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One-hundred-ifteen years of editorialfreedom
www.mchkiandai/y.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVI, No. 73 x2006 The Michigan Daily
State funding
up 2 percent
LIGHTS OUT, PART DEUX
P Gov. Jennifer Granholm's
proposed budget would
increase the University's
funding by $6.3 million
By Justin Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
Next year might be the first since 2002
that the University has not faced cuts to its
state funding.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm submitted a pro-
posed budget to the state Legislature yes-
terday that would give the University $6.3
million more from the state than it got last
year, a 2-percent increase.
The budget, which the Legislature still has
to approve, calls for a $34-million increase
for higher education overall.
The increase would reverse a four-year
trend of cuts to higher education spending.
Last year, the state cut higher educa-
tion funding by 1.4 percent. The last time it
raised funding was 2002, when it went up by
6.3 percent.
Granholm asked for this year's 2-percent
increase as a result of an $80-million sur-
plus, which is left over from $318 million in
unexpected tax revenue from 2005. The sur-
plus will be used to help pay for Michigan's
2007 budget.
Greg Bird, a spokesman for the State Budg-
et Office, said the request is not only an
increase in funding, but it indicates increased
attention toward higher education.
"Given the economic situation we have, I
think it's a fair amount of money," Bird said.
"I think it sends a good message that higher
education is a priority to the governor."
University President Mary Sue Coleman
agreed in a statement about the increase yes-
terday.
"Governor Granholm's proposal for a 2
percent funding increase for higher educa-
tion is welcome news after the last several
years of reductions," Coleman said."I'm also
encouraged that the governor will recognize
the distinct role of our research universities as
important contributors to the state's future."
Michigan is in a dire economic state. The
state had the nation's highest unemployment
rate in December at 7.3 percent.
"There's an indication that while there
may be growth, it may be very small," Bird
said. "As to what that means specifically for
the future of higher education, that remains
to be seen at this point."
The Legislature has until October to
approve the budget. During that time, rev-
enue estimates may fall short or the state
could face bad economic news.
The University receives 28 percent of its
general fund from state appropriations and
58 percent from tuition and fees.
The University has worked to trim its costs
recently in the face of state budget cuts.
Since 2004, the University has cut $57.3 mil-
lion from its internal budget.
Professor nabs three
classical Grammys
Prof William Bolcom won
Best Classical Contemporary
Composition, Classical Album
and Choral Performance
By Kimberly Chou
Daily Arts Writer
After Wednesday night's 48th Grammy
Awards, Prof. William Bolcom is in the
same predicament as fellow winners Kanye
West and U2: Where to put the little gold
phonograph?
"We have a crowded house - I'm trying
to think of where to put it," the composer
said.
His album "Songs of Innocence and of
Experience," inspired by the poetry of Wil-
liam Blake, won Grammy awards for Best
Classical Contemporary Composition, Best
Classical Album and Best Choral Perfor-
mance.
"It'd be kind of corny to put it on the man-
tle, but maybe I will," he said. "Some people
put it in the bathroom - I haven't thought
of that."
Bolcom was not present at the awards
ceremony. The majority of music awards in
minor categories are presented in a private
ceremony earlier in the day. One of the proj-
ect's choral directors was in attendance and
picked up the awards.
"The only reason to go would to be seen on
television, and they didn't do any of the non-
pop things (on television)," Bolcom said.
Although he did not say whether he expect-
ed the win, Bolcom joked: "Well, everybody
else seemed to have. I just sort of found that
I'd wait and see what happens."
More than 20 years after the debut of
"Songs of Innocence and of Experience"
at the Stuttgart Opera in Germany in 1984,
Bolcom recorded the piece with the Univer-
sity Symphony Orchestra, featuring promi-
nent local guest choruses and soloists.
It was recorded the weekend the renovat-
ed Hill Auditorium reopened to the public
in 2004. Since its release, the record has
gained attention from the recording industry
to match the praise circulating in the inter-
national classical music-community.
Orchestras around the world have per-
formed the album. Bolcom said the next
performance is scheduled for April in Min-
neapolis.
Though the album was fully finished in
1984, Bolcom had been composing material
for the work for more than 20 years.
"I started actually (working on)
things when I was 17," Bolcom said. "I
knew that it would be something that I
See GRAMMY, page 7
EMMA NOLAN-ABRAHAMIAN/Daily
Michigan senior guard Daniel Horton attempts a layup at Crisler Arena last night. The Wolverines lost to the Buckeyes 85-
94. For full story, SEE SPORTS, PAGE 8.
English returns to olrn
M' lures assistant
coach away from Chicago
Bears to be defensive
coordinator
By Jack Herman
Daily Sports Editor
Ron English is back.
Just three days after signing a contract
to become the Chicago Bears' second-
ary coach, Michigan assistant coach
Ron English has reportedly decided to
return to Ann Arbor to assume the duties
of defensive coordinator, the Bears
announced yesterday.
The Michigan athletic department
confirmed English will be back at the
University, but it would not specify in
what capacity.
English could not be reached for comment.
For the past three years, English
served as the Wolverines' defensive
backs coach. He garnered acclaim for
both his recruiting and coaching abili-
ties.
In 2004, cornerback Marlin Jackson
and safety Ernest Shazor both received
all-America honors, making English the
first coach in NCAA history with two
defensive backs earning the award in the
same year.
The status of current defensive coordi-
nator Jim Herrmann remains uncertain.
See ENGLISH, page 7
Law student
files complaint
against 'Vagina'
IDOLIZED
Congress amends
law that limits aid
to drug offenders
Activist Pierce
Beckham claims
Monologues casting
policy is discriminatory
By Carissa Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
This year's production of "The
Vagina Monologues" is set to hit
policy and the 14th Amendment of
the U.S. Constitution.
"Whereas my identity as a
male might exclude me for cer-
tain reasons from The Vagina
Monologues, (the organizers')
decision to exclude certain
people was impermissible,
given the University's poli-
cies," Beckham said.
As a longtime student activ-
ist and former chief justice of
Reach shortened on
law designed to smoke
out drug offenders
By Gabe Nelson
Daily Staff Reporter
This is your financial aid
award.
This is your financial aid
award on drugs.
Any questions?
dents - those attending imme-
diately after high school - will
be unaffected by the changes
to the policy because any drug
offense committed in their past
would have occurred while they
were minors. Minors's cannot be
stripped of their aid unless they
were tried as adults, according to
Tom Angell, campaigns director
for Students for Sensible Drug
Policy.
But the change will benefit