P aI1 i l Ann Arbor, Michigan Monday, December 1, 2008 michigandaily.com THE OBAMA TRANSITION Alum to head local outreach Munoz will be responsible for managing relations between White House, local governments By ANDY KROLL Daily News Editor Cecilia Mufioz, a University of Michigan alum and former resident policymaker at the Ford School of Public Policy, was named White House director of intergovernmental affairs by President- elect Barack Obama last week. "We're continuing to build a White House team that can rise to the challenges facing this country - and I couldn't be more excited to announce Jon and Cecilia," Obama said in a statement Wednes- day, in which he also named 27-year-old Jonathan Favreau his speechwriting director. "I'm confident that at a critical time in our history, this White House will restore openness and accountability to our Executive Branch and help to put government back in the hands of the people it serves." Mufioz will supervise the White House office responsible for managing relations between the Obama administration and state and local govern- ments. Currently, Mufioz is a senior vice president for the Washington, D.C.-based National Council of La Raza, the largest Hispanic-American advocacy organization in the country. At NCLR, she focuses on legislative issues involving immigration policy, civil rights, education and poverty. She also chairs the board of the Center for Com- munity Change, an advocacy group for low-income people of color. In 2000, she won a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, or "genius grant," for her work as a civil rights policy analyst. Mufinoz, a Detroit native whose parents are from Bolivia, is a first-generation U.S. citizen but a third- generation University graduate. She earned a bach- elor of arts degree in English and Latin American See APPOINTMENT, Page 7A AFTER THE RUZZER-BEATER THE AUTO INDUSTRY GM workers to retrain at'U' Fifty GM engineers can learn new drivetrain technology from University program By TREVOR CAI.ERO Daily StaffReporter Although the. recent financial crisis has left Detroit's Big Three scrambling to survive, a com- mitment between one of the struggling companies and the University might provide a small glimmer of hope for some auto industry workers. The University's College of Engineering has agreed to train 50 General Motors engineers on alternative powertrain technology through the Energy Systems Engineering Program, a multidis- ciplinary program including science, engineering and the development of policies that promote sus- tainable systems. The engineers will enroll in the University's master's program in energy systems which focuses on three specializations: civil power, transporta- tion power and microelectric and portable power. The program will be led by Biomedical Engineer- ing Prof. Ann Marie Sastry. This partnership highlights both GM's and the University's goals of speeding up the development of electric vehicles and improving the vehicle-grid interface, Sastry said. "Together, UM and GM have an historic oppor- tunity to create both the technology and the workforce, to solve the problems inherent in an IC-engine driven vehicle portfolio," Sastry wrote in an e-mail. "And I couldn't be more delighted See TRAINING, Page 7A SAID ALSAL.AH/Daily Anthony Wright wraps his arms around teammate Jevohn Shepherd following a buzzer-beating, game-winning shot by DeShawn Sims. The basket gave the Wolverines a 66-64 overtime vic Otory over Savannah State at Crisler Arena on Saturday. For more coverage of the men's basketball and other weekend sports, read SportsMonday, inside. THE MUMBAI TERRORIST ATTACKS Vigil planned for victims NEAR-CAMPUS CRIME Student robbed at knifepoint Students with Mumbai ties planned event By EMILY BARTON Daily News Editor LSA sophomore Trishya Gan- dhi watched last week's terrorist attacks on Mumbai, India unfold with particular concern. Gan- dhi spent Thanksgiving break in Grosse Pointe with her boyfriend and his family, but her family was home in Mumbai. "I felt every emotion that ex- ists," she said. "A lot of fear, a lot of worry, a lot of frustration - the attacks happened five minutes away from my house." Gandhi's family members are safe, but they knew people at one of the hotels that was targeted. Tonight, in light of the attacks that left more than 170 people dead, students like Gandhi will come together in the Diag for a candlelight vigil at 9 p.m. Ross School of Business senior Akshaya Varghese, who is from Mumbai, has done much of the planning for the event. He said he wants to bringthose who were affected by the attacks together. "That's where the interest See VIGIL, Page 7A THE ATTACKS Gunmen began attacks Wednesday night ont10locations throughout the city, including a Jewish community center and several luxury hotels. Thesiege lasted for 60 hours before the gunmen were finally killed Saturday morning. The deathtoll isover170,but the final number is still unknown. The last remaining gunman was captured, and is claiming to be associ- ated with PakistanaccordingtoIndian governmentofficials. Pakistan is claim- ing to have no involvement. An unknown group calling itself Deccan Mujahideen is claiming respon- sibilityforEthe attacks. SnOR vCE:H SSOCIATEDPRErS Victim reported man held switchblade to her throat last week By LISA HAIDOSTIAN Daily News Editor A University student was robbed at knifepoint while walking alone along East Hoover Avenue Thurs- day night, Ann Arbor police reported. The student was on the 300 block of the street near Elbel Field and headed toward a gas sta- tion on Main Street when a man jumped out from between build- ings, grabbed her and pushed her to the side of a building, she told police. The suspect held what appeared to be a switchblade to her throat and demanded she give him the pearl earrings she was wearing. She did, and after surveying her for additional property he could take and finding nothing, he ran east toward Division Street. The victim said she saw the man duck between buildings on the south side of Hoover. The student was not injured in the incident, which took place at about 11:30 p.m. She walked back to her South University Avenue apartment and called police. She described the suspect as a six-foot-two, 25-year-old white male. He was wearing a gray hood- ed sweatshirt, jeans and a black ski See ROBBERY, Page 7A DECK THE COURTYARD Daily selects new class of editors New editor in chief and others to take over next month By KYLE SWANSON Daily StaffReporter The Michigan Daily recently elected a new class of editors whose terms will begin in Janu- ary and run through the end of 2009. The paper's editor in chief and editorial page- editor are elected in astaff-wide election, while edi- tors for the news, arts and sports sections are elected by their indi- vidual staffs. Senior editors atthe paper appoint other key positions, including the managing editor, who serves as the newspaper's second in command. Gary Graca, who currently serves as the editorial page edi- tor, will lead the Daily as its edi- tor in chief next year. Graca, a junior in the Ford School of Public Policy, said he plans to focus on improving the newspaper's website. He said two of his top priorities are "fit- ting the Daily into what campus wants and showing people we exist online, not just on paper." "We're facing challenges we've never had before," he said, referring to the struggling print journalism industry. Graca said he also hopes to expand coverage to meet the interests of more students. Ross School of Business See EDITORS, Page 7A A family walks by a Christmas tree in the Kerrytown Courtyard Sunday. The city held a tree-lighting ceremony last night. WEATHER HI:30 TOMORROWe LO: 2 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 ore-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. ONTHEDAILYBLOGS The blue 2 Podcast THEGAME.BLOGS.MICHIGANDAILY.COM INDEX NEWS............. Vol CXIX,No.61 SUDOKU............ 2 Thechiganaly O P INIO N.......... michiodoidy cow .............2A ARTS.......................... ............3A CLASSIFIEDS............ .4A SPORTSMONDAY....... ....5A hA ... 1B a A 'V It