The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, September 212007 - 7A * Co-op gutted, renovated CO-OP From page lA 'U'students join Jena Protest. unsuccessful changes convinced ICC board members of the need for a complete overhaul. "Once I showed them how much money had been poured into the house with ineffective attempts at change, they made the hard deci- sion to empty it out completely," Christiansen said. In addition to the physical reno- vations, the co-op is now focusing on attracting graduate students to live there. Two-thirds of Jones House's 38 residents are currently graduate students. The remaining residents are either undergraduates or are no longer students. Jones said the idea to market the house to graduate students first came up in 2006. With the house's proximity to the Ross School of Business and the Law School, it's convenient for graduate students to live there, Jones said. And unlike the house's former tenants, Jones said graduate stu- dents "tend to be more mature, and able to take better care of the house." "There weren't any houses spe- cifically for graduate students yet," Jones said. "This was the first chance we could give a house to a graduate population." Christiansen said the deci- sion for a graduate-themed co-op will improve the reputation of the Jones House. "We're really trying to change the culture within the house," Christiansen said. "Now that it's Last year, Jones House coop was in a state of decay. graduate students in there, I think it's really going to help the situa- tion many times over." Linda Phan, a graduate student in the College of Pharmacy and a Jones House resident, said what she enjoys most about the house is its democratic environment. "Everybody has a say and it actually matters," Phan said. "I've never lived anywhere that's so community focused with everyone making an effort to try and make SHMOOZING 'ROUND THE FIRE this place look better." Ultimately, Jones said it's the residents at the Jones House who make it so enjoyable. "What really makes this house a success right now is the people," 'Jones said. "It's just a great group and everyone is really dedicated to the house." House members recently took part in a work holiday week- end that involved various home improvement projects. SALARY From page 1A with you on the steps of the U.S Supreme Court or reading abou groundbreaking research by ou faculty or hearing a monthly fundraising report that break another record, we recogniz that your leadership has been extraordinary," the letter read "We look forward to your second term and we look forward to your continued successes as the leader of this great institution." Coleman said she had no ide the letter was coming. "You have taken me so much by surprise that I am almos speechless, and presidents ar never speechless," Coleman said The raise brings Coleman' base salary to about $532,000. Coleman earned $516,501 in base pay and a $500,000 bonu for completing her first term a president last year, after which she agreed to another five-year term as president. CLAUSE From page 1A der expression. Some activist said that fix sent the messags that gender identity wasn't a important to protect as other categories. The Michigan Studen Assembly, the Lecturers Employee Organization and th Senate Assembly - the main representative bodies of Uni versity students, lecturers and tenured faculty - have all urged the regents to make the revi sion. Senate Assembly passed a resolution last year and MSA passed a resolution yesterday urging the regents to approv the change. Regent Larry Deitch (D-Bing ham Farms) was unable to attend the meeting because he was in Asia on business, but sent a letter to the regents voicing his sup port for the amendment. Regen Martin Taylor (D-Grosse Pointe Farms) read Deitch's letter to the regents yesterday before they voted on the change. Deitch and Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor) sponsored the last change to the wording of the non-discrimination clause. Tha revision, passed in Septembei 1993, explicitly protected Uni versity students and employeer from discrimination based on sexual orientation. "From the standpoint of per sonally having had a positive impact on the culture of our Uni versity, it is my proudest achieve ment as a regent," Deitch wrote in the letter. Some residents painted walls and hallways. Others sanded and stained the house's wood floor- ing. For some, these improvement projects create a sense of connec- tion with where they live. "It feels so personal working together to improve our house," Phan said. She added with a laugh, "But it's probably the most work I've ever done in my entire life." The regents have given Cole- man a small raise each year since she became president in 2002. The raises, typically on par with . pay increases for faculty and t staff, have never exceeded 3.5 r percent. y "I and my follow regents wish' s it could be more, but we took into e consideration all that's going on in the state and around the coun- . try," Taylor said. Coleman said she intends to r donate her pay raise to Univer- r sity graduate and professional programs. a Taylor joked that the regents could approve a 50 percent pay raise if Coleman would donate it t to graduate programs. With the e University's fundinguncertain in . light of the state's fiscal woes, the s room erupted in laughs - some nervous, others raucous. "That'd cure our budget prob- s lem," said Regent Andrew Rich- s ner (R-Grosse Pointe Park). r Deitch said he considers this change another necessary step toward equality on campus. "I enthusiastically and whole- s heartedly endorse this amend- e ment, and would be voting for it s were I able tobe present," Deitch r wrote. "As in1993, this very sim- ple change will have a profound t positive impact on the culture of our community." e Four University students and one University alum urged the - regents to approve the measure I duringthe meeting's public com- J ment period, which was moved - to the beginning of the meeting 1 so the regents could hear the speeches before voting. Y Law School alum Denise Bro- e gan-Kator, who is transgender, told the regents that she has been - fired three times throughout her I career because of her gender identity and worried that she r would face discrimination while - studying at the University. t She said she was disappointed by how long it took to add the phrase to the University's non- discrimination policy. Ninety- two other colleges have similar wording in their bylaws, Brogan- Kator said. LSA senior Jen Hsu, the co- t chair of MSA's LGBT Affairs r commission, saidthe University's - decision would send amessage to s other colleges, despite the delay. "We can't go back, but today is the day when we can begin going forward," Hsu said. "Today, we can still set precedent for so - many other higher educational - institutions across our nation, because when Michigan takes a stand, others take notice." JENA From page 1A dents were among the throngs of mostly black protesters who over- whelmed this tiny central Louisi- ana town. Among those students was a group from the University of Mich- igan. "When we said we were from U of M, people's eyes leaped out because they knew how far we came," said Rackham studentAyodele Alli, who helped organize the trip to Jena. Alli's group, organized by the Iota Phi Theta fraternity, spent 20 hours on the road. It received finan- cial support from a range of sourc- es, including the University's Office of Multicultural Initiatives and pri- vate donors. One Detroit resident gave the group $1,500 for the trip, Alli said. "We got money from eight to 10 people and organizations," he said. "This money was raised in weeks. To say the least, it was a miracle that we got the money." The teens' case galvanized dem- onstrators as few legal cases have in recent years. The cause of yesterday's dem- onstrations dates to August 2006, when a black Jena High School student asked at a student assem- bly whether blacks could situnder a shade tree that was a frequentgath- ering place for whites. He was told yes. But nooses appeared in the tree the next day. Three white students were suspended but not criminally prosecuted. LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters said this week he could find no state law cov- ering the act. Brown said the Jena case reso- nates with the college-aged crowd because they aren't much older than the six youths charged. Many of the student protesters had been sharing information about the case through Facebook, MySpace and other social-networking websites. Jackson, who led a throng of people three blocks long to, the courthouse with an American flag resting on his shoulder, likened the demonstration to the marches on Selma and the Montgomery bus boycott. But even he was not entire- ly sure why Jena became the focal point. "You can never quite tell," he said. "Rosa Parks was not the first to sit in the front of the bus. But the sparks hita dry field." The noose incident was followed by fights betweenblacks andwhites, culminating in December's attack on white student Justin Barker, who was knocked unconscious. According to court testimony, his face was swollen and bloodied, but he was able to attend a school func- tion that same night. Six black teens were arrested. Five were originally charged with attempted second-degree mur- der charges that have since been reduced for four of them. The sixth was booked as a juvenile on sealed charges. Alli said the Jena case was just a symptom of a much larger, national problem of an unfair justice. "It was definitely a disparity in the justice systemthattheblackstu- dents were charged," he said. "Jena happens every day, but not every- body gets the attention Jena gets." Martin Luther King III, son of the slain civil rights leader, said punishment of some sort may be in order for the six defendants, but "the justice system isn't applied the same to all crimes and all people." People began massing for the demonstrations before dawn yes- terday, jamming the two-lane high- way leading into town and parking wherever they could. State police estimated the crowd at 15,000 to 20,000. Organizers said they believe it drew as many as 50,000. Demonstrators gathered at the local courthouse, a park, and the yard at Jena High where the tree once stood (it was cut down in July). At times the town resembled a giant festival,with people settingup tables of food and drink and some dancing while a man beat on a drum. Sharpton admonished the crowd to remain peaceful, and there were no reports of trouble. State police could be seen chatting amicably with demonstrators at the court- house. In Washington, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said he would hold hearings on the case, though he did not set a date or say if the prosecutor would be called to testify. Walters,the district attorney, has usually declined to discuss the case publicly. But on the eve of the dem- onstrations, he denied the charges against the teens were race-related and lamented that Barker, the vic- tim ofthebeating, hasbeen reduced to "a footnote" while protesters generate sympathy for his alleged attackers. President Bush said he under- stood the emotions and the FBI was monitoring the situation. "The events in Louisiana have saddened me," the president told reporters at the White House. "All of us in America want there to be, you know, fairness when it comes to justice." While Jena Six supporters were overwhelmingly black, young whites were also present. "I think what happened here was disgusting and repulsive to the whole state," said Mallory Flippo, a white college student from Shreve- port. "I think it reflected badly on our state and how it makes it seem we view black people. I don't feel that way, so I thought I should be here." Other rallies in support of the black teens were held elsewhere, including Oklahoma City, where about 500 people gathered. "It is time for us to express our outrage that such a blatant injus- tice should happen," said Roosevelt Milton, Oklahoma City NAACP president. "I'm just glad people are starting to stand up for what is right," said KiaraAndrews, 15, of the Oklahoma City suburb of Midwest City. In Jena, many white residents expressed anger at the way news organizations portrayed their town of 3,000 people. I believe in people standing up for what's right," said resident Ricky Coleman, 46, who is white. "What bothers me is this town being labeled racist. I'm not racist." Mychal Bell, now 17, is the only one of the defendants to be tried. He was convicted of aggravated second-degree battery, but his con- viction was tossed out last week by a state appeals court that said Bell, who was 16 at the time of the beat- ing, could notbe tried as an adultcon that charge. He remained in jail pending an appeal by prosecutors. An appellate court yesterday ordered a hearing to be held within three days on his request for release. The other five defendants are free onbond. A group of about a dozen white residents and black demonstrators engaged in an animated but not angry exchange during the march. Whites asked blacks if they were aware of Bell's criminal record. Blacks replied that Jena High administrators mishandled the incidents. Another white resident, Bill Wil- liamson, 59, said he tried to con- vince visitors that the town was being treated unfairly and that Bell belonged in jail. "I think we changed one man's mind," he said. "But most of these people don't want to hear." As she trudged up a hill to a rally at a park, 63-year-old Eliza- beth Redding of Willingboro, N.J., remembered marching at Selma, Ala., when she was in her 20s. "I am a great-grandmother now. I'm doing this for my great-grand- children," she said. Alecea Rush, 21, a senior at Prai- rie View A&M University in Texas, said her grandmother used to tell her stories about the civil rights movement, including one in which she witnessed a lynching in Okla- homa City. "I thought about every one of those stories being out here today," Rush said. "I never really felt the significance until today." - Jillian Berman and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Engineering senior Ilana Riback plays guitar atla backyard campfire on Elm Street while LSA freshman Joey Eisrhan shows LSA senior Heather Goldstein how to play the didjbox, a box-shaped didgeridoo last night. Others were roasting shmorze over the fire, which are s'mores wade with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The event was the Second Annual Shmorze Fest held by the Shmooze Club, a Jewish cultural club that emphasizes good food, good times and good conversation. SPEAKER From page 1A praised Collins's hard work and dedication to the project at the regents meeting. "I think that few people could have made this happen," she said. Every year, honorary degrees are awarded to the commencement speakers. Collins will be granted a degree as a Doctor of Science and Woodruff as a Doctor of Laws. This year's announcement comes much earlier than previous ones. Formner President Bill Clinton, the 2007 graduation speaker, was not announced until that Decem- ber. Christiane Amanpour, CNN's chief international corre- spondent, was announced as the 2006 commencement speaker that March. Coleman said there was no par- ticular reason that the commence- ment speaker was announced so soon this year. She said it some- times takes more time to secure certain speakers. It took three years of work to land Clinton, Coleman said. -Gabe Nelson contributed to this report MAKE $7.50 AN HOUR BY COPYING AND PASTING Join the Daily's uploading staff. E-mail cesere@michigandaily.com.