Wednesday, March 16, 2005 Opinion 4 Jordan Schrader: The rise of fake news JOSH HOLMAN HAS THE MADNESS ... SPORTS, PAGE 9 i~£ it4 Weather Arts 7 Indie rock ingenue debuts with "Russian Kitsch" I: 39 Low. 26 TOMORROW: F4126i One-hundred-fourteen years ofeditorialfreedom www.michgandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXV, No. 98 62005 The Michigan Daily MSA votes against divestment By Jeremy Davidson Daily Staff Reporter Hundreds of anxious students and local community members filled an emotionally charged Michigan Union Ballroom last night, when the Michigan Student Assembly soundly defeated a proposal advocating the creation of a committee to examine Uni- versity investments in companies that do business with Israel. The overwhelming margin against the resolution - 11 repre- sentatives voted in favor, while 25 voted no - came as a surprise to many MSA officials and observers, who had said in the lead up to the vote that they expected a close outcome. "I felt good with the outcome of the resolution especially given the recent developments in the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians," said MSA General Counsel Jesse Levine Although MSA expected a high turnout, scheduling the meet- ing in the Kuenzel Room of the Union instead of MSA chambers, the turnout was so high that the meeting had to be relocated a sec- ond time to the larger ballroom and began an hour and half late. The animosity and nervous energy in the room was palpable, leading to spontaneous altercations throughout the ballroom and cramped hallways of the Union and causing the Department of Public Safety to remove a heckler during an address by for- mer MSA Vice President Jennifer Nathan. Raucous cheers and applause, as well as numerous parliamentary questions, punctu- ated the meeting, making it difficult at times for MSA President Jason Mironov to control the large crowd. Proceedings involved a speaker's list, with advocates of both sides taking turns voicing their opinion. Speakers included stu- dents, University professors and community members. If passed, the resolution would have instructed the MSA Exter- nal Relations Committee to send a letter urging the University Board of Regents to create an advisory committee to investigate the moral and ethical implications of the University's investments in companies that directly support the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Opponents of the resolution argued that its effect and intent went beyond merely forming a committee, instead targeting Israel and ultimately seeking divestment from the country. They cited See DIVESTMENT, Page 3 PHOTOS BY GLENN GETTY AND RYAN WEINER/Daily The Michigan Student Assembly voted yesterday against a resolution to recommend the creation of a committee to examine investments with companies that do business with Israel. The meeting was held in the Michigan Union Ballroom and included more than 400 people. MSA wont decide on PIRGIM fiunding By Karl Stampfl Daily Staff Reporter The Michigan Student Assembly will not vote in the near future on whether it will fund a University chapter of the Public Interest Research Group In Michigan, an activist group that tackles issues such as environmental preservation and high prices for col- lege textbooks. The Central Student Judiciary, MSA's judicial body, announced the decision at last night's MSA meeting. CSJ Chief Justice Pierce Beckham said Student PIRGIM cannot be voted on because it might jeopardize MSA's tax-exempt status and because the way it would be funded would violate precedent set in prior U.S. Supreme Court cases that require guide- lines when giving money to organizations through student assemblies. Students for PIRGIM, the group that would become Student PIRGIM, said it plans to appeal the decision. "The CSJ verdict is not just bad for us but bad for all students," Students for PIRGIM chair Carolyn Hwang said. "To think about what we could have been doing instead of putting our energies toward validating our- selves is really sad. The campaigns we wanted to work on would have benefited the entire campus." Hwang said that the group will appeal because it believes CSJ's ruling was unfair and unfounded. "They got everything wrong," Hwang said. "I still respect them, but a lot the things they said were just plain wrong." CSJ said that in order to maintain its tax-exempt sta- tus, only 5 percent of MSA's budget can go to lobbying groups. If Student PIRGIM were to be approved, the $20,000 allotted to it for a one-year trial would be just under 5 percent of MSA's budget. If the trial period goes well and Student PIRGIM is funded again, the next year would cost MSA an estimated $60,000, 12 percent of MSA's budget. Although Student PIRGIM has claimed that it will not be involved in lobbying and would there- fore not violate the 5 percent rule, Beckham said that the question of whether the group would engage in lobbying remains unanswered. See PIRGIM, Page 7 'U' to reclassify employee titles New classification scheme will provide more precise job titles, salary ranges for 18,000 employees By Carissa Miller Daily Staff Reporter The University is in the process of reclassifying thou- sands of jobs in an effort to update a system that can no longer reflect the range of jobs that have been created in the past 30 years. Gearing up for the July 1 implementation of the new job classification system, various University units and academ- ic departments - in collaboration with Human Resources and Affirmative Action - are recategorizing and renam- ing approximately 18,000 staff positions at the University's three campuses and in its health system. The new system will make defining pay and comparing University jobs to positions in the job market easier. Under the current system, which has been in place since the early 1970's and has undergone few changes since, the affected positions are grouped into only four job families - professional/administrative, technical, office and allied health. The new classification system, however, is built around twenty career families, including Academic and Student Services, Facilities Operations and Healthcare Administra- tion and Support. Within each family, employees will also be classified according to their job role - either profes- sional (the largest group), managerial or executive. HRAA spokesman Dave Reid said that through the clas- sification project, the HRAA hoped to create a more con- temporary and less restrictive system that would work well far into the future. See JOBS, Page 7 A mid-life career change What changes? Defined career families replace broad job groups Official job titles change to market titles Specific salary ranges replace broad parameters JOBS website reorganized by career family What stays the same? Job duties Benefits packages Salaries of individual employees English lecturer receives teaching award By Laura Van Hyfte Daily Staff Reporter Screams, laughter, applause and cheers filled the fourth floor of Angell Hall when English Senior Lecturer John Rubadeau was notified that he was this year's recipient of the Golden Apple Award yesterday. "What the hell is this? Did you guys know about this?" Rubadeau asked his students when three members of Students Honoring Outstanding University Teachers surprised Rubadeau, entering his class with the award and an assortment of balloons. For 15 years, SHOUT has presented the Golden Apple Award to teachers who have made an impact on their students, said David Ravvin, an LSA senior and SHOUT commit- tee chair. "Winners of the Golden Apple Award are chosen on the basis of nominations and the content of their nominations," Ravvin said. "It's a way for students to recognize teachers who inspire them," he added. Students who sent in nominations for Rubadeau said his teaching style was inspira- tional and that he facilitated student involve- ment in and outside of the classroom, Ravvin said. "Students said that he made the material he wanted to take courses that he would enjoy in his senior year. "My advisor recommended this class to me because so many students liked it," Hyll- ested said. "He is very animated and makes class fun," Hyllested said. "He doesn't suck the life out of class." Colleagues also expressed their admira- tion for Rubadeau. English Lecturer Hilary Thompson said Rubadeau excels in more areas than just English. His enormous enthusiasm, lack of fear in expressing his opinions and a fair dose of insanity make him deserving of this award, said Thompson, a former student of Rubadeau. Rubadeau said the award was an unexpect- ed surprise. "I was really stunned and delighted and totally surprised - although I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving than me," he said. Rubadeau added that teaching is not hard at all - if it is your passion. "I love what I do. I love coming in to school every day and teaching," he said. "If I could tell students one thing to keep in mind, there are only three words - "quid pro quo" See AWARD, Page 7 SHUBRA ORI/Daily English Lecturer John Rubadeau Is notified he is this year's recipient of the Golden Apple Award In Angell Hall yesterday as his cheering students look on. come alive," Ravvin added. Rubadeau has taught for more than 18 years at the University. Eight years ago he instructed English 125 sessions and argu- mentative writing 225 courses. He currently teaches upper level essay writing courses in the English department. Engineering senior Corey Hyllested said Students organize letter-writing campaign to save AMTRAK 0 One commuter responds to ing the Bush administration's proposed funding the next fiscal year. letters to their congressmen, senators and the needed to meet the transportation needs of 0H One commuter responds to in~ the Bush administration's oroDosed fundin2 the next fiscal year. letters to their congressmen, senators and the needed to meet the transportation needs of