For baby-boomer action heroes, age is no obstacle Arts, Page 5 fMIdiigan Bailm Ann Arbor, Michigan Tuesday, February 5, 2008 michigandaily.com CAMPAIGN 2008 * CHANEL VON HABSBURG-LOTHRINGEN/Dail Zariff, who is adamant that that's his only name, has been Barack Obama's barber for 15 years. Zariff said Obama's always been a consistent person, but that he's seen a slight change in the senator's personality since the presidential race started. Frontrunners give hometowns pride On day of big test, unity among campus Dems A South Side barber confident in his client; a Republican suburb proud of its Democratic daughter By SCOTT MILLS Daily Staff Reporter CHICAGO - Zariff, a barber at the Hyde Park Hair Salon and Barber Shop gave Barack Obama a haircut two nights ago. In fact, he's been cutting the senator's hair here on Chicago's South Side for more than 15 years, and in that time the two men have become close friends. Zariff - he says that's his full name, just Zariff - said he has no qualms about supporting Obama's bid for the presidency. After all, a relationship like theirs requires a certain level of trust. See HOMETOWN, Page 7 Student politicos mirror their candidates' behavior By JULIE ROWE DailyStaff Reporter Flip-flopper. Liberal. A step backwards. Reagan sympathizer. Inexperienced. Divisive. These are a few of the charges that have flown back and forth in the campaigns for the Republican and Democratic nominations in the past month. But on campus, supporters of the two major Democratic candidates are playing nice, just as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have started to do in recent days. The groups have decided to support whomever wins the Demo- cratic nomination. Tonight, they'll even gath- er together to watch the returns from the 22 states holding nominating contests. LSA senior Kelly Bernero, chair of the Uni- versity's chapter of Students for Hillary, said Clinton and Obama have realized that Ameri- cans are tired of negative politics and have stopped squabbling. She said the two senators have decided to focus on issues instead. "At the end of the day, all Democrats have to support our candidate," Bernero said. "We all want a Democrat in the White House in '08." Although Bernero thinks Clinton's record and policies are better than her opponent's, she said Obama is a strong candidate who she would support in the general election. Tom Duvall, chair of Students for Obama, said he would "happily" support Clinton if she wins the nomination. Duvall said he prefers Obama's message of change, but added that he, along with many other Democrats, finds both candidates attrac- tive. Though they'll be spending much of today making last-minute phone calls to voters in Super Tuesday states on the West Coast, Stu- dents for Obama will join Students for Hill- See CAMPUS, Page 7 "I Can say that I've seen a change in the look, as being presidential. It's slight, but I know it." -Zariff, a Chicago barber who has been cutting Barack Obama's hair for more than 15 years. Amid growing tension, 5 RHA executives quit Members cite president's indecent exposure charge, drinking in dorms By EMILY BARTON Daily News Editor Frustrated with the growing rift in the organization's leader- ship, five of the Residence Halls Association's nine executive board members resigned in a one-week span late lastimonth. Some members said their deci- sion to resign was a result of RHA President Andrew Eastman's refusal to step down after being charged with indecent exposure. Eastman, who was cited in West Quad Jan. 13, will go on trial in Washtenaw County Court on Feb. 22. He has said the indecent expo- sure charge is false. LSA sophomore Jerry Ilar, RHA's vice president for public relations, Nursing sophomore Folake Famoye, the vice presi- dent for internal relations, and LSA sophomore John Hughes, the group's executive assistant, all stepped down after the group's meeting on Thursday. Because two other members left their positions the week before - LSA junior Tim Bekkers, the vice president for finance and LSA junior Dave Xia, the vice president for national relations - just four of organization's nine board mem- bers remain. Bekkers declined comment yesterday, and Xia could not be reached for comment. At their meeting on Thursday, members of the RHA, which acts See RHA, Page 7 UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION Law School alum named gen. counsel U. of New Mexico for more than 15 years. "I am honored to have this law dean returns to opportunity to, once again, serve the University of Michigan," Ann Arbor Scarnecchia said in a statement. Scarnecchia will be respon- sible for the University's legal By JACOB SMILOVITZ affairs, which includes serving as Daily StaffReporter the senior legal counsel to a vari- ety of University administrative Suellyn Scarnecchia, the dean bodies. of the University of New Mexico University President Mary School of Law, was named the Sue Coleman's recommendation University's new vice president of Scarnecchia ended a national and general counsel yesterday. search to fill the position left Scarnecchia, who graduated vacant by Marvin Krislov, who from the University's Law School left the University to become in 1981, will return to the campus president of Oberlin College last where she was a clinical profes- year. sor of law and an associate dean Krislov led the legal team that for the University's Law School See SCARNECCHIA, Page 7 MAX CLLIN/DUaily LSA sophomore Jerry liar resigned his post as the Residence Halls Association's vice president for public relations Thursday night. liar and four other RHA executive board members have left their positions, saying the organization was falling apart. 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