Friday, September 22,2006 LUES BACKFIL )RTSSATUDAY News 3A Soldier with state ties dies in Iraq Opinion 4A Goldberg: Welcome to the People's Republic oftA2 Arts 5A Alice Coltrane comes home on Hill One-hundred-sieteen years ofeditoralfreedom ----------------- ---- --- -------- - - - - m www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVII, No. 14 2006 The Michigan Daily At Columbia, a debate over an invitation "In the end, I received an A-plus in this course doing virtu- ally zero work and gaining absolutely zero knowledge:" Adam Steinberg, aerospace engineering graduate student Michigan reacts to former 'U' president's allowal of speech by Iranian president By Andrew Grossman Daily Staff Reporter Columbia University President Lee Bollinger announced late Wednesday that the school had invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak today, draw- ing fire from the campus Jewish communities at Columbia and in Ann Arbor. Ahmadinejad called for the elim- ination of the Jewish state last year and said that the Holocaust was a "myth." The talk was called off yesterday due to logistical concerns, Bollinger said in a written statement. Bollinger was president of the University of Michigan from 1996 to 2001. Lisa Anderson, dean of Colum- bia's School of International and Public Affairs, invited Ahmadine- jad. Bollinger stood by the decision once he learned of it. "Dean Anderson has the right and responsibility to invite speak- ers whom she believes will add to the academic experience of our stu- dents," he said. "My office conveyed to Dean Anderson's that the Uni- versity would support SIPA if the school wanted to finalize and host such an event tomorrow." Ahmadinejad is in New York to attend a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. "I think that Ahmadinejad is beyond the pale in how he views the world," said Perry Teicher, chair of Michigan Hillel's governing board. "His statements aren't reflective of the ability to have a positive dia- logue." Iran has also been at odds recently with the United States and the Euro- pean Unionoveritsnuclearprogram. During an address to the General Assembly Tuesday, President Bush took aim at Iran, criticizing it for developing nuclear weapons and funding terror. Later that day at the same podi- um, Ahmadinejad said his nation was only interested in developing a peaceful, civilian nuclear program. Bollinger said that while he dis- agrees with Ahmadinejad on many issues, students should still be able to engage him on those issues. "I said last night as this story developed that I find President Ahmadinejad's stated beliefs to be repugnant, a view that I'm sure is widely shared within our univer- sity community," he said. "I have no doubt that Columbia students and faculty would use a truly open exchange to challenge President Ahmadinejad sharply and are fully capable of reaching their own independent conclusions about his claims." Joshua Berman, the University's American Movement for Israel chair, disagreed. "You shouldn't bring in lead- ers of other countries that want the destruction of our country," he said, "It doesn't sound like responsible dialogue." Naamah Paley, editor in chief of the Michigan Israel Observer, a journal that publishes articles about Israel written by University students, said that while she didn't think it was a good idea for Columbia to host Ahmadinejad, things might be different if she thought he had some- thing new to say. "I don't really think he has something to say in an academic setting," she said. "I haven't heard him say things of very high intel- lectual rigor." See BOLLINGER, page 7A Aerospace engineering Prof. William Kauffman sits by his model of the Soviet NI Moon rocket In his office at the Aerospace Engineering Building yesterday afternoon. Embattled prof's classes cut William Kauffman filed suit against 'U' over alleged plagiarism of his ideas for a center By Deepa Pendse Daily Staff Reporter An embattled professor is fighting a legal battle with the University over why the courses he usually teaches were discontinued this year. Aerospace engineering Prof. Wil- liam Kauffman is not teaching his usual 500- and 600-level rocket pro- pulsion classes this fall. Instead, the University offered him to teach a lower-level course in the same depart- ment. According to a source familiar with the conflict who wished to remain anonymous, the University demoted Kauffman, who has tenure, to the lower-level class as a direct result of his publicizing his discontent with the University after leveling a lawsuit against it in 2000. Kauffman is suing for damages the University and David Hyland, former chair of the Aerospace Engineering Department, for allegedly plagiariz- ing his proposal for a design center in the aerospace engineering department in 1999. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled against Kauffman in late April. Kauffman is now appealing to the state Supreme Court. The University declined to com- ment on Kauffman's situation. "The general policy at the Universi- ty is to not discuss individual person- nel matters," University spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham said. Cunningham said that when plan- ning courses, each department coordi- nates who will be on its teaching staff by using student feedback, evaluations of the instructor's performance and the availability of willing professors. Before pursuing legal action, Kauff- man complained to the University and asked for an investigation. Unhappy with the original probe conducted by Judith Nowack, the University's associate vice president for research, Kauffman went to the Senate Advi- See PROF, page 7A Medical student Mark Kiel conducts stem cell research at the Morrison Lab In the Life Sciences Institute yesterday. New group argues for embryonic stem cell research LEARNING THE ROPES Life after college: where to work Levin, Schwarz support group's mission to educate on benefits Arikia Millikan Daily Staff Reporter In the race for medical cures and advances, scientists are discovering the potential for stem cells to pro- vide the solutions for what were once thought of as incurable diseases. Current legislation may leave the state of Michigan gasping in the I dust, a new group is arguing. With the support of Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Congress- man Joe Schwarz (R-Battle Creek), Michigan Citizens for Stem Cell Research and Cures emerged on the public scene Monday at kick-off events in Detroit and Lansing. "Michigan is way behind," said Schwarz, a supporter of the research. "We have archaic laws which pre- vent us from doing research on embryonic stem cells" Since scientists first isolated embryonic stem cells in 1998, con- troversy has arisen over their use in medical research. While states like California, Illi- nois, New Jersey, Maryland and Connecticut are currently using taxpayer money to fund research on embryonic stem cells, other states do not. Benefits include treatment and cures for debilitating diseases such as Parkinson's, diabetes and brain See CELLS, page 7A BusinessWeek ranks top companies for recent graduates hunting for a job By Amanda Markowitz For the Daily It's not a typical job for a University alum, but 24- year-old Marguerite Maiv- ille spends her days piloting the Kilimanjaro Safaris Ride at Walt Disney World Florida. Maiville participated in the Disney College Program for the first time her junior year, stayed on as seasonal help for the company and then moved to Florida after graduating from the Univer- sity in 2004. See RANKING, page 7A Best companies Top places to work, according to a recent list by Business Week: Walt Disney Company Lockheed Martin Deloitte & Touche USA Goldman, Sachs & Co. Enterprise Rent-A-Car JEREMY CHO/Daiy LSA junior Stephen Taylor rappels down the side of the School of Dentistry Building yesterday as part of Army ROTC training. I