With first postseason win since 2004, a new era of success for women's hoops Sports, page 8 Ferrell shoots an airball in latest predictable comedy Arts,page5 IE 1Eidigan DaiIy ONE H UN1DD(EH TE E Y SI F EIIALFREEDOM Friday, March 7,2008 michigandaily.com ONE-HOUR ARTWORK MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY State, party leaders debate primary plans Ne Coul rac4 You get a selves cratic remain decide on Jan In record 18- to w state contest young Michigan voters went to the polls in considerably smaller d play key role in numbers than in other states. f Just 14 percent of registered 18- e for nomination to 29-year-old voters voted in Michigan. In contrast, the same By JULIE ROWE demographic in New Hampshire Daily StaffReporter voted at a 43 percent rate. The Democratic Party stripped ng voters in Michigan may Michigan of its delegates for chance to redeem them- moving its primary forward, vio- if the race for the Demo- lating Democratic Committee presidential nomination rules. Ever since the Democratic ns tight and state officials Party's decision made the voting to redo the primary held results moot, party officials have .15. been discussing ways to make the a primary season with voices of Michigan voters heard. -breaking turnout from The options include hosting 29-year-olds nationwide, a "do-over" nominating contest or simply allowing the state's delegates to participate in the convention as they are current- ly allotted. If a new contest is held, college students could play a decisive role, as they have in other states. Negotiations between state officials and Democratic National Committee officials have intensi- fied since Tuesday, when Hillary Clinton's victories in the Ohio and Texas primaries tightened the race. Barack Obama currently leads Clinton 1,360 delegates to 1,220, according to The Associated Press. See DELEGATES, Page 3 MAKING MICHIGAN COUNT There are several plans that could give Michigan voters a voice, and any could have an impact on the close Democratic race. If the delegates are awarded based on theJan. 15 primary... 1s00 KEY: 1400 73 Clinton delegates 55 Orconmired 1300 - delegates 1200 Hillary Clinton would get the delegates she 1100 won and the remaining delegates could decide 1000 whom to support. "I think it would be a grave disservice to the voters of Florida and Michigan to adopt any process that would disenfranchise anyone." 1500 1400 - 1300 1200 nov 1100 10001 If Michigan holds a new nominating contest... KEY: 128 delegates up for grabs All28 delegates would be assigned based on the results of a new contest. likely a caucus. I certainly want to make sure that we've got Michigan and Florida delegates at the convention in some fashion." sOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS Gene Pendon, an artist from Montreal, painted this mural in just one hour yesterday at the Michigan Union. He was pa an event called "Art-t-Fakts, (Her) Story 2," which focused on bridging societal gaps through art. UNIVERSITY LITIGATION Former law prof claims anti-gay bias influenced tenure decision M IHI SI N ASSEMBLY MSA to propose plan for new streetlights in near-campus area Judge yet to decide whether case will go before ajury By LINDY STEVENS DailyStaffReporter LANSING - In a hearing yester- day, attorneys representing Peter Hammer - a former University Law professor who claims he was denied tenure by the University because he is openly gay, argued that certain faculty members who voted against Hammer receiving tenure held biases against his sex- ual orientation. Hammer filed the lawsuit in 2005, three years after the Univer- sity of Michigan Law School denied him tenure. He is now a tenured law professor at Wayne State Uni- versity. Hammer claims that the Law School unfairly denied him the opportunity to challenge its tenure decision and that he was denied tenure because he is openly gay. Lansing Circuit Court Judge James Giddings, who is presid- ing over the case, confirmed Mon- day that Hammer's claim of being W denied the chance to challenge his tenure decision would go to a jury trial. Giddings hasn't yet ruled on whether Hammer's sexual discrim- ination claim will also be heard Property owners would have to help cover the project's $10,000 price tag By JAKE HOLMES Daily StaffRepor ter As he walked along East Uni- versity Avenue away from central campus, LSA senior Andrew Pres- ton said he agreed with a Michi- gan Student Assembly initiative to improve lighting near campus. "It's a good idea," Preston said. "Someone got mugged here the other day." He was referringto a Feb. 19 rob- bery that took place near the inter- section of Arch Street and Packard Street. A man claiming to have a knife mugged a 22-year-oldman outside of an apartment building on Packard Street. The intersection of East Uni- versity Avenue, Arch Street and Tappan Street - known as "The Triangle" because of the intersec- tion's shape - is the focus of an MSA plan to install new street- lights. The area is currently dimly lit at night. MSA decided to tackle off-cam- pus lighting after receiving student complaints. In January of 2006, assembly members began an annu- al "safety walk" through campus with Department of Public Safety officials. MSA President Mohammad Dar See LIGHTING, Page 3 ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? The Michigan Student Assembly has proposed adding new streetlights near campus. KEY:- hoMSs 4 ' Site of MS Ns proposed streetlights N before a jury. Phillip Green, Hammer's attor- ney, took aim at specific faculty members to show that professors who voted against Hammer may have done so because of his sexual orientation. Richard Seryak, an attorney representing the University, said Hammer's claims were unfounded and that the case didn't deserve to go to trial. "The Law School provided more special accommodation for this candidate than for anyone else in the history of the Law School and at the end of the day, this decision was based on his scholarship," Seryak said. Before being denied tenure by an 18-14 vote in 2002, Hammer was given a two-year extension to improve his scholarship after an initial faculty review of his perfor- mance. Green argued that Hammer deserved a trial because at least three of the tenure votes that went against Hammer should have been thrown out. Green and his client said they have reason to believe that at least seven faculty members who voted in the decision held anti-gay sentiments. One such member was Law Prof. William Miller. Green described Miller's book "Digust," where the author used two men kissing as an example of something disgusting. See LAWSUIT, page 7 CAMPAIGN 2008 Once the spoiler, Nader no longer seen as a threat Insi( abil With wage a: preside cans all iar yet p face ha up to N( On, and for Ralph P cy in th runnin Muc forms,I ders doubt Nader's paign aims to end corporate control over government, combatcorporate ity to impact race greed in the U.S. and reach out to those voters who feel alienated By GABE RIVIN from the political process. Daily StaffReporter But eight years after Al Gore's narrow presidential election loss to sthe Democrats continuingto George Bush in 2000 - a loss that n internal war to select their many blamed on Nader, then run- ntial candidate and Republi- ning on the Green Party ticket, for but settled on theirs, a famil- having taken votes away from Gore potentially damaging political - many Democrats at the Universi- s emerged in the race leading ty are still upset with the corporate ovember's general election. crusader's decision to run that year. Feb. 24, political activist "He gave the election to Bush," rmer presidential candidate said LSA sophomore Tom Duvall, Nader declared his candida- chair ofStudents for Barack Obama. .e 2008 presidential election, ,"That's a pretty strong opinion g as an independent. among Democrats." h like his previous plat- Duvall said he also doubted Nader said his current cam- See NADER, Page 3 Ralph Nader announced last month that he plans to run for president as an inde- pendent, reprising his 2000 run on the Green Party ticket. WEATHER HI: 25 TOMORROW - LO 11 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. ON T HE DAILY BLOCS More schools establishing int'l partnerships MICHIGANDAILY.COM/THEWIRE INDEX NEWS ............. ................2 CROSSWORD .................6 Vol. CXVIl,No.108 OPINION............................4 CLASSIFIEDS...................6 @2008 The MichiganoDaily ARTS.................................5 SPORTS................................8 richigoodorly corn