lPie l~i pn DaiIlj Ann Arbor, Michigan Friday, September 14, 2007 michigandaily.com Why Michigan has started 0-2 Football Saturday Iraq force to shrink Bush says 5,700 soldiers coming home soon. Page 3A "(The University) continues to damage its reputation, undermine public trust, and saddle itself with a costly stadium plan that does not reflect U-M's traditional values or mission." - Part of a petition circulated by emeritus Prof. Irwin Goldstein that opposes the construction of skyboxes in Michigan Stadium 'U' might not get promised state funds One solution to budget shortfall could lead to a mid-year tuition hike for students By ALESE BAGDOL Daily Staff Reporter One plan to eliminate the state's projected $1.7 bil- lion deficit entirely through budget cuts would result in the state permanently withholding the $29.6 mil- lion in funding for the University that it was supposed to pay in August. If the University doesn't get those funds, it could be forced to raise tuition in the middle of this academic year. The state held the money back to make up forlower- than-expected revenues. The plan - suggested by state Senate Republicans - is one of many methods being proposed to fill the shortfall. With the beginning of the 2008 fiscal year only 16 days away, pressure is mounting for legislators to find a way to balance the budget. If they don't, the state could face a government shutdown. The withholding of the $29.6 million was suggest- ed in a presentation given on Tuesday to the Senate Appropriations Committee by Senate Fiscal Agency Director Gary Olson at the request of Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester). The presentation also suggested that the state could save money byreducinglocal aid to cities notmandated by the state constitution. The state gives $398 million not required by the constitution to Michigan munici- palities. That includes $208.8 million for Detroit and $3.2 million for Ann Arbor that could be cut. Cynthia Wilbanks, the University's vice president for government relations, refused to speculate on what budget moves the University would make if the legislature withheld the funds. She did say, however, See BUDGET, Page 7A Irwin Goldstein, a professor emeritus of biochemistry, says he has collected 600 signatures from faculty and staff on a petition opposing the renovation of Michigan Sta- dium. Goldstein says the University silenced opposing viewpoints during the approval process, which ended in June when the regents gave the plan its final go-ahead. Petition indicates unrest among facult stf over sk ox an Professor says he has gathered 600 signatures protesting Big House renovation By KIRSTY MCNAMARA Daily StaffReporter Six hundred faculty and staff members oppose the planned renovations to Michigan Stadium, according to Irwin Goldstein, a University professor emeritus of biochemistry who has started a petition asking faculty members' to announce their opposition to the plan. It might be too late for the peti- tion to make much of a difference, though. The University Board of Regents gave final approval to the project in June. The project would add struc- tures containing premium seating and luxury boxes atop the bowl. The petition has 600 signatures, according to Goldstein, who would not release the signatures because he said he wants University Presi- dent Mary Sue Coleman and the regents to be the first people to see them. The petition states that the renovation approval process was marked by the censorship of oppos- ing viewpoints and that the $226 million price tag is too high. It says faculty members are concerned that the costs could put the Univer- sity into debt and thereby affect the University's academics. "The University of Michigan continues to damage its reputation, undermine public trust, and saddle itself with a costly stadium plan that does not reflect U-M's tradi- tional values or mission," the peti- tion reads. See STADIUM, Page 7A BREAKING FAST Thieves strike Markley, Couzens Police say trio led students away, then robbed rooms By JAKE HOLMES Daily StaffReporter The police are searching for three suspects in connection with a string of burglaries in Couzens and Mary Markley res- idence halls. The three suspects allegedly burglarized several unlocked rooms in both residence halls, according to the Depart- ment of Public Safety. In two cases; women lured residents out of their rooms by asking for directions to the cafeteria while accomplices took laptops and other valuables from the unguarded rooms. DPS has also released descrip- tions of the three suspects: a thin male between 20 and 25 years of age, an overweight woman about 30 years old with gaps between her teeth and a woman between 17 and 19 years old with reddish- blond hair. On Sept. 7, a Mary Markley resident reported a laptop sto- len from his or her dorm room. The student told police that two women approached and asked for directions to the residence hall's cafeteria. The student left the room to lead them to the caf- eteria, leaving the door to the room open and unlocked. DPS spokeswoman Diane Brown said police suspect that a male See THEFT, Page 7A COURTEST OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY The people in the photos above are wanted in connection with burglaries in two dorms. Police say one of the women asked a student for directions, luring the resi- dent out of his or her room. The two others then burglarized the room. For sophomore, an old fence turns into long canvas By SARA THELEN For the Daily Erica Fink, a sophomore in the school of Art and Design, grew up near what her mother called "a big, ugly, brown, wooden fence." Fink didn't see it that way, though. She saw the fence between Nixon Road and Plym- outh Road near Huron Parkway as a canvas. "It seemed an obvious place for something beautiful to happen," Fink said. Now the fence screams with a colorful abstraction of people in their environment., A The project - called "The Story of a Million Flowers" - is Fink's first mural. It spans about 1,000 feet along the fence. More than 300 volunteers, including kindergartners and retired professors, have helped with the project. Work on the mural, which began May 15, is scheduled to finish in November. Fink said she aimed to contrast the technological world by dis- playing natural themes changing See MURAL, Page 7A JEREMY CHO/Daily Education junior Shafaq Akhter grabs some toad in West Quad yesterday atter breaking her Ramadan fast. Yesterday was the tirst day t sthe Muslim holy month. Catered food was served after the Muslim Students' Association's mass meeting. TODAY'S WEATHER HI: 70 GOT A NEWS TIP? LO: 44 Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. ON THE DAILY BLOGS Report: Minority college enrollment is up. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/THEWIRE INDEX NEWS................. Vol. CXVIII,No.9 OPINION................. 0 7 The Michigan Daily A RTS.................. ..2A CLASSIFIEDS.....................6A .4A SPORTS ................. 8A ..5A FOOTBALLSATURDAY.........1B I p