Two critics face off on 'American Gangster Arts, Page 5A di (IIan BaLT) 0 NE-HU[:\l{D E-IGFlTEENlaYE ARtS)F EIlTORIALT.FREEDOM~}; Ann Arbor, Michigan Monday, November 5, 2007 michigandaily.com Firm lets alumni lend to alumni Company's effort not officially endorsed by University Alumni Association By ANDY KROLL Daily Staff Reporter An online lending company is trying to make money by encouraging University alumni to directly lend or borrow with other alumni. The Lending Club matches individual borrow- ers and lenders for loan transactions who share specific social connections, like graduating from the same university. By directly connecting borrowers and lenders, the company bypasses banks or other financial institutions and offers lower loan rates. In a statement released by the Lending Club last week, the company announced what it called partnerships with three major university alumni associations, including the University of Michi- gan's. But Jerry Sigler, senior vice president and chief financial officer of the University's Alumni Associ- ation, said no official partnership had been agreed upon between his association and the Lending Club. "From our standpoint they're only an advertiser, like the hundred other companies that advertise in our print or electronic publications," Sigler said. The alumni associations at Georgia Tech and Kansas State - the other two universities cited in the statement - have entered official partnerships with the Lending Club. The Lending Club began as an application avail- able exclusively on Facebook.com, where the com- pany says it has arranged more $1 million in loan See LOANS, Page 7A RODRIGO GAYA/Daily Junior wide receiver Mario Manningham catches the game-winning pass in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game between Michigan and Michigan State. Michigan quarterback Chad Henne threw for four touchdown passes. In a corner, 'M' rallies late Win sets up showdown with OSU for at least a share of Big Ten title By SCOTT BELL Daily SportsEditor EAST LANSING - With the talk leading up to Saturday's game focused on Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio's countdown, it was only fitting that the intrastate matchup centered around both teams turning back the clock. Badly outplayed in the first half, Michigan State reverted to a form of smashmouth foot- ball that would have made Bo Schembechler and Duffy Daugherty smile. A ground- focused attack catapulted the underdog Spar- tans from an 11-point deficit to a 10-point lead with just seven minutes remaining. The Spar- tans seemed poised to upset Michigan, a goal oft-emphasized by Dantonio's countdown- to-Michigan clock found in Michigan State's practice facility. But with its seven-game winning streak and rivalry bragging rights suddenly in jeop- ardy, Michigan looked back three years for a how-to manual on staging a comeback of its own. Hobbled signal-caller Chad Henne, playing at a self-diagnosed 80 percent, led a pair of Wolverine scoring drives in the game's final seven minutes to spur No. 15 Michigan to a come-from-behind victory against a deter-, mined Michigan State, 28-24. "We knew all game we could move the ball all game against their defense," said Henne, who tossed two of his four touchdowns in those final two drives. "We were saying all game that they couldn't stop Mario (Man- ningham). He was beating their corner every play." Manningham played the role of Braylon Edwards circa 2004, bringing in the game- See GAME, Page 8A MORE ON THE GAME... * Herman: Henne's legend grows with everygame, PagellB * Defense struggles, but makes crucial stops, PagelB " Hart impresses in limited action, Page 4B * Bell: Team shows swagger in post-game celebration, Page 2B Pre-game, wooing the fan vote Romney continues Michigan push at Spartan Stadium By EMILY BARTON Daily Staff Reporter EAST LANSING - Amid a sea of Michigan State University alumni tailgating outside Spartan Stadium on Saturday afternoon, a small tent near the venue went almost unno- ticed. The tent contained six tables, a large television set and a line of signs supporting former Mas- sachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president. Close to 1:30 p.m., volunteers handed out "Mitt Romney for Pres- ident" signs to a small crowd. Many held foam baseball mitts reading "Mitt '08." The event staff asked everyone to line up against the row of signs and attempted to start the chant MILKING THE GREAT LAKES STATE Romney has used his family's connections in Michigan to raise almost $2 million in the state so far. Romney McCain Gailiani Paul Brownback 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 Campaign contributions (in millions of dollars) sOURcE:CENTER FOR RESPONSInEPOITicS "M-I-T-T, Mitt's the man for me." It didn't stick. But when Romney rounded the corner, followed by a large entou- rage of event staff and cameramen, the crowd began applauding and cheering. Romney is campaigning hard in Michigan. He's made at least 17 stops in the state since April, according to The NewYork Times, He still trails former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in most polls of Michigan voters, but Romney's numbers have been rising as Giu See ROMNEY, Page 7A Rackham student Sirarat Sarntivijai spoke at a forum Friday about the climate on campus. Groups don't communicate, students say at campus forum STUDENT GOVERNMENT MSA election quandary resolved SI a com B Man ference campus commul The ence, tudents say'U' University students and staff members in Hutchins Hall, dministrators allowed attendees to discuss their perceptions and concerns about imunicate better the campus community. The conference began with a panel of students who traveled to California, Texas and Washington By EMILY BARTON state over Fall Break to learn more Daily StaffReporter about how race- and gender-based affirmative action bans affected y students said at a con- public universities in those states. Friday that numerous LSA senior James Logan, s groups lack cohesion and LSA senior Emily Gomes and inication on divisive issues. LSA sophomore Andrew'Dalack Climate Matters confer- - three of the 12 students who which involved about 30 visited the schools over the break - gave an informal presentation highlighting their observations of post-affirmative action campuses. Over the break, Logan visited the University of California at Los Angeles, Gomes visited the Uni- versity of California at Berkeley and Dalack visited the University of Texas at Austin. All three students said they felt there was less communication between students and adminis- trators at the schools they visited than there is at the University of .,Michigan. Logan, Gomes and Dalack all said that the outreach See FORUM, Page 8A For re d School gets seat Michigan Student Assembly in this month's election. after registrar The decision was made Friday by Election Director.Ryan Bouchard leases numbers after he received the new enroll- ment report from the Office of the Registrar, which says 52 under- By SCOTT MILLS graduates are currently enrolled Daily StaffReporter in the school. Bouchard released a revised candidate application later r two weeks of controversy that day. versed decision, the under- Initial seat apportionment plans te Ford School of Public for the election did not provide for will receiver a seat on the a Public Policy seat. Though MSA's constitution requires representa- tives from all University colleges and students, its Compiled Code requires that the number of, seats for each college be determined by the registrar's most recent enroll- ment report. MSA Student Gen eral Counsel Arvind Sohoni said he found the new registrar's numbers Thursday night on the registrar's website. Until last week, the most recent report was from the winter 2007 See MSA, Page 8A Afte and reN gradua Policy TODAY'S HI: 51 WEATHER LO:34 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. ON THE DAILY BLOGS Romney endorsed by two University regents MICHIGANDAILY.COM/THEWIRE INDEX NEWS........ ..... 2...2A SUDOKU... ..................5A VolcXVill, No.43 OPINION.............4A CLASSIFIEDS.. ......6A ©2007TheMichiganDaily ARTS............... ........5A SPORTSMONDAY.................1B michigondaitr.com"""" *6t, t ' t