NEWS The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 17, 2006 - 3C Coca-Cola under fire F Student activists pressure 'U' to uphold vendor code of conduct Coke Coalition asks 'U' to cut contracts 'U' suspends contracts with soft-drink giant May 3, 2005 By Jameel Naqvi Daily Staff Reporter The University's Dispute Review Board - cre- ated last year to hear complaints against Universi- ty vendors and suppliers - held a public hearing last week on the Coca-Cola Company's allegedly unethical labor and environmental practices in Colombia and India. Representatives from the Coke Coalitionand Coca- Cola addressed the DRB and an audience of students mostly sympathetic to the coalition in the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union Monday afternoon. If the board is convinced that Coca-Cola is in vio- lation of the Code of Conduct for University Vendors, it could recommend that the University terminate its 12 contracts with Coca-Cola - which cost the Uni- 'U' reviews propsal for October 3, 2005 By Jeremy Davidson Daily Staff Reporter The University is reviewing The Coca-Cola Com- pany's proposal for a third-party audit of its operations in Colombia and India, where the University and a coalition of students allege the soft drink vendor has committed human rights violations. The University received the proposal late on Friday - which was the deadline for Coca-Cola to agree to an independent audit or potentially have its contract with the'University cut. In June, the University's Dispute Review Board set the deadline when it was reviewing the alleged human rights abuses. versity $1.3 million in fiscal year 2004, according to University spokeswoman Julie Peterson. The DRB is investigating the company in response to a recommendation from University Purchasing Services calling for a formal review of Coca-Cola's practices. Purchasing began its informal investigation after student groups voiced concerns and the Michi- gan Student Assembly passed a resolution calling for an inquiry about the allegations. The Coke Coalition - an umbrella group that includes Students Organiz- ing for Labor and Economic Equality and the Univer- sity chapter of Amnesty International - has pressured the University to sever its ties with Coca-Cola. . The coalition was joined recently by the United Asian American Organizations - which is com- prised of more than 30 Asian Pacific American campus groups - and the Graduate Employees' Organization. third-party audit Peggy Norgren, the University's associate vice pres- ident of finance, said she and Chief Financial Officer Timothy Slottow will make a recommendation to Uni- versity President Mary Sue Coleman on what action to take regarding the University's contract with Coca- Cola within the next few days. Though Norgren and Slottow can consult the Dispute Review Board, the ultimate decision on what course of action to recommend rests with them. Norgren left open the possibil- ity that they could recommend that the University sever its ties with Coca-Cola if they find the com- pany's proposal inadequate. January 5, 2006 By Jeremy Davidson and Karl Stampfl Daily Staff Reporters After 10 months of conflict, the University decided Dec. 29 to suspend purchasing of Coca- Cola products following the company's failure to meet a deadline set by the University's Dispute Review Board. The DRB, a committee in charge of reviewing complaints against the Vendor Code of Conduct, had asked Coke to choose an independent investi- gator to look into alleged human rights violations in Asia and South America by Dec. 31. In a letter dated Dec. 16, Coke said it would miss that deadline, due to what the company called "legal risks" stemming from a current Florida lawsuit in which the company is defending itself from charges of human rights violations. The company does not want the results of the investigation to be used against it in the suit. In response to the University's decision, Coke released a statement saying it is "exploring other ways that we might be able to conduct an addi- tional credible, objective and impartial indepen- dent third-party assessment in Colombia without incurring legal risks." Coca-Cola spokeswoman Kari Bjorhus said the company is exploring several options for conducting an assessment, but she could not say whether it would be able to meet the March 31 deadline. The DRB recommended in June that Coke adhere to a list of five deadlines spaced out over the 2005-2006 academic year. 'U' reinstates contracts with Coca-Cola April 12, 2006 By Jeremy Davidson Daily Staff Rporter The University resumed purchasing Coca- Cola products yesterday about four months after it suspended its contracts with Coke because the company wouldn't agree to an audit of its alleged human rights violations. Coke products will be back in vending machines on campus within a few days. The company has proposed two inde- pendent investigations into its labor prac- tices in India and Colombia. The University accepted them, drawing both ire and praise from students. The University received a letter from Coca-Cola on Monday that said the company is working with two organizations to conduct independent inves- tigations, one to assess its practices in Colombia and the other in India. Since suspending purchasing of Coca-Cola in December, the University has been working with the company to find a mutually acceptable third- party auditor. - The International Labor Organization, a branch of the United Nations that upholds internationally recognized human and labor rights, agreed on March 24 to conduct an independent investigation of the company in Colombia. One year later, campus reacts to America's war on terrorism Student body, divided on Bush administration policies, expected war against Iraq September 11, 2002 By Rob Goodspeed Daily Staff Reporter One question asked after the attacks of Sept. I1 remains to be fully answered: How will the Unit- ed States respond? As the nation's reactions to the attacks continue, ranging from military actions abroad to policy changes at home, many have paid close attention to the opinions of the University community. President Bush's announced War on Terrorism has been the subject of only muted criticism on campus, while activists who support and oppose Bush's poli- cies agree the student body remains divided. "I was shocked and horrified of the events of Sept. 11," said RC prof. Helen Fox, chair of the Ann Arbor human rights commission. "I was even more shocked and horrified to see our president's and our government's response," Fox said. Fox said she was particularly disturbed by the inflamed rhetoric the President used in his speech, which dwelled on labeling a "good" and "evil" side in the fight against terrorism. Fox added that she joined a community peace organi- zation and plans to teach a course on nonviolence during winter term. Music sophomore Amy Ridenou had a very differ- ent reaction to Sept. 11; she enlisted in the Army. "I felt so drawn to serve my country and to back up my opinions on military action," Ridenou said. She joined the Army on Oct. 20 and skipped classes winter term to attend basic training. Ridenou said some of her friends had lost loved ones in the attacks, and she believed in pur- suing those responsible with military force. "A lot of people are blown away that I would do that," said Ridenou, who added that her friends have been supportive. "I don't want to make myself seem noble, but everyone takes our country for granted. ... Sept. 11 changed my life." Both peace activists and those who support the Bush administration's policies said they expected U.S. involvement in Iraq. "I think we are going to war in Iraq," Fox said. "The facts that thousands of innocent civilians are going to be hurt when we go in with ill-defined goals ... troubles me." Ridenou saw the matter differently. "My unit is one of the first to go on mission, and it's very possible that I could be leaving the (University)," Ridenou said. She added that it "scares me but I embrace it completely, it's such an opportunity to go into a country - Iraq or Afghanistan - and serve. ... I love it and I'm so happy that my love for it hasn't dwindled." Some students were troubled by the Bush administration's policies. "My reaction is that calling it a 'War on Terror' was Bush's first mistake," said Kirsten Schwind, a graduate student in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment and a member of the Ann Arbor Committee for Peace and Justice. "The word "war" ... pretty much foretold a lot of bloody killing of innocent people." Mi~chi~gamua commits to reforms MIKE HULSEBUS/Daily The proposed renovations to the Big House, which could cost $170 million, could include the addition of luxury boxes, concourses and club seats. Big House bidding begins. S'U' starts search for architectural firms to renovate stadium January 24, 2005 By Allison Go & Sharad Mattu Daily Staff Reporters Renovations to Michigan Stadium are one step closer to fruition now that the University's athletic depart- ment has asked eight architectural firms for bids on the design and com- pletion of these changes. The proposed renovations, which would dramatically change the look of the stadium, include adding pre- mium seats through the addition of luxury boxes and club seats atop the stands on both sidelines, while also widening seats and aisles and improving amenities, such as rest- rooms and concession stands. The athletic department estimates that the alterations could cost $170 mil- lion. "The initiative for doing this is first and foremost to fix the bowl - to bring it up to current standards," Athletic Director Bill Martin said. "I want to make Michigan Stadium so that the oampacv exneriance for begins. "After the final football game in November you could start construc- tion," Martin said. "Then you work up until the football season," then stop. As soon as football season ends, you go back to work and finish it for the next football season. "The most important thing is that we do this right. So let's take our time and let's listen to our fans, our alums and our students. We have to reach out and involve as many of our supporters as we can in the design and planning process." There are several major aspects of the renovations that are meant to address the "functionally obsolete" aspects of the stadium, Winters said. The plans that address these defi- ciencies were primarily drawn up by HNTB, one of the architectural firms offered a bid. HNTB, which is based out of Kansas City, has also been work- ing with the University since 2001 on construction projects all over the ath- letic campus. One major feature of the proposed renovations is the addition of luxury boxes and club seats installed along the east and west sidelines. The existing press box would be torn down and rebuilt .and 5632 seats In sweeping reform, controversial society drops name, releases list of members April 12, 2006 By Andrew Grossman and Karl Stampfl Daily Staff Reporters After 104 years as Michigamua, the University's most controversial student group announced yester- day that it has retired its name and plans to have a new one in the fall. The society also made public the members of its classes of 2006 and 2007. "Upon consideration of our overriding principle of service and gaining significant input from our broad- er Michigan family, our organization has determined that we will continue this tradition without using the name Michigamua," the group said yesterday in a written statement to The Michigan Daily. The announcement was met with mixed reac- tions on campus. The reformation comes in response to years of criticism and claims that the senior honor society was racist because it had previously used Native American rituals and artifacts in its meetings. The name Michigamua was chosen in 1902 to sound like a mythical Native American tribe. The group is mostly composed of athletes and the leaders of campus groups. The "Pride of 2007" includes Michigan Student Assembly President Nicole Stallings, Michigan football player Adam Kraus and Interfraternity Council President Jon Krasnov. LSA junior Brittany Marino, outgoing co-chair of the Native American Student Association, lauded the reforms, but cautioned that they are not enough. "I think that the name change is a huge step and obviously something that the Native community has been calling for a long time, so I'm very glad to see the name change," she said. "But I think it's only one of the many steps that need to be taken. We still have a ways to go." Marino said Michigamua members past and present should recognize the pain they've caused on campus with an apology and by holding edu- cational events. The group, which cut its ties with the University in 2000, is also examining the possibility of becoming a University-sanctioned group again by going through the Student Organization And Recognition process. "Among the many options that our group is con- sidering is if, how, and when we will once again offi- cially register as a student organization," the group said in a written statement. Dean of Students Susan Eklund and Susan Wilson, director of the Office of Student Activi- ties and Leadership, which is responsible for the recognition of student groups, recently met with group members to discuss the path to official rec- ognition by the University. Any group that wishes to be recognized must sub- mit a constitution to Wilson's office, register with MSA and agree to follow the University's nondis- crimination policies. "Anything that smacked of racism or exclusion would be a problem," Wilson said. While the Office of Student Activities and Leader- ship has not refused recognition to any student group since the SOAR process began at the beginning of this semester, some groups have chosen not to seek recognition after learning of the requirements, Wil- son said. "It was my impression during that conversation that while they may have thought that recognition was in the future, I always thought it was in the dis- tant future," Eklund said. Wilson and Eklund also advised group mem- bers on the way administrators and students per- ceive the group. Wilson said the group could use the recognition process to allay the concerns of some members of the University community. "If there's a group that has to be accountable in its practices and its membership in order to be recog- nized, that would enhance its credibility with some people," she said.