RESEARCH AND POLITICS
With stem
cell proposal
on ballot, 'U
toesth eline

k F OR MORE ON STEM CELLS, Dr. James Battey speaks at a stem cell coelerence in the Biomedical tcieece Research Building Auditoriumn
Vrsit mrchlgandalycom/oldeo for multimedia. yesterday. Altred Tauhman hequeathed $22 million to the Medical School during the meeting.
Taumnt ie $22milio
Gift for medical research at University linked to stem cell ballot initiative

Unable to explicitly
support initiative,
officials have held
"educational" events
By EMILY BARTON
Dotty Nems Editor
Michigan's cough restrictions
on embryonic stem cell research
make it harder for University sci-
entists to do work that their col-
leagues in states like California
do every day. A measure on the
ballot in November could change
that. But University administra-
tors and scientists - many of
whom personally support the
measure - are forced to walk a
fine line at work that prevents
them from open advocacy.
As a state institution and a
tax-exempt organization, the
University can't take a stance on

candidates or ballot questions.
It can hold "educational" events
about issues. So the University is
hosting events and disseminating
information that highlights the
promise and positives of stem cell
research.
A link from the University's web-
site leads to apage with information
about stem cell research. The page
includes information on adult stem
cell research - which is already
legal - as well as embryonic stem
cell research, which is restricted.
Featured prominently on the page
is a series of videos on "The Science
Behind Embryonic StemCells."
Those videos feature Sean
Morrison, the director of the
University's Center for Stem
Cell Biology. He answecs ques-
tions like: "Many other states
already pursue embryonic stem
cell research. Why is it necessary
here in Michigan?"
Morrison goes on to talk about
See STEM CELLS, Page 3A

THE BENEFACTORS
Taubmanosgift 5st on fthe largest
dotations in University history. He
has given more than $80 million total
I STEPHEN ROSS, 2004
$100 million
Te the Bosiness Schosi
I GRANT C.S. FOUNDATION, 2005
$25meillisn
Ts the C.S. Molt Hospital
I ANONYMOUS, 2007
$25 miteson
To the C.S. Molt Foundation
I ALFREDTAUIMAN, 2008
$22 million +$22 million bequest
To the Medical Research Institute
soUecE: UNrVERsITY or MrCHroGoAs

By JENNA SKOLLER
Doily StaffReporter
Alfred Taubman, the philanthro-
pist and namesake of the Universi-
ty's Medical ResearchtInstitute, has
announced his intent to bequeath
$22 million to the University's Med-
ical School at astemcell symposium
on campus.
The vow came at a stem cell sym-
posium yesterday on campus, one
year after Taubman gave a sepa-
rate $22 million -donation for the
new research institution, the goal
of which is to research and treat
human disease. Yestecday's bequest
is slated to finance future research
by Taubman Scholars.
Just before announcing his
bequest - a gift that is given upon
the death of the donor - Taubman
stressed the importance of passing
Proposal 2, a November ballot ini-

tiative that would allow Michigan
researchers access to stem cells
extracted from excess embryos at
fertility clinics.
"On November 4th, we have an
opportunity to quicken the pace
of this medical discovery," he said.
"With your vote, we can guarantee
that this state's best scientists stay
in Michigan."
Kara Gavin, spokeswoman for the
University Health System, said Taub-
man's gift would fund other research
projectsabesides stem cell research.
Near the end of the symposium,
the tnstitute's first major event,
Taubman, 84, presented a crystal
plaque to James Battey, the event's
keynote speaker and vice chairman
of the NationallnstitutesofHealth's
Stem Cell Task Force.
The $22 million gift combined
with Taubman's past contributions
to the University total more than

$10 million. He gave a $30 million
donationto the College of Architec-
ture and Urban Planning, which is
named after him, in 1999.
Taubman's $22 million dona-
tion and $22 million bequest to the
Medical Research Institute mark
two of the largest gifts in Univer-
sityhistory. Other notable contribu-
tions include Stephen Ross's $100
million donation to the Ross School
of Business in 2004, which remains
the largest single donation to the
University; a $28 million donation
to the Charles Stewart Mutt Foun-
dation in 200S; and an anonymous
$25 million gift to the Cardiovascu-
lar Center in 2007.
Taubman Scholars are regularly
selected from University Medi-
cal School faculty. There are cur-
rently five Scholars, each receiving
$200,000 per year for three years to
fund their research.

STEM CEL L SUPPORT IN MICH IGAN
A recent turvey showed that ahboot half of likely votert support the proposal.
KEY
Leaning yes
Leaning no
Undecided
soURCE: DET ROIT NEtWs


MICHIGAN SOL AR CA R
Team may take year off
to focus on world contest

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

MEDICINAL MARIJUANA
Officials debate
pot proposal
State would be 12th MEDICAL MARIJUANA
legalizeSUPPORT IN MICHIGAN
to weed A sursey of 400 likely votero found that
for eriuslyill a wajority support the porposal.

Michigan car has
* never done better
than third at World
Solar Challenge
By BETH WITTENSTEIN
Doily StuffReporter
The last car of the University's
Solar Car Team won the North
American Solar Challenge this
summer with a 00-hour lead over
Principia College, so the next car
has big expectations.
But whether the team will
attempt to defend that title is
unclear. The team could opt to sit
out the 2009 cycle to finish pre-
paring a car for a race in 2010.
Every two years, the team of
students builds a new car to com-
pete in two competitions - one in
North America and one abroad.
Chito Garcia, the team's advis-
er and mentor, believes the team
should pass on 2009 to send an
experienced car to the North
WAmerican Challenge in 2010.

That, he said, would allow the
team to send a road-tested car to
the next World champioansips
is usually a tough race," said
Garcia, adding that he hadn't yet
expressed his concerns to the
team. "In the past, we'd always
run the U.S. first but now it's
changed. I would like to see it the
other way around."
College of Engineering senior
Steven Hechtman, a member of
the team's Micro Electrical Divi-
sion, said he sees both advantages
and disadvantages to skipping the
World Solar Challenge next sum-
"The main thing for Australia
is it's really nice to have a car that
you've had a lot of testing on,"
Hechtman said. "On the flip side,
if you take a car to Australia that's
already been in a race, there's a
chance that some of your inno-
vations may have been copied by
other teams."
Hectman said the team still
plans to compete in 2009.
"Right now we're really hoping
See SOLAR CAR, Page 3A

By JACOB SMILOVITZ
Doily Staff Reporter
If Proposall1passes on Nov. 4,
Michigan could join the ranksoof
California and the otherl11states
where patients suffering from
specific terminal and serious ill-
nesses canlegallyose marijuana'
to treat their symptoms.
The proposed ballotinitiative,
put forth by the Ferndale-based
Coalition for Compassionate
Care, would allow registered KEY
patients with a "debilitating
medical condition" to legally Yes
use marijuana.
Those conditions would No
include cancer, glaucoma, HIV,
AIDS, hepatitis C, multiple
sclerosis and other conditions
See MARIJUANA, Page 3A

Leann es
Leaning to
Undecided
scuecE: DETROIT stint

Carol Santord, a husiness consultant, said the nation needs to take a more holisti
apyroach to sustainahility in a lecture hetore ahout 50 students at the Business
School yesterday. FOR THE FULL STORY, SEE PAGE 3A-


WEAT HE R
TOMOR ROW

H I: 71
LO: 47

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INDEX
Vol. CXIX, So. 27
020008 The Michigan Dol

NHEWS .... ............2 A C LA SSI FI E05 ... ...........6A
O P IN ION ..............4 A S P ORT S.... .... .........7 A
A RT T ............. .....A T HE STAT EMEN T..........1B

A