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www.michigandad~y.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXIII, No. 114
@2004 The Michigan Daily
FBI investigating 'U' report leak
By Ashley Dinges
Daily Staff Reporter
The University's Department of Public Safe-
ty confirmed yesterday that they are working
with the FBI to investigate the unauthorized
access and public release of economic data
compiled by the University.
University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said
the data - part of a preliminary report of the
University's monthly Index of Consumer Senti-
ment - was released to and published by a
news organization ahead of its scheduled
release at 9 a.m. on Feb. 13.
The Index, an influential measure of con-
sumer expectations about the U.S. economy, is
released by the University's Surveys of Con-
sumers in two parts - a preliminary index
released in the second week of each month, and
a final report that comes out on the last Friday
of each month.
"We're not able to share any information
about the manner in which the data were
accessed or what exactly occurred except to say
that security was breached and in some fashion,
the data was released in a way that was unau-
thorized," Peterson said.
She added that the University is not able to
comment on whether or not the breach was a
physical break-in or a computer breach.
DPS spokeswoman Diane Brown, confirmed
that DPS is working with the FBI in its inquiry
into the case.
"That would be part of the investigation - if
it was isolated or systemic, or whether it was
hacking, or an accident or a missed policy or
procedure," Brown said.
Several news sources, including Reuters
Global Information Company and
Bloomberg.com, reported that Surveys of Con-
sumers Director Richard Curtin confirmed yes-
terday that the data was published by Market
News International.
Curtin could not be reached by The Michi-
gan Daily for comment yesterday.
But Bloomberg also reported late last night
that Tony Mace, Market News International's
Managing Editor, denied that the service released
the data early. Mace also could not be reached for
comment.
Data used in the index are collected through
phone interviews with about 500 people. Inter-
viewees are asked 30 core questions, in addition
to several other questions that seek to examine
public attitudes about specific topics such as
mortgages and credit card debt.
"The Michigan consumer sentiment survey
is considered one of the government's leading
economic indicators, therefore it is a leading
measure of how consumers feel about the state
of the economy" Peterson said.
Although a shift in the index can influence
investors' optimism and thereby affect the per-
formance of stock markets, Peterson added that
there is "no empirical evidence" to indicate that
the index actually moves them.
The final result for the Index in February
was 94.4, down significantly from January's
level of 103.8.
Diane Swanbrow, communications director
for the Institute of Social Research which
administers Surveys of Consumers, said each
year the surveys are funded by many sponsors.
Each sponsor pays a basic fee of about $4,750
See LEAK, Page 5
Aflame ofhope
STUDENT AFFAIRS
LGBT
o ffice sees
cut in employees,
loss of morale
WILLA TRACOSAS/Daily
Members of the Michigan Men's Glee Club sing at the candlelight vigil for cancer victims held on the Diag last night. The event was
part of Cancer Awareness Week. Page 3: Sc s 1y 1bout 1st niahts vti.
Administrators to face evaluations
By Aymar Jean
Daily Staff Reporter
For 30 years, University students
have watched panelists from the gay
community, often with indifference
and questions about how panelists' sto-
ries relate to their lives. But now, stu-
dents are focusing their energy as
much on challenging budget shortfalls
as on challenging students opinions.
The panel, called the Speakers
Bureau and administered by the
Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Affairs,
has bridged differ-
ences between " e e
diverse groups and
worked to establish about wh
common bonds.
Though most talks repercuss
concern issues of the budge
coming out, issues
range from current On
affairs to sexual be."
identity.
But the program - Molly Ba
is in a precarious LGBT Adiis
position. Potential
cuts to the LGBT
Office could change
its administrative structure. Education
and Training Coordinator Holly Ferrise
will not be rehired after June 30, since
the administration could not afford to
make her position full-time, University
spokeswoman Julie Peterson said. The
office has seen declines in its budget
over the past few years, law student
and staff member Pierce Beckham said
in a previous meeting.
"We're definitely feeling the con-
straints. We're concerned about what the
repercussions of the budget limitations
may be," Administrative Affairs Coordi-
nator Molly Bain Frounfelter said.
Part of this anxiety exists because
budgets have not been solidified yet.
Staff members in the office attribute
ka
1S
ist
the significant growth of the Speakers
Bureau to Ferrise.
Students have used Ferrise's unem-
ployment as a rallying point against the
Division of Student Affairs. But the
administration contends that some
claims are exaggerated and cuts to the
office's budget are not aimed at the
Speakers Bureau, but are an unfortunate
byproduct of University-wide budget
shortfalls.
Ferrise, who has been with the
office for six years, had been consis-
tently hired on a temporary, part-time
basis. Her contract was
subject to evaluation
acemed annually
In the past, the
Lt the administration has
ons Of employed staffers
part-time for long
t periods of time. When
James Toy began
working at the Les-
bian and Gay Male
Program Office in
rou1971, he was hired on
trative Affiurs a quarter-time basis,
Coordinator along with a lesbian
co-coordinator. Six
years later, both coordi-
nators were offered part-time status.
Sixteen years after the office began,
Toy and his co-coordinator were hired
full-time. Both were employed on a
year-to-year contract.
Toy, who worked with the office
from its creation in 1971 until 1994,
recalls the program's great successes
over the years, most notably its ability
to reach out and change minds.
"We engaged the students in self-
exploration of their own experiences to
provide them with their own empathet-
ic connection to the concerns of the
panel" he said.
In the mid-'70s, the office created
the Speakers Bureau to "provide edu-
See LGBT, Page 5
By aray Arrine
Daily St Reporter
University admiyiistfrators will face closer scruti-
ny of their actions starting this fall because of an
amendment passed by the Senate Advisory Com-
mittee on University Affairs this week. SACUA
voted to institute an evaluation of administrators
every two to three years by faculty members.
Results will then be reported to the University
Board of Regents as well as faculty members and
the evaluated administrators.
SACUA represents the University faculty, often
acting as a liason with the administration and legis-
lating policies that are binding to all professors. The
amendment, passed by them on Monday, will affect
administrators including the president, chancellors,
provosts, deans and department chairs.
"The logic (behind the amendment) was that stu-
dents evaluate the teachers, the teachers evaluate stu-
dents but no one evaluates the bosses," Aerospace
Engineering Prof. William Kauffman said.
He added that presenting the results to the regents
would allow them to become aware of faculty senti-
ments regarding administrators and perhaps even
threaten the job security of administrators receiving
consistently negative reviews.
"Regents are going to find out that the faculty is
not satisfied. If I was a regent I would say, 'Well we
better look at what we're doing.' Maybe we can get
them to change their ways or get someone new," said
Kauffman.
SACUA does not yet have concrete rules on conse-
quences faced by poorly received administrators.
Sociology Prof. Silvia Pedraza, who has been
elected vice chair of SACUA for the upcoming term
starting in May, said besides just passing judgment
on the work of administrators, the evaluations seek to
provide constructive feedback to University policy
makers, enabling them to make pecessary changes in
their performance.
For this reason, the format of the evaluations -
which is still being debated - will include a space
for written comments. They will make a distinction
between the different types of administrators at the
University by providing, questions that are appropri-
ate to the administrators roles.
Both Kauffman and Pedraza said that once written
the format of the evaluations may closely resemble
that of the survey filled out by students about their
instructors at the end of a semester.
But students will take no part in the newly institut-
ed administrator evaluations. They will continue to
evaluate only their instructors.
"The reasons is that (students) don't come in con-
tact with (administrators)," Pedraza said. "They get
See SACUA, Page 5
MSA wraps up loose
ends before polls open
HOUSING
Students ask
city to certify
all landlords
By MIchael Kan
Daily Staff Reporter
By Clanna Freeman
Daily Staff Reporter
Hours before voting began early this morning,
the Michigan Student Assem-
bly approved the addition of a
chief of staff to its executive M
board, citing the need for '
someone to primarily oversee Vf I
office duties and assembly
management. MSA Rep 1 Potts opened
Russ Garber, one of the spon- will be open unt
sors of the bill, said the new night at midnig
position will allow represen-
tatives to spend more time on 1 Students 68
student issues. www.umichredq
"It helps the nature of the
tomorrow through midnight. Students can vote
online at www.umich.edu/~vote.
As students begin voting for new candidates, the
outgoing MSA Executive Board reflected on its
accomplishments this past year.
, '~"Trotter House, (the Sexual
Assault Prevention andN
Awareness Center) and the
Greek system are just as
important as having Spring
t midnight and Break a week later," MSA
tomorro w President Angela Galardi. said
"We raised awareness about
things such as budget cuts,,
ot6 at instead of just working on our
v projects."
MSA Vice President
Every morning during the first few weeks of school last
year, LSA sophomore Christin Siegele had to prop her
apartment door open before she left for class because her
landlord didn't have the right key to open her door.
But that was the least of Siegele's troubles when she
first moved into her apartment.
"When we moved in, there were holes in the floor. We
had to get our whole carpet replaced and had to clean all
the appliances. The bathrooms had long clumps of hair in
W,
II