Thursday, February 23, 2006 c 9; k;'A_.. f i . Opinion 4A Aaron Kaplan thinks Americans don't save enough Arts 5A Student hits it big in hip-hop production One-hundredffteen years ofedftoriaifreedom Sports 8A Smith loses weight, gains confidence mom WIN- -- - ---------------- ---- - - MIIMFAW www.michikandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXV, No. 82 2006 The Michigan Daily O " l SPEAKING "WORDS OF LOVE, LIFE AND DEATH" Third plaintiff added to suit against 'U' Original plaintiff speaks out for first time about suit that alleges U breached Michigamua agreement By Carissa Miller Daily Staff Reporter At a press conference yesterday, the plaintiffs of a lawsuit against the University announced a third co-plaintiff, Karen Brewer, a former University employee. The suit claims the University failed to enforce a 1989 agreement with Michigamua prohibiting the society from referencing Native American culture and customs in its rituals. Brewer joins Ann Arbor lawyer Christo- pher Bell, a graduate of the University, and a University employee only identified as "John Doe." The press conference marked the first time Bell has spoken publicly about the suit since he filed it Feb.6. Brewer resigned nearly six years ago as an outpatient clerk for University Health Ser- vice, a post she held for 12 years. She said she resigned because of "emotional stress" brought on by Michigamua. At the conference, Brewer also declared her support for the proposed boycott of the University's undergraduate programs by pro- spective students, staff and faculty. "It is our responsibility as native people, as a community, to speak out," Brewer said. Bell filed the lawsuit on behalf of Native American students, faculty and staff at the University between 1989 - the year the agreement was reached - and 2000, when the University and the society severed ties with each other. Lawsuits alleging a breach of contract must be filed within six years of discovery of the violation, Bell said. Because the agreement surfaced in 2000, the last day to file a lawsuit against the University was Feb. 6 of this year. Bell said he had anticipated someone clos- er to the issue to file a grievance against the University. For example, he referenced those involved in the 1989 agreement and members of the Students of Color Coalition, which discovered Native American artifacts in the society's meeting space in the tower of the Michigan Union in 2000. With the deadline fast approaching and no sign of legal action, Bell said he decided to step in and file the suit Feb. 6. The University has not yet been officially served with the lawsuit. Bell said he is waiting for Brewer to be added as a plaintiff and plans to serve the University within the week. The lawsuit, which requests a jury trial, calls for financial compensation for Native Americans at the University between 1989 and 2000 who were discriminated against as the result of Michigamua's presence on cam- pus. Bell said the reparations would likely apply to more than 500 students, staff and faculty, but it is up to the jury to decide the amount to award. "But we aren't talking pennies," Bell said. "We want damages." Bell said the lawsuit contends the 1989 agreement is a legally binding contract, but he expects the University will argue the oppo- site. University spokeswoman Kelly Cunning- ham said the University would not respond to the lawsuit until it receives official notifica- tion. "It would be irresponsible of us to act before being served," Cunningham said. The University maintains that the lawsuit has no merit and intends to seek a dismissal. Faculty in the Native American Stud- ies program said in a written statement that See BELL, page 7A ALEX DZIADC Amir Sulaiman, spoken word artist, native New Yorker, activist and educator, performed in Auditorium B of Angell Hall yesterday. Sulalman recently released his album "Dead Man Walking" and is involved with the Black Arts Movement. MSA won't fund groups that lobby Lyricists wanted to pen new M' song Resolution vote split dramatically along party line's By Dhruv Menawat For the Daily Members of the Michigan Student Assembly clashed Tuesday night, barely voting down a resolution to allow MSA to fund student groups that lobby. After an extended debate about the benefits and risks involved in allowing MSA to fund student organizations' lobbying efforts, the assembly voted down the resolution by a vote of 13-12 with one abstention. The vote was split dramatically along party lines. Representatives of the Students 4 Michigan party, which currently holds a majority in the assembly, unanimous- ly voted against the resolution based on its potential risk to MSA's tax-exempt status as a public organization, and suggested that the resolution's sponsor, MSA Rep: Rese Fox, was driven by ulterior motives. Fox is running as the vice presiden- tial candidate for the Michigan Progres- sive Party, which was formed last fall to challenge S4M. Maya Kobersy, University assistant general counsel, gave a presentation Tuesday night at the meeting to inform representatives about the impact of the resolution. She said that neither MSA nor the University can devote a signifi- cant amount of their budgets to lobby- ing efforts because, according to IRS regulations, they are tax-exempt orga- nizations. Kobersy defined lobbying as any effort to influence legislators by con- tacting them or encouraging the public to contact them. However, proponents of the resolu- tion say MSA has the right to fund lob- bying activities as long as they have a system that follows federal regulations set for tax-exempt organizations. Fox stressed that this resolution did not intend to breach any regulations, but focused on bettering the current funding system and working to support student groups that want to lobby. Proponents claim that many stu- dents decide to come to this University because of its reputation for political activism. Providing student organiza- tions the opportunity to lobby would afford hands-on learning experience to students. In order to facilitate this opportunity, the resolution stated that creating a mechanism to fund and track lobbying expenditures may allow MSA to fund student organizations' lobbying activities, provided they are administra- tively feasible and comply with the law. There was also a provision explic- itly guaranteeing that all involved par- ties take the necessary steps to ensure MSA's tax status will not be endangered by these funding mechanisms. Dissenters argued that despite the University's history of political activ- ism, it is not the primary purposes of the University. Last March, a similar proposition was brought up in an MSA meeting. The Public Interest Research Group in Michigan petitioned MSA for $20,000. The resolution was voted down due to the risk that funding PIRGIM - histor- ically a lobbying organization - would jeopardize MSA's tax-exempt status. Some believe that Fox, who was the external relations chair of PIRGIM last year, sponsored Tuesday's resolution in an attempt to resuscitate PIRGIM. S4M party Chair Robbie O'Brien, expressed concern that Fox's involvement in PIRGIM is influencing her actions. "In my opinion, Rese wanted to pass this resolution to bring back PIRGIM," O'Brien said. He also said that S4M is open to student groups being able to lobby with MSA funds, but that they would never be willing to spend money on PIRGIM. Fox denied allegations that she was motivated by a personal affinity for PIRGIM or student lobbying. She said PIRGIM principally deals with corpo- rations instead of government legisla- tion. She said it was not, technically involved in lobbying and therefore has no connection to the resolution. See MSA, page 7A Glee Club holding contest requesting lyrics for 1st official Michigan song composed in 13 years By Kimberly Chou Daily Arts Writer The opportunity to contribute lyrics to a Michigan song only comes along once in a generation. The Michigan Men's Glee Club is seeking original lyrics for a new Michigan song to be composed by first-year Glee Club Director Paul Rardin. Open to all Michigan students, faculty, staff and alumni, the contest's winning lyrics and accompanying music will be the first new Michigan song in 13 years. The most recent ode to the University, "Memories of Michigah," was the winner of a 1993 contest for both lyrics and music. "There's a big gap (between the songs) - and an even bigger gap before that;' Rar- din said. Before "Memories of Michigan," the last song debuted in 1967, the same year of the Glee Club's unprecedented three-week world tour. "I felt we needed to add to the repertoire. That was the goal," Rardin said. Most of the songs in the Michigan collection were written before 1950, and many before 1900. A University alum - Rardin received his master's from the School of Music - the director said he understands the scope of the project. "It is a big deal," he said. "It's certainly very humbling (composing a piece that will be) compared to these classics." Rardin said he will not start composing the music until after lyrics are chosen. "I don't want the music to influence what the words say" he said. If they have a "pomp and circumstance See GLEE CLUB, page 7A " Home sweet home? Groups at risk of losing office space BACK TO NATURE MSA urges committee to extend deadline for spaces at Union Dhruv Menawat For the Daily Some of the University's most influ- ential student groups may be without a home next year. The College Democrats, Model United Nations Black Student Union, applicants. The committee is composed of three Michigan Union Board of Rep- resentatives members and three MSA representatives. Assembly members were added to the committee to lend a student voice. Office space leases last two years,and half of the leases are up for renewal next month. The original deadline was diffi- cult for many groups to meet, because it was only seven days after students had returned from winter break. This is also the time when organizations transition organizations were never contacted about the application process or the deadline. The online application did not even state the deadline for submission. Many of the organizations said that although OSAC claimed to have tried to contact them using information posted on Maize Pages, the contact informa- tion listed there was outdated. As a result, many student organiza- tions never even knew they missed the deadline. I - ^ ...n W . ,.,.. ,.. u I.