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www.mich gandaily. com

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Vol. CXVI, No. 94

@2006 The Michigan Daily

Legislature may cut construction fimds


State threatens to
freeze $193 million if'U'
doesn't submit proposals
By Justin Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
State lawmakers are threatening to
freeze $193 million of University con-
struction funds as part of a larger effort
to make public universities and colleges
comply with state funding guidelines.
The University of Michigan is one of 15
public universities and 28 community col-
leges that have been asked by the Michigan
Legislature's Joint Capital Outlay Com-
mittee to pass resolutions stating they will

comply with laws that require the outlay
committee's approval for all construction
and renovation projects worth more than
$1 million.
If the schools do not pass these resolu-
tions, the committee may vote on Thurs-
day to freeze $270 million worth of
projects at various institutions across the
state - including the $145-million con-
struction of the University's Stephen M.
Ross School of Business and a $48- mil-
lion renovation of the Electrical Engineer-
ing and Computer Science Building Solid
State Electronics Lab.
The outlay committee controls all fund-
ing of state-owned and funded projects,
including projects at universities and com-
munity colleges.

Cynthia Wilbanks, the University's vice
president for government relations, said the
committee has not cited the University for
noncompliance, but it has asked the Board
of Regents to pass a resolution stating that
the University will comply with the com-
mittee's guidelines and the law.
Wilbanks said she would not character-
ize the building projects as being "in dan-
ger." Wilbanks said the only two projects
currently under review are the electronics
lab and the business school, but that "noth-
ing is exempt."
Last November, State Sen. Shirley
Johnson (R-Royal Oak), outlay commit-
tee chair, submitted letters to all public
universities and community colleges ask-
ing them to pass resolutions declaring their

commitment to follow guidelines and meet
deadlines for filing reviews for projects.
According to Wilbanks, University
President Mary Sue Coleman said she has
discussed the committee's request with the
Board of Regents. The University has fol-
lowed the proper filing procedures with
the committee, Wilbanks said.
Universities have not passed resolutions
because they are afraid it could lead to
more requests from the state.
"The issue of constitutional autonomy
is what's really an issue here, and it's
extremely important," former University
President James Duderstadt said.
The committee's request comes after the
recent state audit of several public universi-
ties and community colleges showed that

the committee did not properly approve
more than 70 construction projects com-
pleted between 1999 and 2004, the Detroit
News reported. The University was not
included in this audit.
Wilbanks said the University's relation-
ship with Johnson, the outlay committee
chair, has been "respectful and productive"
during ongoing discussions. She added
that the University will continue discus-
sions with Johnson.
As for the University's plans for the
committee's Thursday meeting, Wilbanks
would only say "We'll cross the Thursday
bridge when we get to it."
- Anne VanderMey and The Associated
Press contributed to this report.

Amount over which univer-
sities must submit plans for
approval: $1 million
Number of schools affect-
ed: 15 public universities
and 28 community colleges
If they refuse, state could
withhold funding
Projects that could have
funds cut: B-school renova-
tions, renovations of elec-
tronic labs


MSA ELECTIONS 2006: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PROFILES
TOMOROW RYAN IANTUIt A:ND1MONiCA SMITH

Group asks
'U' to divest
from Israel
Regent says University board will
never support divestment; renewal of
issue touches nerve in MSA campaign
By Gabe Nelson
Daily Staff Reporter
At its meeting on Friday, the University Board of Regents
was presented with 140 signatures of past and present faculty
and students demanding the University consider cutting its
financial investments in Israel. The list includes 75 staff and
faculty and 65 students and alumni from all three University of
Michigan campuses.
Accusing Israel of breaching human rights laws, four staff
and faculty from Ann Arbor and UM-Dearborn urged regents
to form a committee to explore the possibility of divestment.
It appears, though, that divestment is not even a remote pos-
sibility.
University Regent Larry Deitch (D-Bingham Farms) said
regents do not support divestment and would never support
it.
"It's just not a good idea," Deitch said. "Many of us feel that
divestment should only be used in the most extreme and egre-
gious examples, and even then there's a question of whether it's
a good thing for universities to do."
The regents last voted for divestment in 2000, withdrawing
the University's investments in the tobacco industry.
Deitch said he considers his vote in favor of tobacco divest-
ment a mistake because it goes against the regents' goal of
encouraging investment whose income supports the University.
"I voted for divestment of tobacco stocks, but if I had that
choice again, I'd take my vote back" he said.
A letter from the divestment supporters to the regents
accused Israel of forcibly evicting Palestinians from their
homes, destroying their homes, collectively punishing the
Palestinian people for the actions of a few by disrupting their
daily lives, excessive violence against Palestinians and settle-
ment in Palestinian territory.
A letter outlining the intent of the divestment supporters
accused Israel of forcibly evicting Palestinians from their homes,
destroying the homes of Palestinians, collectively punishing the
Palestinian people for the actions of a few by disrupting their
daily lives, excessive violence against the Palestinian people and
See DIVESTMENT, page 2A

Nicole Stalling
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STUDELNT 4 SMICHIGAN
By Kimberly Chou
Daily Staff Reporter

If Nicole Stallings were a Barbie doll, she would be
named Career Barbie.
Stallings - who is running for Michigan Student
Assembly president on the Students 4 Michigan ticket
- looks like the perfect package.
An organizational studies major, Stallings is a member
of Phi Alpha Delta, a pre-law fraternity.
The LSA junior is pretty and well-dressed. Like many
in her party, she wears a bright blue S4M t-shirt in her
Facebook photo, but hers is fashioned into a makeshift
halter top. She has coffee-colored eyes and an easy smile.
She's smart and she's well-spoken.
Stallings joined MSA second semester last year as a
sophomore. She served as vice chair of the influential
Budget Priorities Committee. She was also appointed vice
president of the assembly after Alicia Benavides resigned
from the position earlier this year.
Despite her sparkling resume, opponents have ques-
tioned Stallings' qualifications for MSA president.
"Unfortunately, Nicole has not provided any direction

Current MSA
vice president
Major: Organi-
zational Studies
Greek affiliation:
Phi Alpha Delta
(pre-law fraternity)
Campaign
promises: Reach
out to students;
create programs
that bridge gaps
between student
groups.

Rese Fox
MICHI OGRESVE PARTY
By Kimberly Chou
Daily Staff Reporter
On her first day of orientation, Rese Fox - the Michigan
Student Assembly presidential candidate who is running on
the Michigan Progressive Party ticket - realized she had a
problem with her name.
Her given name, Brittany Therese, seemed synonymous
with school-girl pop and scandalous award-show perfor-
mances.
"I was very sick of Britney Spears jokes and I just wanted
to overcome that sort of stigma with Britney: ditzy," Fox
said.
Her solution was to cut "Brittany Therese" down to a
four-letter nickname: Rese.
"I also liked the idea of having an original name that no
one had in my classes,' she added.
In person, Fox is bubbly, whether talking about MSA or
her volunteer work with mentorship programs. She laughs
often. Her high, clear voice is imbued with exploding cham-
pagne-cork enthusiasm. She is a sister in Pi Beta Phi, recog-
nized as one of the oldest sororities in the nation.
Make no mistake, Fox is a nice girl, but she's also a tough,
See FOX, page 7A

Current MSA rep-
resentative (LSA)
Major: Econom-
ics, Program in
the Environment
(5-year public
policy program)
Greek affilia-
tion: Pi Beta Phi
Campaign prom-
ises: Get profs to
release textbooks
early; fund student
groups that lobby.

NO MORE

See STALLINGS, page 7A

Debate focuses on ruling party's record

Students vying for MSA
presidency clash over
ideologies, platforms

Nicole Stallings, presidential candidate
for the incumbent S4M and current assem-
bly vice president, stood by MSA's decisions,
taking pride in its accomplishments.
The other candidates spent most of their

Party's candidate,questioned Stallings's lack
of efforts to target voter fraud regarding the
Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, a proposal
on November's ballot that would ban some
affirmative action programs in the state.

es. She explained that S4M doesn't vote in a
bloc, but instead "every member can vote as
they feel necessary."
This remark set off a barrage of questions
from the other three candidates. First, Smith




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