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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
michigandaily.com
Ed. Dep't threatens'U' 'with funding cuts
Letter says Big House
must comply with
disabilities act
By ARIKIA MILLIKAN
Daily StaffReporter
The U.S. Department of Educa-
tion has given the University an
ultimatum: Make the Michigan
Stadium seating bowl compliant
with the Americans With Disabili-
ties Act or face cuts in federal edu-
cation funding.
The threat was issued in a let-
ter Friday from the department's
IFC
Racist
hazing
among
Greeks?
Student in sombrero
mocking Mexicans
claims to be rushing
a fraternity
By MARA GAY
Daily StaffReporter
After three years at the Univer-
sity, LSA junior Ana Del Angel is
used to ignorance. She just wasn't
expecting it to wear a sombrero.
Del Angel said she and some
friends set out to Panchero's for
a late-night snack on Oct. 19. As
the group rounded the corner of
South University and South For-
est avenues, Del Angel said they
* spotted a white male with a huge
sombrero on his head and a trash
can in his hands.
According to Del Angel and
others inher group, the manasked
them, ina fake Mexican accent, to
donate "Money por de children de
Mexico.'
"At first we were just like, OK,
he's being a goof," Del Angel said.
But then Del Angel's boyfriend,
LSA senior Brian Garcia, asked
the man what he was doing and
whether he knew it was offen-
sive. According to Garcia and Del
Angel, the man said, "Man, don't
give me a hard time about this,
I'm doing this for a fraternity."
In a letter to The Michigan
Daily, Garcia detailed what he saw
and called for an "immediate and
thorough investigation" into the
See HAZING, Page 7
Office for Civil Rights notifying
the University that the stadium is
not in compliance with federal laws
requiring it to meet accessibility
standards for disabled patrons. .
Education Department spokes-
man Jim Bradshaw said in a writ-
ten statement that the letter told
the University it needs to address
the number and location of wheel-
chair-accessible seats and the
routes wheelchair users have to
maneuver around the stadium.
Compliance with the ADA would
require the University to make 1
percent of all the seats in the Big
House wheelchair-accessible,
bringing the total to more than
1,000. There are currently only 90
wheelchair-accessible seats in the
stadium.
The University has eight days
left to reach a resolution with the
Office for Civil Rights. Otherwise,
the Department of Education will
then decide if the matter will be
handled in its administrative hear-
ing process or will be passed on
to the Department of Justice for
enforcement through the federal
courts.
The Education Department has
been involved in the stadium dis-
pute since a number of complaints
have been filed about the Big
House's accessibility. It notified the
University in November 2005 that
it was concerned about the acces-
sibility of Michigan Stadium.
"We believe that the number and
location of wheelchair spaces the
.University contemplates adding are
inadequate and will not meet com-
pliance obligations," the letter said.
The Universityhasn'tbeenforced
to bring the stadium into compli-
ance with ADA regulations because
Michigan Stadium was built long
before Congress passed the law
in 1990. But the law requires that
structures be brought up to code if
they undergo a renovation.
While the complaint to the
Department of Education argued
that replacement of concrete that
took place over the last decade
constituted such a renovation, the
University argued that it was a
repair - which doesn't trigger the
requirements.
Richard Bernstein, the attorney
for the Michigan Paralyzed Veter-
ans of America, a group suing the
University over the current round
of renovations, said he now plans to
file a request for the court to decide
the case immediately, instead of
waiting for the trial scheduled for
next year.
"Now, there is no question of
fact or law. The requisite, relevant
government agency has already
declared the University of Michi-
gan in violation of federal law,"
Bernstein said. "The entity saying
it's not (in accordance with the law)
is the same entity that writes the
regulations."
In a written statement, Univer-
sity spokeswoman Kelly Cunning-
ham said Michigan Stadium "is in
full compliance" with the ADA, and
that the University was "surprised
and disappointed" that the Depart-
ment of Education decided to give
the ultimatum.
Cunningham said the Education
Department's statement "not only
contains misinformation, but also
See STADIUM, Page 7
I I
STATE FUNDING
PanelOKs
separate
funds for
higher ed
State likely to give 'U'
1 percent increase in
appropriations
By EMILY BARTON
Daily StaffReporter
A bill that would separate funding for the state's
three major research universities from the rest of
the state's public universities moved forward yes-
terday.
If the bill is approved by the state House of Rep-
resentatives and the state Senate, Michigan State
University, Wayne State University and the Uni-
versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor will be funded
separately.
The decision comes as a victory for the three
institutions, who have pushed for the move. They
say they need a separate fundingsystemto account
for the extra research they perform. The three
universities conduct 95 percent of the state's uni-
versity research.
But many of the remaining 12 universities are
against the bill, saying it will create separate tiers
based on funding.
The bill proposes a 1 percent base funding
increase for all of the state's universities. Some
universities are getting more for special programs
or projects.
Phil Hanlon, associate provost at the Univer-
sity of Michigan, said the funding increase won't
change tuition. Hanlon said the money will likely
go toward funding many initiatives and projects
that were postponed until after the budget was
finalized. But he said the money won't be used at
least until January, after the state's first confer-
ence to estimate revenue.
See BUDGET, Page 7
Rapper Lupe Fiasco drew a crowd to the Diag yesterday. He rapped a few verses and took questions from the crowd. For a pry
see Page s.
DIAG RHYMES
Rapper talks gay rights,
hip hop and Hillary
Clinton on steps of Grad
ByKIMBERLY CHOU
Daily Arts Editor
Rapper Lupe Fiasco held court on the
Diag yesterday, answering questions
about politics, hip hop and homophobia.
"I make really good hip-hop music,
Grammy-nominated hip-hop music, GQ-
Man-of-the-Year hip-hop music," Fiasco
said by way of introduction. "The oppor-
tunity-to-speak-to-y'all-in-the-Diag
hip-hop.mu.sic."
Fiasco spit a few verses - old and new
material, with the crowd joining in occa-
sionally - but told the 400-or-so gath-
ered that he wasn't allowed to perform.
Students, many of whom saw the
event advertised on Facebook.com and
through e-mails, were able to get over
the initial disappointment.
"I didn't know what to expect," said
LSA sophomore Britney Rashleigh. "It's
just good to see him, a celebrity in Ann
Arbor - an African-American celeb-
rity in Ann Arbor - and for everyone to
come out."
At one point, a fan insisted on free-
styling for Fiasco. Fiasco let the guy rap,
though he joked, "You trying to take my
shine, son."
But he then used him as an example.
He said he wanted to listen to the wan-
nabe rapper, saying that before current
fame and fortune, Fiasco was just like
him.
The event was sponsored by Atlantic
Records's Urban College Network and
the Michigan Chapter of Hip Hop Con-
gress. The hip-hop star promoted his
upcoming album The Cool.
See FIASCO, Page 7
A STATEMENT AGAINST SMOKING
MSA SCANDAL
Vuljaj to step-down
from committee
Rep. charged with
felony not expected to
resign from assembly
By DAVE MEKELBURG
Daily News Editor
The Michigan Student Assem-
bly representative charged with a
felony in connection with a com-
puter attack during the 2006 MSA
election is expected to step down
as chair of an influential committee
tonight but likely won't resign from
the assembly.
In a viewpoint published on the
opinion page of today's edition of
The Michigan Daily, MSA Presi-
dent Zack Yost announced that
Anton Vuljaj will be stepping down
from his role as Budget Priorities
Committee chair.
Vuljaj is facing a felony charge of
using a computer to commit a crime
- which carries penalties of up to
four years in prison and a $5,000
fine - and the high court misde-
meanor charge of interference with
an electronic device, which carries
a penalty of up to two years in pris-
on and a $1,000 fine.
The BPC is one of the most
powerful bodies on the assembly.
See MSA, Page 7
Members of the American Medical Student Association made a human no-smoking sign on Ingalls Mall yesterday to promote legislation banning swoking in bars aod
restaurants in Michigan.
TODAY'S HI: 61
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