is no down- on-the-farm art show - it is an exhibition of art created by Michigan's prisoners. The show's opening at 5 p.m. tonight kicks off two weeks of events sponsored by the Prison Creative Arts Project, including discussion panels, guest speakers, and film screen- ings. In its ninth annual exhibition, the show is expected to draw a crowd of 2,500 before its March 16 closing. Though the art exhibition is their largest event, PCAP administrator Suzanne Gothard also predicts a healthy turnout at the Michigan Theater showing of Brad Lichten- stein's movie "Ghosts of Attica" and Stephen Hartnett's read- ing of his book "Incarceration Nation" at Shaman Drum Bookstore. The events are held March 11 and 12th respec- tively. Organized by Gothard and curators English Prof. William "Buzz" Alexander and Ariella Kaufman, the exhibi- tion's purpose is to create a forum for inmates to "express themselves and to get their work out," Gothard said. "It's a big event." "We have people lining up at the door," said Janie Paul, who has been the show's curator for the last eight years. Stu- dents and faculty, as well as community members and rela- tives of artists, come to see 340 works of art by 213 inmates from various prisons around the state. Opening night will also host speeches by four former prison artists and an art instructor at a correctional facility. Preparation for the exhibit began in the fall, when PCAP sent letters to Michigan's prisons asking for artistic contributions. Works were chosen based on their originality and artistic ability. Popular mediums include sketches, paintings, col- lages and "scratch art," where a metallic image is created by scraping off the top layer of a black sheet of paper. Former contributor and inmate Jason Rios, who created a mixed media piece for two past shows, said the exhibition helped his personal growth. "When you're incarcerated, you're a forgotten member of society. (PCAP's exhibit) put me back in touch with humanity," said Rios, 27, who was Students and faculty, as well as community members and relatives of artists, come to see 340 works of art by 213 inmates. released from prison in 2001. The pieces display differing degrees of expertise; both "primitive" works and "extraordinary, gallery-worthy pieces" are shown, said Paul. All art is for sale, ranging in artist-determined price from $25 to $500, with most pieces in the $60 to $100 range. 90 percent of the profits go to the artist and the other 10 percent go toward theprision. The show's innovative works often surprise visitors, who often "expect to see limited work coming out of a limited sit- uation, but there's an incredibly wide range, from very peace- ful works to graphic representations of prison life," Paul said. Regardless of the subject matter or quality of the art, she added each piece displays a "tremendous emotional intensi- ty" and serves as an emotional "lifeline" for its creator. Job market shows little promise for undergrads By Michael Kan Daily Staff Reporter It's no walk in the park to get a job these days. With 2.2 million jobs lost since 2001 and the Michigan unemployment rate at more than 7 percent, many seniors searching for jobs are still ogling the employment pages of newsnaners hon- "It's the most frustrating thing ever. There are no other words to describe it except frustration," Marino said. Unfortunately, students' frustrations probably won't be relieved anytime soon. According to recent studies, this year's graduating seniors can expect slightly better job prospects than last year since companies are slowly hiring more college graduates. Yet despite these increases in hiring, the reports and experts also warn graduating seniors they will still strug- gle to find jobs as they see no easy ways to get ahead in any significant change in the job market. "Most forecasts have shown that this year's prospects are better, but it will still take some time for people to be absorbed into the job market," he said. Shapiro said the job market will still be challenging for seniors not only because the increase in hiring still isn't great enough, but also because of strong competition. "In addition to competing with other new college graduates, they will have to compete with the clog of workers who have been trying to Scavenging for work Increased demand for labor may stll make finding a career difficult for students The state unemplo~yment rate is greater than 7 percent As of January, the national ratewas .1 peren Some analysts predict a 12.7-percent increase in college graduate hiring from last year.