* 'MAN ON WIRE' MESMERIZES SEE ARTS, PAGE 8A E id igan Oath ONE-HUND iiE - GHTI'EEN YEARSOF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Monday, September 8, 2008 Ann Arbor, Michigan A NEW TRADITION FOR THE VICTORS Dems, GOP set field for regents race 0 thre for t ne incumbent, and a staunch supporter of the Uni- versity's affirmative action policy De challengers vie before the passage of the statewide ban on race- and gender-based wo spots on board affirmative action. He counted hiswork on the addi- By JULIE ROWE tion of sexual orientation as a pro- Daily StaffReporter tected category in the University's non-discrimination policy 'as a Michigan Marching Band Director Scott Boerma directs the band during the game against Miami of Ohio on Saturday For more, see SportsMonday. SAFE SEX ON CAMPUS At UHS, birth n s LANSING - Two prominent Democrats received their party's nomination at the Michigan Demo- cratic Party Convention Saturday for the two open seats on the Uni- versity Board of Regents. Laurence Deitch, a two-term incumbent seeking re-election for another eight-year term, is joined by Denise Ilitch, a government rela- tions lawyer and magazine publish- er, on the Democratic ticket. The RepublicanPartynominated two University alums at their con- vention Aug. 22 for the eight-per- son Board: Sussn Brown, who lost a regental bid in 2006, and John LaFond. Regent Rebecca McGowan, another Democrat and two-year incumbent, chose not to seek re- election. A four candidates expressed a desire to maintain excellence at the University, keep costs low and work with Michigan businesses to stimulate the state's economy and improve educational resources. Over the course of his two terms, Deitch was an outspoken critic of the Michigan Stadium expansion significant accomplishment, along with the addition of domestic part- ner benefits for University employ- ees. Deitch said the University will be key to the Michigan's economic rejuvenation, which is why he said he'd like to see continued work with other state universities and businesses to produce new technol- ogy. Deitch, who said he is not likely to seek a fourth term if he wins in November, said he wants to keep the University affordable and acces- sible to University students. Part of iaking sure talented students can attend the University regardless oftheir family's econom- ic circumstances, Deitch said, is making sure the University's com- mitment to financial aid increas with tuition. "Every year when I have to vote on the cost of next year's tuition; I'm very cognizantof what it means to our students and their families," Deitch said. "It would be very dis- ingenuous to say it's not going to go up." See REGENTS, Page 10A After stockpile of popular contraceptive runs out, price more than doubles By LINDY STEVENS Daily StaffReporter When the Deficit Reduction Act took effect in January 2007, University Health Service hoped their supplies would last long enough to prevent birth control costs from rising. But it couldn't hold out forever. A Congressional measure intended to reduce Medicare and. Medicaid costs, the Deficit Reduction Act restricts pharmaceuti- cal companies from selling their products at reduced prices to some buyers - including colleges and universities. The cost of a one- month supply ofthe popular birth control pill Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo jumped from $21 to $50 at University Health Service last week. Rather than raise prices, UHS bought an 18-month stockpile of Ortho Tri-Cy- clen Lo last year. But now with that supply exhausted, UHS was forced to increase the See BIRTH CONTROL, Page 10A * On Ramadan, students hold fast together Muslim students build ties at dinner table during holiday By CHARLES GREGG-GEIST Daily StaffReporter LSA freshman Seher Chowhan wakes up at 5 each morning, while most of campus sleeps, to eat a large breakfast and pray. It's an unconventional sched- ule for most college students, but for Chowhan it's a key part of the observanceofRamadan, a30-day- long holiday during which obser- vant Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. It began Monday, the day before classes started. "It's tough for me," LSA fresh- man Seher Chowhan said. "Living in the dorms, you have to explain to your roommate why you're waking up at five in the morning To maintain the community element of the holiday, the Mus- lim Student Association organizes group meals to break the fast from Monday through Thursday. On Wednesday night, LSA senior and MSA's social co-chair Malik Mossa-Basha gathered with about SO male students in the basement of South Quad to break their fast with 200 tacos and burritos from Taco Bell. "Back home, it's like a huge event," Mossa-Basha said in between bites of a burrito. "When we're here, we try to make Ann Arbor our community. It's like a home-away-from-home thing." Because Ramadan is deter- iined by the lunar calendar, it starts ten days earlier every year. And as the start date moves fur- ther into the summer, the days lengthen and get hotter. "I remember seven years ago, fasting from7 1o4:30," LSA senior See RAMADAN, Page 1OA JtRtMY CHO/Daily John McCain speaking at Freedom Hill County Park in Sterling Heights, Mich He stopped there a day after accepting the Republican nomination. McCain targets Michigan voters in post-RNC swing Mattar Iman, the mother of a freshman Engineering student, prays before the breaking of fast for Ramadan. to eat and pray." their fast and pray when the sun Fasting Muslims usually eat sets, but those traditions can be a meal before sunrise and then lost amid the bustle of college gather for a large meal to break campuses. CAMPAIGN 2008 * Excitement high among College Dems Voter registration booming with Nov. election looming By TREVOR CALERO and ELAINE LAFAY Daily StaffReporters Nathaniel Eli Coats Styer, presi- dent of the University's chapter of College Democrats, has never had to turn people away from a meet- ing. But last night, more than 100 people couldn't squeeze into the Pendleton Room of the Michigan Union for the group's first mass meeting of the year. The room filled to capacity several minutes before the meet- ing was scheduled to begin, and though current members were urged to make room for newcom- ers, students had to wait outside, lining the stairs and blocking the hallway. College Democrats members tried to speak to each person wait- ing outside one on one, giving them rushed introductions and encouraging them to return. More than 200 people remained inside - still more thancapacity - for a meeting that drew speakers including State Sen. Gary Peters (DI-Bloomfield Twp.), Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn), his wife and Democratic National Com- mittee member Debbie Dingell, State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) and former Michigan basketball playyer and Barack Obama sup- porter Jimmy King. Since last Tuesday, the College Democrats have registered 1,741 new voters, more than half the total number of voters the group registered in 2006. Three hun- dred twenty-eight registered dur- ing Festifall alone. "The excitement on campus is amazing," Styer said. "I don't think that we've ever matched this kind of excitement." Styer said more than 300 stu- dents signed up for e-mail fists during last night's meeting, in addition to 900 who signed up over the past week - the most interest he's ever seen during his time at the University. During the meeting, speakers emphasized the importance of the student vote, the urgency of the See DEMOCRATS, Page 7A C1 roar in I STEI day aft the Rep runnini stop in similar their pa As P 10,000- dom H and app especia "Amc idealisr things, ismofle actually Sterl western rowd of 10,000 type of Michigan community the presidential candidates are vying s for Republicans for - a Detroit suburb with middle class, blue-collar residents strug- terling Heights glingto filltheirgas tanks and make mortgage payments. Historically, the town has been divided fairly By JULIE ROWE evenly. In 2004, more straight-tick- Daily StaffReporter et voters voted Democratic by an eight-percent margin, but George RLING HEIGHTS - The W. Bush won the city with 51 per- er John McCain accepted cent of the vote - 4 percent more ublican nomination, he and than Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.). g mate Sarah Palin made a To set the tone, Paln cited Michigan to give speeches McCain's service in the Vietnam to those the pair gave at War and time as a POW and his irty's convention. reputation as a "maverick" in the alin introduced McCain, the Senate as evidence of his willing- member crowd at the Free- ness to defend them as president - till Amphitheater cheered while also criticizing Obama. lauded at nearly every line - "Our opponents have been going Ily the jabs at Barack Obama. on quite a bitlately, about how they ong politicians, there is the always quote, 'fight for you,"' Palin of endless talk about great said. "But since Sen. McCain won't and then there is the ideal- say this on his own behalf, let me eaderslike JohnMcCainwho say it. There is only one man in 'dogreatthings," she said. this election who has ever really ing Heights, a city in south- fought for you and that man is John Macomb County, is the See MCCAIN, Page 7A WEATHER HI: 68 GOTANEWSTIP? ONTHEDAILY BLOGS INDEX NEWS....2....2A CLASSIFIEDS. . ....6A Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail How Lang and co. stacked up in Week 1 of NFL Vol. CXVIV, No.5 OPINION...................4A SU DOKU..........................10A TOMORROW O: news@michigandaily.com and let us know. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/THEGAME ©205Tha Michigan Daily ARTS.. ..................5A SPO RTSMON DAY . 1B ss mirhisanduilycom p