4A - Wednesday, November 15, 2006 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 0 C74C MIC4ig n '3ailm KIM LEUNG A, Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890 413 E. Huron St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 tothedaily@michigandaily.com DONN M. FRESARD EDITOR IN CHIEF EMILY BEAM CHRISTOPHER ZBROZEK EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS JEFFREY BLOOMER MANAGING EDITOR There is no purely military solution here." - SEN. CARL LEVIN, supporting a plan for phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq, as reported today in The New York Times. tt}fit" 'x :zI Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. Wait and see Regents should delay vote on stadium renovations he student body knows this weekend marks the biggest college football game in recent history. But how many people know about the other big decision this weekend that will affect Michigan sports for years to come? Not many. Understandably overshadowed, the Big House renovation plans come before the University Board of Regents for the second of QA/} COP 91AF 1 .LrN A speech and a strategy three votes this Friday. Aside from bringing a divisive atmo- sphere to campus hours before the big game, there are other reasons, unrelated to Saturday's game, why the board should hold off on this controversial vote. University Regent David Brandon, who was defeated by Democrat Julia Donovan Darlow in last week's election, is a lead- ing supporter of the proposed skybox plan. The plan, which would add swanky luxury suites to the historic stadium, passed with a narrow 5-3 margin during a preliminary vote last May. However, with Darlow tak- ing office in January, the proposed skybox plan could deadlock 4-4 on the third and final vote. Given that a tie vote is effectively a failed vote, the new makeup of the board could, in theory, save the University's sta- dium from skyboxes. while Darlow has not announced her opinion on the issue, Brandon's absence from the board puts the stadium renovation vote up for grabs. However, the possibility of a skybox- free stadium is not reason enough to hold off the vote. If the new board is faced with two votes in favor of skybox plan, it will be difficult and costly to change the course of action with the third and final vote. It will undoubtedly put the new board in a dif- ficult position, where it may be forced to undo policy decisions the previous board enacted only a few months before. The reality is that the skybox issue is one for January's Board of Regents to wrestle with. If the renovation is approved, the new board will oversee the project. More- over, it is worth noting that Brandon came in fourth behind Republican Susan Brown during the election last week. It is not far- fetched to suggest his outspoken position in favor of skyboxes alienated voters. The regents should not rush this monumental decision simply so Brandon may voice his vote as a lame duck. One thing Darlow has stated she's in favor of is a more transparent and fair pro- cess. The first vote, to approve the skyboxes and the hiring of architecture firm HNTB, took place at the May meeting held in Dear- born - when stadium renovations were added to the agenda after the deadline to register for the public comment period had passed. While this week's vote will be Ann Arbor, there are still other problems with the process. Construction projects are rarely so divi- sive - before the skybox vote, the regents had approved some 400 building projects unanimously. Given that this one is so con- tentious and that the Big House is so impor- tant to the students, alumni and fans of the University, the regents should postpone the vote. Doingso will also putthe skybox issue in the hands of the board, with potentially different dynamics, that will actually over- see the project during the upcoming years. Here on campus, where about three-fourths of voters in campus precincts said no to Proposal 2 last week, University Pres- ident Mary Sue Coleman might seem like a defiant hero. Her speech on the Diag last Wednesday after Proposal 2 passed was the single most visible act of leadership to date in a presidency that hasn't been marked by much more than her skill as a fundraiser. Coleman's speech reassured campus that the University would maintain its commitment to diversity at a time when an awful- lot of people needed reas- suring.M But across the rest of this state - which, after all, voted _ 58 percent in CHRISTOPHER favor of the Michigan Civil ZBROZEK Rights Initia- tive - Coleman's speech hasn't won her many fans. "I believe there are serious ques- tions as to whether this initiative is lawful, particularly as it pertains to higher education," Coleman said last week as she announced the Universi- ty's intention to look into legal action against the initiative. In letters to the editor and on blogs, angry Michigan residents have begged the University Board of Regents to fire Coleman, voicing their contempt for a public university president who just won't accept that her school's policies lost at the ballot box. Underlying all the criticism, I suspect, is fear that those liberal activist judges, everyone's favorite bogeymen-jurists, are eager- ly waiting to give Coleman the green light to ignore the sanctified Will of the People. I can't imagine, though, that in announcing the University would look into legal action, Coleman thinks she can retroactively strike Proposal 2 from the ballot. I suspect she used such defiant language more for rhe- torical effect than anything else, and I'll call her bluff right here: There aren't serious questions about wheth- er Proposal 2 prohibits the University from using a race-conscious admis- sions policy. It just does. There might be some very smart lawyers racking their brains right now to think up a successful court- room strategy against applying Pro- posal 2 to admissions. They'll have to think hard, because none of the obvious strategies will work. The University's default position against any interference by state government - arguing that the autonomy the state Constitution grants it makes it immune - seems hopeless against a state constitutional amendment that singles out the University of Michigan by name. The Michigan Supreme Court, which has a 5-2 supermajority of Republican justices, already denied a challenge earlier this year seeking to keep MCRI off the ballot amid alle- gations that petition signatures were fraudulently obtained. There's little reason to think it would be recep- tive to some challenge in state courts seeking to overturn Proposal 2. That leaves the federal courts. In fact, everyone's least favorite activist group, the Coalition to Cause Havoc, Label Opponents as Racists and Make Everyone Cringe By Any Means Nec- essary, has already filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging Proposal 2. Its basic argument is that prohibiting affirmative action somehow violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. That's the same argu- ment BAMN used in California after a similar proposal passed there in 1996; it's the same argument that the 9th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals - you know, the guys who took "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance - shot down. A BAMN lawyer interviewed by the Detroit Free Press seemed to think that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger would somehow lead to a different outcome this time around. But Grutter merely allowed the University to use affirma- tive action to foster diversity; it didn't require affirmative action. I don't have a friendly anony- mous source in the Office of Gen- eral Counsel to let me know exactly what the University's legal strategy is. My guess, though, is that rhetoric aside, Coleman and her administra- tion are smart enough to focus their legal efforts where they have a chance - protecting outreach efforts and programs on campus that will face challenges over the coming months and years. The language that was on the bal- lot makes it clear that voters' intent was to prohibit affirmative action as we knew it, but the exact words in the constitutional amendment Michi- Lawsuits won't make Proposal 2 disappear. gan voters supported - "preferential treatment" - are open to interpreta- tion. In passing Proposal 2, did vot- ers want to ban outreach efforts to minority communities? Programs to get junior high girls interested in sci- ence? Paying Coleman's salary? Only time, and litigation, will tell for sure. Maybe the demise of affirma- tive action will spur our state into addressing its unconscionable educa- tion inequalities, though something tells me that the folks who brought us Proposal 2 aren't going to retool the MCRI organization into a massive effort to ensure every student receives - a quality K-12 education. Given those inequalities, the simple fact is that the University's goal of building a diverse student body just got a lot harder. If observers on campus are hoping Cole- man's speech means she has a secret plan to free the University from Pro- posal 2, they're going to be disap- pointed. Christopher Zbrozek is a Daily editorial page editor. He can be reached at zbrozek@michigandaily.com. Don't let fear of bodily Instant runoff voting isn't harm deter wearing maize just goodfor the little guys TO THE DAILY: I am writing a desperate appeal in response to an e-mail about this weekend's football game that was sent out to the student body Monday night. Its writers meant well in trying to keep our fans safe, but the suggestion to "(keep our) Michigan gear to a minimum" is absolutely ludicrous. During an 11-0 season where even Lloyd Carr called us (the fans) pathetic, this is the biggest game of the year and the one where we need to show our strongest support. I can remember looking across the field during our last loss to Ohio State and seeing a strip of red like a disease in the Big House. We need this same presence in Columbus this weekend, and we need to keep our Michigan gear to a maximum. I would like to see a Maize Out call to all Michigan fans heading to OSU this weekend, both in the stadium and in the city. Sure, there are a bunch of bums in Colum- bus looking to taunt us, but we need to prove ourselves as national champion fans and not shy away from supporting our team. Kellen Smetana LSA senior University 'big-wigs' deprive student of his Wolverine identity TO THE DAILY: I would like to raise an issue brought up in an e-mail sent to the student body Monday after- noon by Dean of Students Sue Eklund, Alumni Association President Steve Grafton and MSA President Nicole Stallings. In case you haven't checked your inbox recently, Eklund sent stu- dents an invitation to the Alumni Association tailgate and provided fans with some safety tips to consider while in Columbus this weekend. While I do appreciate the invitation and sug- gestions to obey the law and not take the "bait" of verbal harassment by Ohio State fans, I do not appreciate that a high-ranking administrator, the president of the Alumni Association and the MSA president are suggesting that we devoted Michigan fans "keep (our) Michigan gear to a minimum." As a second-generation Wolverine, I know the meaning of the Michigan spirit and the 'love we all have for our University and team. Part of showing our spirit and unity as a Uni- versity is to be proud and don our maize and blue shirts, jerseys and hats. It's appalling that three big-wigs of the University community are encouraging fans to keep their gear at home, and it sends a terrible message that fans should not be proud of who they are and what school they come from. Being true Maize and Blue is a part of my per- sonal identity - as it is with many students - and it is a shame for Eklund to suggest we leave a part of our Wolverine zeal in Ann Arbor instead of wearing it with pride in Columbus. Eric Mandell Victorson LSA junior TO THE DAILY: In the Associated Press article Did Green Party help GOP win state? (11/13/2006), the Green Party was blamed for helping the GOP remain in power in the state senate. Ironically, there was a notable absence of any commentary questioning why we have a system in which the Green Party - more left-wing than the Demo- crats by any standard - could have helped the diametrically opposed Republicans. Certainly this problem would be solved by Instant Runoff Voting, whereby voters may rank their choices instead of choosing just one. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, the least popular candidate is eliminated and those who voted for him or her first have their second choices count instead. There is even a group working to implement IRV in Ann Arbor elec- tions, the Ann Arbor Fair Vote Coalition. Hav- ing been a supporter of this cause for years, I can say that most of the activists are Greens and Libertarians. Hopefully, the Democrats' experi- ence in the last election has shown them IRV is in their interest as well. Mayor John Hieftje recently told us he would put implementing IRV on the ballot during the next election if he could be convinced that enough people understood and supported it. So to all the Democrats who are bummed that the Greens prevented their sweep: Consider finding out more about IRV and sending the mayor a note of encouragement for putting it on the bal- lot next year. Adam de Angeli Alum Independent candidate to bring real reform to MSA TO THE DAILY: What do you think of when you hear about our student government? Scandals? Political state- ments? Partisan bickering? Where do average students fit into the Michigan Student Assembly? The answer: They don't. MSA needs change. And that's why I'm running for MSA as an indepen- dent, one with a record of real results. In my time on MSA, I've led efforts to make student government more accountable by recording the votes of individual members - a simple move that was long overdue. Remember last spring's election debacle? I've been helping with the effort to reform the election code and institute tougher penalties for those who break the rules of campaigning. Think MSA isn't doing enough to outreach in new areas? I helped create the Students with Disabilities Committee this fall and am currently chairing it. While I may be only one person, I know I can help bring about real reform. Interested in learn- ing more? Visit my website at TimHull.org. You get nine votes for MSA representative on Thurs- day and Friday. Give something new a try and use one vote to rank independence and results as your number one choice. Tim Hull LSA senior AMANDA BURNS Out of one bubble, into another Rockford High School, my alma mater, is known throughout the state as a sports juggernaut, but to me it always seemed more like the movie "Saved!" translated to a public school. I'm originally from the liberal Detroit suburb of Hun- tington Woods, and I never quite adjusted to the lack of diversity - intellectual, racial, cultural or religious - that defines Grand Rapids. Starting in the fifth grade, when I foolishly asked if the Jewish students were offended by the Christmas party, I often felt my objections to the constant presence of religion were met with confusion and surprise. (Just to answer the question - of course the Jewish students didn't mind. There weren't any.) The lack of religious diversity led to an environment where churches competed for members and students kept lists of people they "saved" in their wallets. As a Catho- lic, I was a prime target for Baptist conversion, and I often found myself speechless when students politely informed me that, although I was a son of Christian, I was still going to hell. It was not until my senior year that I started to won- der if I had ended up in some alternative universe. During a school-sponsored assembly, the motivational speaker announced, "I don't need to know your boyfriend to know that all he wants to do is have sex with you, but don't you dare give it up until he is down on one knee with a ring and a weekly paycheck." Not surprisingly, we received a copy of the New Testament as a bonus for our atten- dance, which was mandatory. At that moment, I ironically thanked God I would soon be attending the University of Michigan, which was a whole two hours away from absti- nence-only education. For the last three years, I have flourished in the Univer- sity's liberal environment. As a member of the Daily's edi- torial board, I reinforced my liberal views and learned to argue progressive viewpoints with conviction. I rejoiced at the possibility of no longer being the most liberal person in every room. Not surprisingly, the more time I spent with people whose views reflected mine, the more cynical I became about the conservative town where I was raised. I pitied JOHN OQUIST | those still living in the cultural bubble of Rockford, and I felt lucky to have escaped. Little did I know that a run through Ann Arbor last Thursday would rob me of my smugness. As I set out through the residential district between South Forest and Washtenaw, I noticed almost every house sported campaign yard signs. It was not until I came across a house with five signs - for Granholm, Brater, Stabenow, Hieftje and voting no on Proposal 2 - that it really hit me. In covering almost the entire neighborhood, I didn't see one sign for a Republican candidate. As I slowed to a walk, the question crept into my mind: Had I really traded up when I came to the University, or had I just relocated myself from one ideological bubble to another? This question reminded me of a conversation I had with a roommate only days earlier. She was concerned after hearing that Proposal 2, or the Michigan Civil Rights Ini- tiative, might actually pass. I had to tell her that according to the polls it was not only possible, it was probable. With all the information students have access to, why was it still surprising to so many that Proposal 2 passed on Election Day? The answer is in the bubble. Had it not been part of my job at the Daily to track MCRI's progress, nothing in Ann Arbor would have led me to believe it had a chance of pass- ing. Liberal students from all over the country choose the University for its ideological reputation, but the end ben- efit is unclear. Is the University environment really furthering liberal values, or is it simply radicalizing students who already lean left? Issues like MCRI whipped Ann Arbor into a fury, but the cyclone remained stationary, simply reinforc- ing the beliefs of those who already support diversity. The unwillingness of liberals to seriously consider the conser- vative arguments supporting MCRI made them unable to fight it effectively. Ann Arbor liberals are searching for ways to show conservatives just how wrong they are, but first we must admit that we too are living in a bubble. Amanda Burns is an LSA senior and a member of the Daily's editorial board. *1 *1 HEY, THE FDA SAID THAT THE FLU DRUG HEY, ARE YOU LISTENING? I SAID IT TAMIFLU MIGHT CAUSE DELIRIUM AND MIGHT CAUSE HALLUCINATIONS! HALLUCINATIONS. I THOUGHT I'D TELL CAN YOU EVEN HEAR ME?! YOU SINCE YOU TOOK IT.