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Thursday, March 20, 2008
michigandaily.com
FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS
Student
seating
hierarchy
reworked
Proposed system eliminates
partner seats, gives freshmen
priority over some grad students
By LINDY STEVENS
Daily StaffReporter
University graduate students buying their Michi-
gan football student tickets for next season might'be
in for a surprise.
In an e-mail sent to students Friday, the Michigan
Athletic Ticket Office announced that seating prior-
ity for next season's student football tickets will give
seniors prinrity nver all other students, followed by,
graduate students whn also have a Universityuder-
graduate degree. Graduate students who didn't
attend the University for their undergraduate years,
though, will be given the lowest priority -- below
incoming freshmen.
In another change, the longstanding option for
graduate students to purchase a "partner ticket" for
their spouse, child or domestic partner has been can-
celled for next season.
Though the policies were announced as per-
manent, a strong reaction by University graduate
students prompted athletic ticketing officials to
reconsider the decision. Marty Bodnar, the Univer-
sity's athletic director for ticketing, said he received
about 30 e-mails from graduate students upset with
the changes after sending the e-mail to notify them.
But Bodnar said there was good reason to restruc-
ture the student ticketing process.
Bodnar said the new policy resulted from an
increase in demand for tickets. Although the student
section has a capacity of about 20,000 seats, more
than 23,000 student tickets were sold for the 2007
season, he said.
Bodnar said eliminating partner tickets should
See TICKETS, Page BA
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton came to Detroit yesterday, saying that Michigan delegates at this summer's Democratic National Convention.
Ini Detroit, Clinton asks to seat delegates
State Democratic Democratic National Committee
rules, several prominent Demo-
party still undecided crats - including DNC Chairman
Howard Dean - have called for
on whether to hold both states to hold new nominating
new conte st contests.
In front of 250 union members
and, Clinton supporters at the
By JULIE ROWE downtown office of the American
Daily StaffReporter Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees, one of the
DETROIT - Sen. Hillary Clin- nation's largest labor unions, the
ton made an unexpected campaign New York senator said depriving
stop here yesterday for one reason: Michigan of a convention delega-
"to make sure Michigan's votes are tion was "wrong, and frankly, un-
counted." American."
After Michigan and Florida were During the event, several union
stripped of their national conven- members erupted into chants of
tion delegates for moving their pri- "It's our right! It's our right!" Signs
maries before Feb. 5, a violation of See CLINTON, Page 8A
HOLDING THE KEYS TO THE CONVENTION
A state-wide Democratic primary do-over could take place June 3, funded by the Democratic Party
and private donors and open to voters who did not cast ballots in the Jan. 15 Republican primary and
If the legislation for a new primary fails, Michigan Democrats could hold a statewide caucus, a mail-
in election, or split the delegates evenly between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
WHO NEEDS TO APPROVE:
0 Sen. Hillary Clinton's Campaign: The campaign supports a new primary. "A re-vote is the only way Michigan can
be assured itsudelegation will be seated, and vote in Denvernat the party's national conventionthis summer," Clinton
advisor Harold Ickessaid in a statement.
* Obama's Campaign: Sen. Obama said hewants to "make sure we have the Michigan and Florida delegates at
the convention in somefashion." Obama's campaign is concerned a new election would cause legal and logistical
problems.
0 Michigan Democratic Party: State party Chairman Mark Brewer supports the proposed June 3 primary"None of
the legal objections to the legislation have any merit, and in my opinion, this legislation satisfies all DNC and legal
requirements," Brewer said.
0 Democratic National Committee: DNC Chairman Howard Dean has asked Michigan Democrats to hold a new
contestto allocate the state'sconvention delegates. "We'd liketofind away to seat Florida and Michigan," Dean
told CNN. "We'd like to do it in a way that'sfair,that both sides believe is fair. Fair to thevoters but alsofairto the
campaigns."
UNIVERSITY H oUSING
Officials consider making Stockwell co-ed
After scheduled
renovations, dorm
could house men too
By JILLIAN BERMAN
Daily StaffReporter
Stockwell Residence Hall, an
all-female residence hall named
after the University's first female
student, could house men, too, as
soon as 2009.
in an effort to address an
female students when it reopens
in Fall 2009.
Peter Logan, communications
director for University Housing,
said in most years only 240 stu-
dents request rooms in all-female
dorms - far fewer than the 800
spaces the University has to offer
each year.
As a result, the University ends
up having to fill the remaining
560 spaces with other students,
even if they haven't asked to be
put there. That causes some of
the other co-ed dorms on campus
will make that decision after
they gauge student interest in
the new plan. But so far, getting
input from students hasn't been
so easy.
Housing officials have been
holding forums for months trying
to garner student opinion on the
issue, but haven't received much
feedback.
Logan said just one person
attended a presentation at Stock-
well explaining the plan about
two weeks ago. -Other presenta-
tions like that one have drawn
tive board members from the
Michigan Student Assembly, the
Residence Halls Association and
representatives from the Women
in Science and Engineering pro-
gram. Housing officials told the
student groups that the 68-year-
old dorm would only be open to
students with sophomore stand-
ing and higher if it becomes co-
ed.
LSA senior Elizabeth Reeths,
an RHA executive board mem-
ber, said her group seemed to
like the plan, especially given the
excess of all-female housing, Uni- to be more heavily populated by similarly low turnouts at other prospect of a sophomore learning
versity officials are considering males. residence halls. community.
making Stockwell, slated to close No decision has been made yet Logan said housing officials Reese said some RHA board
this summer for a construction about whether to make Stock- have made presentations to more members had concerns, including
project, open to both male and well co-ed. Logan said officials "captive" audiences like execo- See STOCKWELL, Page 7A
CAMPUS CRIME
Valuable gems, stones swiped from 'U' display cases
Terrelle Pryor, rated the nation's top prospect by most recruiting services,
announced his decision yesterday to play at Ohio State in the fall.
fPryor spurns'M
for Ohi~o State
After theft of 68
semi-precious stones,
University offers
reward for leads
By MATT GALVAN
Daily StaffReporter
Wallets, laptops and iPods are
stolen all the time on campus, but
it's not everyday that you hear
about a gem heist taking place at
the University.
Campus police are investigat-
ing the theft of tens of thousands
of dollars worth of semi-precious
gems and minerals from several
Geology Department display cases
in the C.C. Little Science Build-
ing. Sixty-eight stores were taken
in two thefts, which appeared
to occur on two different days,
according to the Department of
Public Safety.
In the first incident, which took
place Saturday, a third floor dis-
play case was broken into. After
Monday morning's theft, which
occurred on the same floor, police
discovered an additional six to
seven display cases damaged
with shattered glass covering the
ground, according to DPS Lieuten-
ant Melissa Overton. Police have
no suspects in the case.
The loading dock doors leading
to C.C. Little were damaged, lead-
ing police to believe that the thief
or thieves might have entered the
building that way.
Overton said in an e-mail mes-
sage that some of the Department's
stones and gems were taken in the
thefts.
Though the semi-precious
stones have an estimated cost in
the five-figure range, Overton said
they would likely have very little
street value if someone were to try
to sell them.
The displays contained both
refined gems and minerals still
embedded in rock. Also missing
from one of the display cases are
a jewelry box and a letter opener
studded with gems.
DPS spokeswoman Diane
Brown said police have been moni-
toring the area more closely since
the incidents.
The University is offering a
reward of up to $1,000 for infor-
mation leading to the arrest of
the suspected burglar or bur-
glars.'
Pryor said he 'feels
bad' for turning
down Michigan
By MARK GIANNOTTO
Daily Sports Editor
Terrelle Pryor, the nation's No.1
football recruit according to most
recruiting services, announced
in a press conference at his high
school yesterday that he will
attend Ohio State next fall.
The Jeannette, Pa., native
picked the Buckeyes over Michi-
gan, Penn State and Oregon,
though the Buckeyes and Wolver-
ines were considered the front-
runners.
Thekannouncement comes
six weeks after Pryor chose to
delay his decision from the Feb. 6
National Signing Day, when most
highly-touted prospects announce
their choice of college. The move
sparked widespread speculation
among college football pundits
and fans and coaches, includ-
ing Michigan football coach Rich
Rodriguei continued to pursue
him heavily during that time.
In the end, though, Pryor's
selection came down to his com-
fort with Ohio State's program
and coaches. He will likely play
as a backup to senior quarterback
Tood Boeckman under head coach
Jim Tressel,
"There's a senior," Pryor said at
See PRYOR, Page 7A
W EAT HER HI: 36
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