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05 CELEBRATE HIE DAILY's 115TH AJDAY. .?AGE 14A
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One-hundredfifteen years ofeditorial freedom
www.mzchAgandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVI, No. 1 62005 The Michigan Daily
Ethics
courses
to be
offered
Coleman announces
$500k initiative for
study of ethics
By Karl Stampfl
Daily Staff Reporter
Undergraduates may soon have
the opportunity to take new courses
with a focus on ethics in public life
as part of efforts to rev up the Uni-
versity's study of ethics.
The classes would be a product
of a recently completed University
taskforce report that has laid out a
rough blueprint for increased study
of ethics. Now the University is
concentrating on implementing the
taskforce's findings and taking con-
crete steps, taskforce co-chair Mar-
vin Krislov said.
Along with the classes, plans to
increase the study of ethics include a
steering committee designed to bring
the taskforce's suggestions to life,
public forums, and the support of
competitive reseach grant programs.
To fund these programs, the Univer-
sity has committed $500,000.
In the wake of ethical crises in
American life such as sexual abuse
by priests and abuse of military
prisoners in Iraq, University Presi-
dent Mary Sue Coleman created the
taskforce last September to deter-
mine how the University could best
explore ethics.
In its report, the taskforce stressed
that the University will not take a
stance on specific ethical issues.
"Rather, a4 with any intellectual
question, it lets its members come to
their own conclusions, as experts, as
students, and as citizens and inquir-
ers at large," the report says.
The taskforce found two major
areas to address, said Krislov, who
is also the University's general coun-
sel. One of those was coordinating
the various people across campus
already studying ethics.
"There were actually a number of
ethics-related activities on campus,
but they weren't necessarily coor-
dinated," Krislov said, adding that
the University has a tendency to be
decentralized.
Interdisciplinary teaching and
See ETHICS, page 7A
Standing up against prejudice
Coleman:
Campus
has much
to learn
By Carissa Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
In light of the greater recognition of
racial harassment on campus due to recent
events, students are questioning whether
the University's goal of diversity has been
effective in fostering a campus climate of
tolerance.
University President Mary Sue Coleman
said that regardless of Sept. 15's alleged fel-
ony of ethnic intimidation, the incident has
provided an opportunity for the entire cam-
pus community to reflect upon and address
the issues surrounding racial harassment at
the University.
"My feeling is the University is working
hard," Coleman said. "But one of the things
we sometimes forget is that every year we
have thousands of new students who come
to us who may not understand what we
expect."
Coleman speculated that acts of disre-
spect and discrimination toward Asian stu-
dents might occur because most students
who come to the University have had little
interaction with people of other cultures.
According to data that the University has,
many students come from segregated com-
munities.
Coleman cited other possible factors
including peer pressure and lack of knowl-
edge of other cultures.
"It is possible that some people don't
realize they are being offensive when they
say something," she said.
Coleman added that while she feels there
are structures in place to enable students to
experience other cultures and races - such
as the race and ethnicity class requirement -
the University cannot force people to interact
with people from different backgrounds.
"(With this incident), we are reminded
that many community members experience
bias and don't report it, so there isn't full
comprehension of what is going on," said
University spokeswoman Julie Peterson.
"Peterson said the University wants to
establish clear guidelines to ensure that stu-
dents know how to report incidents of eth-
nic intimidation and discrimination. Other
plans include a campaign addressing hate-
related incidents, Peterson said.
"There are a lot of good efforts in place
to address race relations and bias issues in
See CAMPUS, page 7A
Members of the United Asian American Organizations have recently mobilized in response to an alleged incident of ethnic intimidation.
True.or not, alleged bias incident inflames
By Carissa Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
On one of his first days at the University, LSA
junior Andrew Guzman was called a "chink."
"I was offended because first of all, I'm not
Chinese, and he was utterly racist against me,"
Guzman said.
At a party, a student asked LSA sophomore
Denny Chan, "Are you related to Jackie Chan?"
Whether being asked "Can you teach me
karate?" or called "Chinaman," dozens of other
Asian students can testify to enduring similar.
acts at the University.
But enough is enough.
In the past weeks, student organizations on
campus have mobilized in response to an alleged
incident of ethnic intimidation, recently called
into doubt, in which two University students were
reported to have verbally harassed and urinated
on two Asian students.
Regardless of whether the official investiga-
tion proves or disproves the incident, many Asian
students are using the incident to highlight what
they say is a campus climate that condones ethnic
discrimination and intimidation.
At an Asian and Pacific Islander Americans
town hall meeting Monday, students said the
incident, now in dispute, is just one example of
the types of situations Asian students and faculty
face daily. At least 50 Asian students attended the
meeting and most said they've encountered racial
harassment at the University before.
Some said they receive it frequently. And many
students aren't entirely sure why they are targets.
But overall, whether because of fear or com-
placency, students at the meeting said they have
kept the encounters to themselves.
Guzman, president of the Filipino American
Student Association, said one reason Asians
might be easy targets is because members of
Asian communities are often seen as quiet, non-
confrontational and hesitant to defend them-
selves.
"There is the view that we will take things no
matter what happens and not do anything about
it," Guzman said. "People think they can get away
with it. A lot of people also think certain com-
ments aren't necessarily racist or derogatory."
Guzman added that the "model minority" ste-
reotype influences the treatment many Asians
receive.
"There is a strong belief that discrimination
doesn't happen to Asian Americans. No one
views us as a minority," Guzman said. "And even
in that sense, having that stereotype (of the model
minority) is discriminatory in itself because it
does not take into account people's different
experiences in life and with discrimination."
See BIAS, page 7A
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
MSA picks City Council liaison
Liaison expected to work with
proposed City Council-MSA committee
By Anne Vandermey
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly's External Relations Com-
mittee elected LSA sophomore Laura Van Hyfte as its liaison to
City Council last night. The appointment is the first tangible result
of MSA's recent crusade to strengthen student influence in city
government.
The liaison position, along with a proposal for a joint City Coun-
cil-MSA committee by Council candidate Stephen Rapundalo, is
one of two major recent efforts to forge channels for communica-
tion between the assembly and City Council. In the recent past,
the Council has been viewed as supporting anti-student ordinanc-
es such as a ban on porch couches, limitations on street parking
and fines for unkempt lawns.
MSA President Jesse Levine first introduced the idea for a liai-
son to the assembly last week, only to see it unexpectedly shot
down in a voice vote. Levine, who originally wanted the liaison to
head up a new commission, then negotiated with the ERC, which
usually oversees relations with city government, to take the liai-
son position under its wing.
As MSA's liaison, Van Hyfte, a former Michigan Daily news
reporter, will be responsible for attending Council meetings and
establishing communication between Council members and stu-
dent representatives.
Van Hyfte said she was excited about her new position, which
will last until next September. As a former Michigan Daily
reporter and summer news editor, she said she has some familiar-
ity with the issues facing students and City Council.
"It was getting hard to watch anti-student legislation get
pushed through and introduced (to the Council)," Van Hyfte said.
"Unless you have a liaison being visible, students are going to get
ignored."
See MSA, page 7A
SOLE: Vendor code not enforced
By Amber Colvin
Daily Staff Reporter
The student activist group that six
ar- nionherA i theUnirzityt i adnnt
meaningful extent," said Sam Rahman, a
SOLE member and former Daily opinon
writer.
SOLE members ran a mock sweatshop
veteirahv on the niau- sewin- a hanner
China and other countries are not pay-
ing employees a living wage and owners
will fire employees if they are found to
be discussing union formation, a clear
violation of workers' rights and the code