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Ann ArborMichigan

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

michigandaily.com

Srad ceremony won't be at Big House

'1
con
cer

U' officials say Because construction crews willstill
be working on the Big House's electri-
struction means cal and plumbing systems on April 26,
the date of the commencement, many
emony will be at of the stadium's facilities, like public
restrooms, won't be usable.
Eastern Theconstruction is part of a multi-
year project started last fall that will
ByANDYKROLL add two structures containing pre-
and JULIE ROWE mium seating along the sides of the
Daily StaffReporters stadium. The construction will also
widen seats, renovate bathrooms and
se of ongoing construction concessions and add more wheelchair-
igan Stadium, April's Univer- accessible seatingto the bowl:
e commencement ceremony University students mobilized last
e place at Eastern Michigan night to fight the change.
ity's Rynearson Stadium, Uni- Someone launched a blog called
of Michigan officials said yes- Michigan Graduation 08 - At The Big
fternoon. House and announced plans to hold a

mass meeting to discuss "the drive to
bring back our graduation ceremony."
As of 1 a.m. today, a Facebook
group called "Michigan's Graduation
is meant to be in the BIG HOUSE,"
boasted almost 800 members. It had
been created just hours earlier.
University.officials said they didn't
realize the construction would pre-
vent them from holding the ceremony
at the Big House until the middle of
last month.
Royster Harper, the University's
vice president for student affairs, said
the University chose not to move this
year's commencement to Crisler Arena
because it would reduce the number
of tickets available to graduates from
eight to two or three per graduate.

"It just wouldn't work because there
are lots of families where there are
two sets of parents, and grandmas and
grandpas and all that," Harper said.
Harper did say there was a chance
the University could hold the cer-
emony at Crisler if graduation seniors
demanded such a move in overwhelm-
ing numbers.
"It would have tobe, from the senior
class, the majority," she said. "Not two
or three 'I don't care if I only get one
or two guests,' but if there was a cry
from the folks that are really affected
- these current seniors - and it was
80 or 90 percent of them, that would
be worth a pause. And I think that we'd
just be shocked it that were the case."
See CEREMONY, Page 7A

Becau
at Mich
sity-wid
will tak
Universi
versity c
terday a

RODRIGO GAYA/Daily,
University officials said yesterday that commencement will be held at
Eastern Michigan University's Rynearson Stadium.

CAMPAIGN 2008

FOOTBALL FALLOUT
Rodriguez:
Mallett, top
WRs leaving
Arrington, season.
Rodriguez spoke bluntly about
Manningham Mallett's plans.
"I don't care - he's not playing
expected to leave 'M' for Michigan," Rodriguez said of
the freshman quarterback. "I'm
for NFL Draft concerned with who's playing for
Michigan. That's my concern."
By SCOTT BELL Arrington, Manningham and
Daily SportsEditor Mallett all missed a team meet-
ing Monday. Rodriguez said
ItseemsthatAdrianArrington, Arrington sent him a text mes-
Mario Manningham and Ryan sage expressing his intention to
Mallett have all played their last enter the Draft. Rodriguez said,
downs for the Michigan football he hasn't spoken with Manning-
team. ham since the Capital One Bowl
Clarifying comments he made and takes the silence as a sign that
during a radio interview yester- the Biletnikoff Award finalist has
day afternoon, newly hired Mich- decided to leave for the pros.
igan coach Rich Rodriguez told Mallett, on the other hand, is
reporters at last night's Michi- expected to transfer to another
gan-Indiana basketball game he school. Mallett, who has three
believed all three plan to leave years of eligibility remaining,
the program. would have to sit out a season if he
"Obviously, with Mario and transfers to a Division I school.
Adrian, they made decisions they Mallett completed 43 percent
thought would help them profes- of his passes for 892 yards last
sionally and decided to come out season. He threw seven touch-
early, and we certainly wish them downs and five interceptions.
well," Rodriguez said about the UCLA, rumored to be interest-
junior wide receivers, who came ed in outgoing Michigan quarter-
in first and second on the team in backs coach Scot Loeffler, seems
receptions and touchdowns this - See LEAVING, Page 7A

Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton each celebrated yrimary victories last night in New Hampshire. It was the first win
for McCain and Clinton, and both candidates needed solid performances yesterday to keep pace with their opponents. For more on the primary, see Page 3A.

After guilty plea, rep. resigns

S T ASSEMBLY
New VP named at meeting

Vuljaj pled guilty to
two felony charges
last week, will be
sentenced in Feb.
By DANIEL STRAUSS
Daily StaffReporter
Ross School of Business junior
and Michigan Student Assembly
Rep. Anton Vuljaj announced his
resignation at an MSA meeting
yesterday night.
Vuljaj, who has admitted to
disrupting a website during a
campus student government elec-
tion in 2006, now faces criminal
charges. He pled guilty in Washt-
enaw County Circuit Court to
two felony counts Thursday, the
first for using a computer to com-
mit a crime and the second for
interfering with an electronic
device.
The first charge carries a max-

imum of four years in prison and
a $5,000 fine, while the second
carries a possible two-year sen-
tence and fine of $1,0.00.
Last week Vuljaj said in court
that he used
a computer
program to
disrupt the
Michigan
Progressive -
Party's web-
site from his
dorm room on VULJAJ
Mar. 20 and 21
of 2006 during
MSA's spring elections. Vuljaj was
a member of the rival Students 4
Michigan party at the time.
The program targeted a
file, downloading it more than
200,000 times from the MPP
website, blocking all other traffic
without ever visiting the site.
Vuljaj's sentencing is sched-
uled for Feb. 14.
At yesterday's meeting, Vul-
jaj apologized for his conduct,

speaking from a prepared writ-
ten statement.
"I believe my actions have
jeopardized my own character as
a U of M student," he said. "The
past two years, although stress-
ful at times, have given me the
most wonderful friendships and
fulfilling memories."
Vuljaj then announced his res-
ignation.
"Effective tonight, I am step-
ping down as an MSA rep-
resentative and joining your
constituency," he said.
MSA President Mohammad
Dar acknowledged Vuljaj's deci-
sion to resign, saying he had done
good work as a representative.
"He made a decision that he
thought was best for an organiza-
tion he loves and we will support
him in that decision," Dar said.
"I hope with time people will
realize, as he has admitted, (the
crime) was a mistake, and with
time I hope people will forgive
him."

Fink had served
as assembly's
chief of staff
By SCOTT MILLS
DailyStaffReporter
During its first meeting of the
winter term, the Michigan Stu-
dent Assembly confirmed Nate
Fink as its new vice president, fill-
ing a vacancy opened last month
when former MSA president Zack
Yost resigned and then-Vice Presi-
dent Mohammad Dar stepped in to
replace him.
The assembly voted unanimous-
ly in favor of Fink's appointment
after Dar nominated him to fill the
position.
"He has an incredible amount of
experience in MSA matters," Dar
said duringthe meeting. "And above
all that, Nate brings a great amount
of enthusiasm to the assembly."
After the meeting, fellow repre-

Nate Fink was named vice president of the Michigan Student Assembly yesterday.

sentatives congratulated Fink.
Fink, formerly the assembly's
chief of staff, told the assembly he
has plenty of experience to do the
job well.
"I saw myself as what I thought
was the most qualified individual

on MSA, and was excited about
the work that it would entail," said
Fink, who has sat on the assembly's
executive board since April. "I see
the vice president position as a
more external position, and I'll be
See MSA, Page 7A


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