P an 4,3atIM
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, November 20,2008
michigandaily.com
THE MICHIGAN DELEGATION
After vote,
Dingell near
losing chair
With auto industry hurting, senior
U.S. House member from Dearborn could
lose top post on commerce committee
BY KYLE SWANSON
Daily Staff Reporter
In a move that signalled dissatisfaction with his ties to the failing
auto industry, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee
recommended replacing U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn) as sitting
chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
In a nonbinding decision, the Steering and Policy committee sup-
ported U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) over Dingell by a 25-22
vote.
The House Democratic Caucus will consider the committee's rec-
ommendation this morning. A finalvote today will decide who will lead
the committee through the 111th Congress.
Waxman's unconventional decision to challenge the sitting chair-
man, formally announced Nov. 5, demonstrates a break from Congress's
unspoken seniority system.
In response to the committee's vote for Waxman, Dingell's office re-
leased a statement saying it expects Dingell to continue in his role as
chair.
"The committee that voted (Wednesday) geographically and politi-
cally favors Mr. Waxman" the statement said. "Dingell's appeal has al-
ways been to the diversity of the entire caucus and when the vote is put
to the full caucus (Thursday) we are confident Dingell will continue his
chairmanship."
Waxman's office did not respond to requests for comment. A state-
ment released on Nov. 5 by Waxman laid out his reasons for seeking the
chairmanship.
"When the new Congress starts in January, we will face unprece-
dented opportunities and challenges," the statement said. "Some of the
most important challenges we face-energy, climate change and health
care-are under the jurisdiction of the Commerce Committee."
School of Public Policy Prof. Richard Hall, co-author of "The Com-
mittee Assignment Process and the Conditional Nature of Committee
See DINGELL, Page 3A
Filipino Student Association President Ashley Manzano (middle right) and Chinese Student Association President Steve Lai (middle left) address other members of the
United Asian American Organizations and other minority student groups about what they described as racist treatment by the management ofthe Studio 4 nightclub.
Groups decry racism at nightclub
Leaders say staff
at Studio 4 profiled
patrons at fundraiser
BY CHARLES GREGG-GEIST
Daily StaffReporter
Representatives of the United
Asian American Organizations and
other student groups gathered last
night to coordinate a response to
what some group leaders say was ra-
cial bias from Studio 4 staff.
Leaders of the Chinese Student CSA president Steve Lai said he
Association and the Filipino Ameri- approached Studio 4 manager Jeff
can Student Organization said the Mangray after the bar closed to col-
bar's staff tried to get out of giving lect his cut of the revenue. But, he
the group their cut of the night's said, Mangray would only pay Lai for
cover charge, treated them poorly 50 customers.
and spat on them. The South 4th Av- "He said, 'You guys only brought
enue nightclub's manager denies the in 50 Asians; and he showed me his
group's charges. clipboard with tallies," Lai told about
On Nov. 8, CSA and FASA held a 50 people at the meeting last night
fundraising event at the nightclub. in the Harlan Hatcher Graduate
They had agreed that the club would Library. Lai said Studio 4 staff had
get half of the cover charges and the been keeping a tally of the number of
two groups would split the other people who appeared to be of Asian
half descent as they entered the bar.
But Mangray insisted he didn't
keep a tally or try to change the
terms of the contract.
Mangray said he always intend-
ed to pay the group $361 for the 111
paying customers he recorded on a
counter that night, and that when he
said there were only SO Asian cus-
tomers he was approximating from
the number he had seen.
"I think they misunderstood my
question," he said. "Since it was two
Asian (groups) that sponsored the
event, Iasked them, 'Where was the
See GROUPS, Page 3A
UNIVERSITY RADIO STATION
WCBN recalls materials
with'demeaning' artwork
Group criticized
depiction of black
man on cover of
program guide
BY KYLE SWANSON
Daily StaffReporter
The University's student-run ra-
dio station has disavowed the cov-
er art of this semester's program
guide after members of a multicul-
tural group on campus complained
that it was racially insensitive.
The cover art, published last
month by WCBN, depicts a black
man with oversized lips and teeth
playing a guitar next to a frog
wearingtennis shoes and a hat.
Students of Color of Rack-
ham (SCOR) protested the cover,
prompting the station to issue a
public apology.
Rackham student Jennifer Yim,
former vice president of the Stu-
dents of Color of Rackham(SCOR),
described the art as "demeaning"
A LETTER FROM WCBN
To read the apology from WCBN's
managers, see Opinion, page 4A.
"The imagery of the man
himself had a very striking re-
semblance to African-American
caricatures that have been used
throughout U.S. history in a de-
meaning way" Yim said.
"I doubt that WCBN intended
it in that way," she added.
See WCBN, Page 3A
RIVALRY WEEK
Ohio State leads by 11 pints with
Public Policy junior Ari Parritz, right, and LSA senior Sahib Singh wait for the voting results during the interfraternity Council's
elections held in the Michigan Union last night. Parritz defeated Singh to become the group's next president.
Greek council picks new president
two days remaining in Blood Battle Alpha Epsilon Pi's
Parritz vows to build
Blood donation
competition now in
its 27th year
BY VERONICA MENALDI
Daily StaffReporter
University alum Charis Mitch-
ell donated blood for the first time
during the 2004 Blood Battle, the
blood drive competition between
Michigan and Ohio State that
takes place before the hated rivals'
annual football game. Inspired by
the competition, Mitchell made a
habit of regularly donating blood.
"OnceI had done it the first time,
I just decided that I wanted to con-
tinue to donate every year when
I was a student," Mitchell said. "I
thought it was a fun way to contrib-
ute and do something good."
Mitchell said a 6-year-old girl
is now in remission from an auto-
immune disease, thanks to Mitch-
ell's donation of peripheral blood
cells and plasma.
"It's cool to think that I was
created and 22 years later, the way
I was put together had the poten-
tial to save a life," Mitchell said.
The contest, which ends to-
morrow, has historically been
close. Last year, the University of
Michigan lost by just three pints.
During the drive's 26 years, each
See BLOOD BATTLE, Page 3A
ties among houses
BY JILLIAN BERMAN
Daily Staff Reporter
TheInterfraternity Council, which
governs most the of campus fraterni-
ties, elected Public Policy junior Ari
Parritz as its next president last night.
Parritz, the former president of
Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, defeat-
ed LSA senior Sahib Singh to win
the post. Singh, of Pi Kappa Alpha,
is the IFC's outgoing vice president
of programming.
Parritz said meeting with chapter
presidents and getting them more
involved in the IFC will be his main
priority as president.
"I really want to empower the
chapter presidents to really make
them feel like they can make a dif-
ference," he said. "Their purpose is
not just to come fill a seat - their
purpose is to drive change."
Parritz said during his term he
wants to implement social policies
See GREEKS, Page 3A
ELECTED GREEKS
LSA junior MaxBarack
Judicial Vice President
LSA junior Alex Carrick
Vice Presidentofinternal recruitment
Business junior David Detucia
Vice President of External Recruitment
Business sophomore Blake Toll
Vice President of Public Relations
LSA sophomore Will Arnold
ite PresidentofProgramming
LSA junior Jason Mohr
Vice President of Social Responsibility
LSAsophomore Matt Francis
Vice President of InternallAffairs, and
SLSA junior Adam DeSantis
Vice President ofFinance
WEATHER HI:31
TOMORROW . L* :18
GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail
newsyumichigandaily.com and let us know.
ON THE DAILY BLOGS
The Decemberists coming out with rock opera
THEFILTER.BLOGS.MICHIGANDAILY.COM
INDEX NEWS..........
Vol. CXIX, No.56 SUDOKU...
2 t008 The Michigan Daily OPINION....
michigondaily.com
. 2A SPORTS.............
.5A
...3A CLASSIFIEDS......................7A
.............4A THE B- I DE................ 1B
A
,