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 ,