Arts, page 5 C Iie 1Eidipn aiT jj Ann Arbor, Michigan Tuesday, October 23, 2007 michigandaily.com SUDNG T UNER CHARTING MICHIGAN'S MONEY The value of the University's endowment, in billion 'U' endowment rises $80r $7.1 25 percent to $7.1 bil $70 $6.0F BI HOUSE CONT ROVER SY Faculty Senate slams stadium plans $5.7 Huge increase comes as state funding wanes By GABE NELSON Daily News Editor The University's endowment grew from $5.65 billion to nearly $7.1 billion in the fis- cal year that ended June 30, according to the University's annual financial report, which was released yesterday. The 25.5 percent growth of the endow- ment keeps up with increases at Ivy League heavyweights Harvard University and Yale University, which posted 23 percent and 28 percent increases respectively last year. The financial report, which will be sub- mitted to the University Board of Regents for approval at its monthly meeting on Thurs- day, suggests that the University is financial- ly sound despite falling state contributions and a troubled Michigan economy. The Uni- versity's endowment, which was $2 billion in See ENDOWMENT, page 7 $5.0- $4.0- $4.9 $4.2 $3.5 $3.6 $.4 $3.5 $2.5 $2.3 ,( ,I ,1 ,1 ,1 ,I ,I ,I ,I ,I ,I (t-I $2.0 '98 '99 00 '01 02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Assembly votes to ask Coleman, regents to reconsider luxury boxes By EMILY BARTON Daily StaffReporter The University faculty's gov- erning body came out against the planned renovation of Michigan Stadium yesterday. The Senate Assembly, which represents the faculty to the Uni- versity administration, passed a proposal asking University Presi- dent Mary Sue Coleman and the University Board of Regents to postpone the renovations. The challenge comes less than a month before the Univer- sity plans to break ground on the project. Irwin Goldstein, a professor emeritus in the Department of Biological Chemistry, presented a petition of more than 600 faculty signatures protestingthe stadium renovations to the assembly. The proposal passed with 18 votes. Seven members voted against the proposal and three members abstained. Goldstein sent a copy of his petition to Coleman and the regents on Friday, and he said yesterday that he hadn't received a response. The assembly resolution sup- ports Goldstein's calls for the Uni- versity to postpone construction on the stadium until an agree- ment is reached on the lawsuit brought against the University by the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America. The lawsuit claims that the planned stadium renovations would not include enough wheel- chair-accessibleseatingunderthe Americans with Disabilities Act. The University argues that the construction of the luxury boxes doesn't constitute a renovation of the stadium bowl and therefore doesn't need to bring the bowl See STADIUM, page 7 Assembly calls for athletic reforms LSA sophomore Raya Abu-Zahra didn't wear a headscarf, or hijab, until this year. She said she made the decision to wear the hijab on her own. A RITE OF PASSAGE Muslim women say they made their own choice to wear hijab By DAVE MEKELBURG Daily NewsEditor When LSA sophomore Iman Sedige stopped at a rural Wis- consin gas station during a fam- ily road trip, the two people working the counter openly stared at and talked about her as if she wasn't standing there. They talked about the heads- carf, or hijab, that she wears as part of her Muslim faith. Some Muslim women begin covering their hair and much of their body when they reach maturity. When exactly that is, however, is up to interpre- tation. For some, this means reaching puberty. For others, it means waiting until they're finally comfortable making a decision that may make them stand out. What might be a much easier decision in a predominantly Muslim area or country is a much larger undertaking in Ann Arbor. Yet, in Ann Arbor, while Sediqe says she might get the occasional lengthy glance, the University population is much more accepting of her choice to wear something that openly declares her a Muslim than many other parts of the country or the world. "People are so much more excited when they see diver- sity," she said. Sediqe has been wearing a headscarf since she was 11 years old. Growing up in Sylva- nia, Ohio, outside Toledo, she was the only Muslim girl in her junior high and high schools. Coming to the University was refreshing and surprising. "I was never really used to having that many Muslims around me all the time," she said. Because she's been wearing a headscarf for so long, she said See HIJAB, page 7 Faculty panel wants more control over University sports By EMILY BARTON - and ANDY KOLL Daily StaffReporters The University's main faculty governing body voted yesterday to endorse a set of reforms that would increase the University central administration's over- sight of athletic programs. The Senate Assembly's endorsement recommends four main areas of athletics reform outlined in an initial report sub- mitted to the University's Board of Regents last month. The suggested reforms draw on the recommendations of a June report from The Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics, a group comprised of the faculty senates of 56 schools with Divi- sionlIathletic programs. One of the main reforms in the report calls for the integration of the University Athletic Depart- ment budget into the University's general fund. Current University Board of Regentsbylaws say that "separate accounting and financial state- ments will be made for depart- ment funds." At a meeting of the Senate Advisory Committee on Univer- sity Affairs earlier this month, Athletic Director Bill Martin said the Athletic Department's bud- geting process is "totally inte- grated" with the University's. Additionally, Martin said the Athletic Department budget is subject to annual review by Uni- versity Chief Financial Officer Tim Slottow, University Presi- dent Mary Sue Coleman and the See ATHLETICS, page 7 Report: Cost of public schools rose 6.6 percent last year, outpacing financial aid STARING DOWN A WOLVERINE 'U' tuition increased 7.4 percent this summer From staff and wire reports The price of college again rose faster than the inflation rate this year, climbing 6.6 percent at four-year public schools and outstripping increases in financial aid. The latest increases, reported yes- terday by the College Board, bring the average list price of four-year public uni- versities to $6,185 this year, up $381 from 2006-2007. At the University of Michigan, tuition rose 7.4 percent, increasing costs by $724 for in-state students and $2,170 for out- of-state students this year. At four-year private colleges, tuition and fees rose 6.3 percent to $23,712. Public two-year colleges - which educate about half of American college students - again got the best marks for keeping a lid on price increases. Their average price rose 4.2 percent to $2,361. Accounting for aid, their average net cost is only $320 per year. "For too long, parents have grimaced and borne the high price of college because they presumed that a higher education is key to their child's success in today's economy," said James Boyle, president of the group College Parents of America, in a statement on the report. "Surely, the day will come - soon - when parents say enough is enough." The published price is not the real price for many students, thanks to finan- cial aid, but the net price is rising too. On average, accounting for grants and tax breaks, the net price for full-time students at four-year public universities this year is $2,580. That's about $160 more than last year. At private colleges, net cost this year averages $14,400 - up $638 from a year ago. To make up the difference, students typically borrow as much as allowed from the federal government, but then turn to private student loans. A decade ago, nonfederal loans accounted for about 6 percent of student aid, but last See COSTS, page 7 LSA junior Julie Foster shows Tatiana Vitvitsky, a native of Moscow, a wolverine exhibit at the Natural His- tory Museum as part of Bridges International, a program sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ that helps international students and people new to the United States get used to Ann Arbor. TODAY'S HI: 57 WEATHER 60:40 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. ON THE DAILY's WEBSITE View the Daily's first video, about the RC reunion. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/VIDEOS INDEX NEWS ................. Vol. CXVi, No. 34 SUDOKU......... -2007 The Michigan Daily OPINION............ michigondaiiy.com .....2 ARTS.. ....5 ........3 CLA SSIFIEDS ................ ....6 .......4 SPO RT S ................................8