Friday, September 29, 2006 News 3 In campaign, first lady doesn't carry risks ofhusband Opinion 4 John Oquist: Ben Franklin is an aslamo-fascist W Arts 5 Method Man explodes into A2 One-hundred-slxteen years of editorialfreedom www. mzchikandaiy. com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVII, No. 19 ©2 006 The Michigan Daily A goodbye to an agent City's senior FBI agent, who worked on Unabomber case, to retire By Ashlea Suries Daily Staff Reporter He's got an unbeatable view of Ann Arbor from his third-floor corner office. He's got Michigan para- phernalia hung and taped and tacked between family photos. He's got a life-size cardboard cutout of John Wayne. He's got thrilling crime stories. And Greg Stejskal only has a month left to enjoy it all. Stejskal is the FBI's senior resident agent in Ann Arbor. According to FBI policy, all employees must retire when they turn 57. Stejs- kal's 57th birthday was in April. After 31 years of service, his last day will be Oct. 31. "I would stay if I could, but it's policy," Stejskal said. Stejskal, a Nebraska native, was sent to Detroit after joining the FBI in 1975. He spent six years there before being reas- signed to the Ann Arbor office. He has been here ever since. Stejskal and his wife Patricia have seen both of their children graduate from the University. Stejs- kal, a season ticket-hold- ing Michigan fan, was even able to cheer on his son, Andrew Stejskal, who was a walk-on wide receiver for the football team before he graduated in 2003. Stejskal himself played football for the University of Nebraska at Lincoln as an undergraduate. Every season, Stejskal speaks to the football team about the importance of staying out of trouble and See FBI, page 7 Greg Stejskal, the FBI's senior resident agent in Ann Arbor, poses in the FBI office Arbor Federal Building yesterday afternoon. TRUNK JUNK Student code to be revised Proposals will include less punitive consequences for alcohol violations By Layla Asiani Daily Staff Reporter If you've ever tasted alcohol and aren't 21 yet, Law School student Mitch Holzrichter suggests you pay attention to the State- ment of Student Rights and Responsibilities. "Any student who has ever been disciplined or scared of discipline, or drank underage, this affects them," he said. The Statement of Student Rights and Responsibili- ties - commonly referred to as the code - is the University's formal policy that describes what non- academic behavior the University prohibits, what punishment a student may receive and a student's rights during the disciplin- ary process. Every two years, the Uni- versity updates it. This is one of those years. One of the possible changes this year is making the punishment for alcohol offenses more educational and less disciplinary. It's just one of the 27 revi- sions the Code of Conduct Advisory Board, chaired by Holzrichter and composed entirely of students, has prepared for this year. In November, the Michi- gan Student Assembly will present the amendments to the Student Relations Advi- sory Committee, which is made up of faculty and stu- dents. SRAC will then make recommendations to Uni- versity President Mary Sue Coleman. Coleman will ultimately decide whether the proposals will become part of the statement on April 1. In 2005, Coleman accept- ed 16 of the 17 amendments proposed. The amendment she struck down would have allowed students to be represented by an attorney during hearings that could lead to expulsion. Administrators who See CODE, page 7 ANGELA CESERE/Daily Ann Arbor resident Linda Alvira sells the contents of her friend's shed out of her car trunk at Trunk-a-Palooza in Kerrytown yesterday. Trunk-a-Palooza is a monthly event where sellers buy a stall for $20 and sell anything from old newspapers to knife sharpeners. The $20 goes to support two different charities and the Kerrytown District Association. Trunk-a-Palooza will take a winter recess and resume in the spring. Study offers look into threat whites, minorities feel ' Minorities more likely than whites to feel threatened by other races By Laura Frank Daily Staff Reporter Few white people feel they need to compete with minor- ities for jobs or for political influence, while minorities are much more likely to feel threatened by whites and other minorities in these areas, according to a new University study. Whites and minorities believe they face competition from each other mostly based on how well their races have fared historically, the study said. "Racial minorities who feel they have been discrimi- nated against, they are espe- cially likely to think more for whites means less for them," said Vincent Hutchings, an associate professor of politi- cal science and the study's lead author. About 40 percent of blacks said they believe more jobs for other racial and ethnic groups means fewer oppor- tunities for them - twice the number of whites who said the same thing. All minority groups sur- veyed indicated that they believed whites were more of a threat to their opportunities than other minorities. Steve Williams, multicul- tural coordinator for the Uni- versity's Career Center, said there is no sense of racial and ethnic competition for jobs among students. He said all students find the job search challenging and added that while there is competition, qualified stu- dents of any background have a good chance of getting the jobs they want. "The idea is to make sure that all students, including students of color, are made aware of opportunities," Wil- liams said. Many employers are pushing for diversity on their staffs because of the increased focus on the global market, Williams said. But Hutchings said there is no evidence that exposure See STUDY, page 7 By the numbers 50 Percentage of blacks who see whites as a threat in the job market 20 Percentage of whites who believe more good jobs for minorities means fewer good jobs for them 58 Percentage of Asian- Americans who believe political influetce for whites lessen their own political influence Code revisions timeline September and October: Proposal preparation period = By Nov. 1: Submission of finalized amendment pro- posals to Students Relations Advisory Committee By Jan. 31: SRAC reviews each amendment and makes recommendations on them By Feb. 15: SRAC submits recommendations to the University president By April 1: President makes decision Source: Office of Student Conflict Resolution History ep. gets $.5-mgif Professor snags prize for book on slavery Scott credits award to lifelong dedication to study of slavery By Emily Angell For The Daily Rosalie had been a slave for 20 years. After persuading her master to sign a piece of paper declaring her and her children's freedom, she left for Cuba. When she arrived, she discovered that her freedom was limited because the paper had not been notarized. Additionally, her second daugh- ter would have to spend another 20 years in slavery to pay off debts on the estate. After three decades of research, history Prof. Rebecca Scott is still shocked by stories like Rosalie's. "When you spend time docu- menting how a life really was, as more than just a name on paper, you come to realize how fragile freedom really is,' she said. "It's important to remember life histories, not just con- ventional historical figures." Two weeks ago, Scott was selected as the eighth recipient of the presti- gious Frederick Douglass Prize for the best book on slavery or abolition. It's an achievement she credits to a lifelong dedication to the study of slavery. She received a $25,000 award for her book "Degrees of Freedom: Lou- isiana and Cuba after Slavery" Scott spent decades researching the book, which explores the aftermath of slav- ery by tracing the lives of several families in slave communities. Telling the story of slavery is a daunting task, Scott said. She said she constantly strives to strike a bal- ance between documenting the over- whelming brutality that occurred before abolition and the opportuni- ties that arose afterward. When Scott decided to write a book, she was no stranger to the material. Slavery has always fascinated Scott. She focused her interest on Cuba and the Gulf region in 1976, when the civil rights movement was transforming the study of slavery across the continent. At that time, the study of slavery in Cuba was a rela- tively under-examined field of study. After arriving at the University in 1980, Scott found many faculty members dedicated to researching slavery and was able to develop a community, she said. "This book is the result of a col- laborative effort by the wonderful University community," Scott said. See SLAVERY, page 7 Money will go toward Institute for Historical Studies By Brian Tengel For The Daily Two alums have given the history department its larg- est donation ever. Kenneth Eisenberg and his wife, Frances Aftel Eisenberg, donated $5 mil- lion to support the Insti- tute for Historical Studies. The institute, beginning its second year, aims to bring new voices and programs to campus. Eisenberg is chairman and CEO of Kenwal Steel Corp. He graduated with a degree in history in 1964. The institute was renamed the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Institute for His- torical Studies in honor of the Eisenbergs' gift. Kathleen Canning, the institute's director, said the donation will transform the history department, ener- gizing intellectual life on campus and creating a place for sustained dialogue. "The history department has many professors teach- ing in different disciplines," she said. "We're scattered. We need to create this space where we can come together again." Faculty at the insti- tute have big plans for the money. It will be channeled toward a variety of projects, including research and cur- See DONATION, page 7