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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday, September 14, 2009
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michigandaily.com
IVENGN MAR CA MPU
Students hit
by string of
burglaries
SAID ALSALAH/Daily
Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier (5) gets a hug from wide receiver Darryl Stonum during Michigan's 38-34 upset victory over rival Notre Dame Saturday at the Big House.
'M'wins Rodriguez's way
For several, football
victory soured by
missing belongings
$y DEVON THORSBY
Daily StaffReporter
LSA senior Michael Kaplan
was ecstatic returning home
from the Wolverines' victory over
the Fighting Irish Saturday night.
But Kaplan's joy quickly turned to
dismay.
Upon opening his locked bed-
room door, Kaplan soon found
that part of his window had been
removed from its frame and his
laptop was stolen.
"Everyone was having a good
time, we were all so excited,"
Kaplan said. "Then I go in my
room and find that my laptop is
gone. It completely ruined the fun
of the day."
And it turns out he wasn't the
only one.
Kaplan was just one of many
students who fellvictimto a series
of home invasions that occurred
this past weekend, resulting in
the theft of laptops and other
electronic devices. The invasions
occurred in the heavily student
populated neighborhood south of
campus.
At least four separate homes
were burglarized this week-
end, but the Daily received tips
for two others that could not be
confirmed. Multiple phone calls
placed to these individuals were
not returned by yesterday night.
The Ann Arbor Police Depart-
ment currently has no suspects
in any of the reported burglaries,
and no reported witnesses, offi-
cials say. Police do not yet know
if any of the home invasions are
linked, but theyare not ruling out
the possibility.
AAPD Lieutenant Myron
Blackwell said that because the
crimes occurred over the week-
end, the police reports have not
yet been compiled. He added that
the information would be avail-
able today.
While he said that he is not
always aware of the crimes that
are committed while he is off
duty, Blackwell said he thinks
the number of home invasions
that occurred this weekend is not
abnormal for this time of the year.
"It's just the second week of -
school," Blackwell said. "Profes-
sional (thieves) know students
won't be locking their doors; they
come with that knowledge into
the area. Getting into student
houses isn't difficult for a profes-
sional."
LSA junior Ellis Hamburger,
who lives on VaughnWStreet,
arrived home Friday night from
a party to find that his computer
was missingfrom his room. Upon
checking the rest of the househis
roommates found that their com-
puters, computer chargers and an
iPod had also been taken. Ham-
burger said the intruder entered
by climbing through a window in
the back of the house that did not
have a lock on it.
Hamburger said he has spoken
with a number of people since
See CRIME, Page 7A
Rich Rod's system
shines in his most
compelling victory
at Michigan yet
By RUTH LINCOLN
Daily Sports Editor
Rich Rodriguez's first 603 days
as Michigan's head football coach
didn't go as planned.
So after the Wolverines' 38-34
} upset victory of No.18 Notre Dame,
it's understandable he was acting
unusual on day 604.
"He was actually in a different
mood than I rarely see - he was
all bubbly and happy like he won
a million
dollars," MICHIGAN 38
junior NOTRE DAME 34
safety
Troy Woolfolk said. "It was equiva-
lent to that because he knows this
game was a big step to getting back
the old respect we had."
You could say that "old respect"
last came when Michigan upset Flor-
ida in the 2008 Capital One Bowl, or
even as far back as 2006, the last time
Michigan started its season 2-0.
That respect returned when the
Wolverines(2-O) awokelateyesterday
morning to a No. 25 national ranking
- Michigan's first under Rodriguez.
It brought relief when a national
audience saw true freshman quar-
terback Tate Forcier connect with
senior wideout Greg Mathews in
the Michigan end zone on a per-
fectly executed play with 11 sec-
onds left in the game.
And for the first time in Rodri-
guez's 21-month tenure, the win
removed his head from the formi-
dable chopping block.
Since Rodriguez left his alma
mater for what has become the not-
so-comfy confines of Ann Arbor,
criticisms against him have mounted.
Pundits said his spread offense
couldn't work at Michigan.
His perceived coaching philoso-
phy wasn't up to the standards of a
"Michigan Man."
Amid recent allegations that the
Wolverines exceeded NCAA limits
on practice and conditioningtimes,
Rodriguez could not escape ques-
tions about his character.
Winning big in a rivalry game
will quiet a lot of criticisms. But
winning his way makes those criti-
cisms barely audible.
"I said this for the lastnine months
- our guys have been all in," Rodri-
guez said. "To watch the way they
work, legally, to watch the way they
See RICH ROD, Page 7A
WORKING OUT ON CAMPUS
Cutbacks lead to more
rec. facility complaints
Chief justice offers advice, laughs
With budget in mind,
Rec. Sports shortens
IM Building's hours
By VALIANT LOWITZ
Daily StaffReporter
LSA junior Evan Begun, who
lives near the Intramural Sports
Building, prefers to work out in the
morning before class.
But after the University scaled
back the IM Building's hours,
Begun now has to walk across cam-
pus to fit in hitting the gym.
"It's a lot more difficult getting
my workout in before class now
that I have to walk to the CCRB
(Central Campus Recreation Build-
ing)," Begun said.
And Begun isn't alone.
After the IM Building shortened
itshours inthe morningandevening,
some students were forced to alter
their workout routines. For example,
in the morning, the IM building now
opens at 8:30 a.m., while last semes-
ter it opened at 7 a.m..
Director of Recreational Sports
William Canning said the changes
were "absolutely financial in nature."
"The a.m. hours were not well
attended, and the evening hours
were not well attended," he said.
"And with the financial difficulties
that we are experiencing, cutting
the building hours will help to get
our budget back into balance."
"I understand the need to save
money," said Kevin Raftery, an
LSA sophomore, "butthere must be
some other way that does not affect
such a large amount of students."
Canning said the department
has suffered a drop in revenues,
as most of its funding comes from
memberships held by University
faculty and staff.
"Fifty percent of the speculative
income comes from between 3,000
and 3,500 faculty and staff member-
ships," Canning said. "Those 3,000
folks are basically subsidizing a lot
of the use by 30,000 students."
But recently, he said, staff and
faculty memberships have dipped,
causingtRecreational Sports to
reevaluate its budget.
At the same time, some students
think more should be spent on
facilities, not less.
Engineering sophomore Jake
Askari, who uses the IM Building
daily, finds the facility subpar.
"I know that many other univer-
sities have televisions next to their
cardio equipment and a lot newer
equipment," he said.
LSA sophomore Jake Holbrook
agrees.
"It would be nice to have more
See REC FACILITIES, Page 3A
At Hill Auditorium,
John Roberts talks
law, takes cheap
shot at Yale
By KYLE SWANSON
Daily News Editor
Speaking before a crowded Hill
Auditorium, U.S. Supreme Court
Chief Justice John Roberts shared
his insights and a couple of laughs
as he fielded questions from audi-
ence members during his visit to
the University last weekend.
Roberts was on campus to cele-
brate the 150th anniversary of the
University's Law School. While
at the University, he participated
in a wide range of events, includ-
ing attending the weekend's Notre
Dame game at the Big House. The
question-and-answer session was
open only to faculty, staff, students
and alumni of the Law School.
Law SchoolDean Evan Camink-
er introduced Roberts and began
the eventby asking Roberts a series
of questions.
When asked what surprised him
most when becoming a member of
the court, Roberts told audience
See ROBERTS, Page 8A
MORE ON JOHN
ROBERTS'S VISIT
Read about the Law School's
groundbreaking event at
michigandaily.com.
ctF REEDER/Daily
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts talks at Hill Auditorium on Friday.
DANGER EHoIND T HwE W H EElL
State House considers ban on texting while driving
18 other states have
already enacted
similar legislation
By STEPHANIE BERLIANT
Daily StaffReporter
At work, in class, inbed or walk-
ing, text messaging has become
a regular part of daily life. But
Michigan residents may soon be
putting down the Blackberry - at
least while operating a vehicle. If
two new bills pass the legislature,
text messaging while driving may
soon be banned
Though no laws currently exist
to prohibit Michigan drivers from
text messaging while behind the
wheel, a bill will soon be consid-
ered that would make it an offense.
If the bill passes, offenders would
receive a fine and two points on
their driver's licenses.
Eighteen other states have
already passed similar bans, the
most recent of which was Illinois.
Lt. Renee Bush of the Ann Arbor
Police Department said she sup-
ports the initiative. Though she
said she has not dealt with any car
accidents caused by text messag-
ing, she recognizes the potential
danger text messaging poses.
"We want people to be safe," she
said."Sowe'd prefertheyminimize
distractions, especially in a heavily
domestic area like Ann Arbor."
In July, The New York Times
reported the findings of a once-
secret National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration study, which
concluded that drivers are four
times as likely to cause a car acci-
dent if they are using a cell phone.
The study also found the likeli-
hood of a cell phone-using driver
getting into an accident is the same
assomeonewithabloodalcohollevel
See LEGISLATION, Page 7A
WEATHER yHI:79
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