PORTS CULT(URE) ;s-to-riches mentality, club sports are the fundamentals of competition. -EMENT, INSIDE r Ann Arbor, Michigan Wednesday, October 7, 2009 michigandaily.com CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY DONATION DIVIDENDS: PART 3 OF A 5-PART SERIES How the 'U' brings in the big money gifts In his lecture "Capitalism Without Guilt: The Moral Case for Freedom," Yaron Brook, the president and executive director of The Ayn Rand institute, argued before a packed crowd in the Chemistry Building that the government - not the failure of the free market - caused the nation's economic recession. For the full story, go to michigandaily.com. CAMPUS DIVERSITY 'U' mulls gender-neutral housing Spectrum Center, ACLU team up to back proposal By VERONICA MENALDI Daily StaffReporter The University prides itself on its diverse student and fac- ulty bodies, championing what officials consider a friendly and open environment for those of all backgrounds. But when students apply for housing before fresh- man year, there is no box for gen- der preference. The housing application asks incoming freshman if they want to live in a substance-free room, whether they want a single, dou- ble or triple room and where they prefer to live on campus. But there is no option for transgender stu- dents looking for gender-neutral housing. That may soon change. The University is considering a proposal that was initially pitched by the Spectrum Center Student Advisory Board to create a gen- der-neutral housing option geared toward transgender students. The proposal has not been sig- nificantly acted upon since it was first introduced last April, but is picking up new momentum with help from the campus undergrad- uate chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU board member Ellen Steele, an LSA sophomore, wrote in an e-mail interview that the group made the proposal in an effort to make University resi- dence halls more inclusive. "Our ultimate goal would be to make gender-neutral hous- ing available to all students in all dorms," Steele wrote. "Students of different genders can already live in the same hall. There is no rea- son they shouldn't be able to live in the same room." And it appears that many uni- versities across the country would agree. According to the website gen- derblind.org, there are currently 36 colleges and universities with gender-neutral housing options, including several schools the University considers to be its peer institutions like Brown University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University and Stan- See HOUSING, Page 3A Building rights, estate planning among tools at officials' disposal By STEPHANIE STEINBERG and KYLE SWANSON Daily StaffReporters - It's 10 a.m. and you can't find your room key. After 10 minutes of searching, you find it buried under last week's laundry. You run out of your dorm and make it to class just in time to catch the last 15 minutes of lecture. Having skipped break- fast, you head to Mary Markley Residence Hall to grab an early lunch before you meet friends for a study group at the library. After hours of studying, you make your way over to Hill Auditorium for a concert. In a typical day, students rush in and out of the buildings that define the character of campus - build- ings that stand there because of the University's major donors and decision makers of yesteryear. In fact, your residence hall was named after Alice Lloyd, who was the University's dean of women for 20 years. Stephen M. Ross paid for part of the business school build- ing where you arrived late to class. Mary Markley Residence Hall, where you ate lunch, was built in honor of Mary Butler Markley, who worked closely with alumni. Your study group met in Hatcher- Graduate Library, named in honor of past University President Har- lan H. Hatcher. You ended your day with a concert at Hill Audito- rium, which was built with money bequeathed by former University Regent Arthur Hill. However, it isn't by chance that every building you visited today was named after an individual. In fact, almost every building across campus has been named in honor of a prominent Universityleader or a generous donor. NAMING RIGHTS The staff at the Office of Devel- opment determines building and program names following a very specific set of procedures that dic- tate who can name facilities and the individualfor whom they can be named. See SERIES, Page 3A MICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY At weekly meeting, MSA officials debate community concerns A WILD ADVERTISEMENT ALMA MATTERS Alumni plates, a boost in profit, pride for the 'U' After history of disruptions, assembly considers restricting speakers By MALLORY JONES Daily StaffReporter Last night, the Michigan Stu- dentAssemblydiscussed aresolu- tion that, if passed, would revamp the way community members are allowed to address the assembly. In the past, the "community concerns" portion of the agenda has been known to take up long stretches ofmeetingtime. In the last two semesters, MSA meeting agendas were routinely derailed during the community concerns portion of the evening by local activists promoting their side of issues sometimes not directly related to campus affairs. Michael Benson, chair of the Rules and Elections committee, authored the resolution along with Student General Counsel Jim Brusstar. Benson said there were more problems with the community concerns time last . year than this semester. "When people are coming in speaking to things that MSA has no control over, or that MSA can- not affect, it's a waste of time," Benson said. The resolution would shorten the time allotted to each speaker from five minutes to three min- utes. It would also require speak- ers to present a valid, unexpired MCard. Those without a Univer- sity affiliation would be able to apply for time with MSA execu- tives at least two business days in advance. Benson said the assembly "wants to remain open." He said the resolution is not intended to discourage community members from coming to speak. But some representatives are wary of the resolution's implica- tions. Public Heath Rep. Hamdan Yousuf expressed concerns over limiting the rights of community. members tospeak duringthegen- eral meetings. "I don't think any democratic body can say give me your valid, unexpired MCard if you want to speak," he said. "We don't need to have all of these crazy rules about See MSA, Page 3A Sin net Uni On school Tho showir es of I raised the Ur other s In progra al, one the an state makes the u $25 fr, direct] the pla Foll ment,c vehicle additi goes ice 2000, $3.2M featured on the plate. Each campus of the University ted for all three of Michigan offers unique license plates for their supporters. versity campuses Between all three campuses, there are a total of 245,331 Uni- By ALLIE WHITE versity license plates on the road, For the Daily which has translated into $3.2 million in revenue for the Univer- Michigan license plates, sity since the program began in pride goes a long way. 2000, according to Kelly Chesney, se alumni license plates spokeswoman for Secretary of ng the collegiate allegianc- State Terri Lynn Land. Michigan's motorists have With roughly 9 million plated some serious money for vehicles in Michigan, the Univer- niversity of Michigan and sity of Michigan is represented chools in the state. on almost 3 percent of all cars in Michigan, drivers in the the state. m must pay an addition- Last year alone, the Univer- -time fee of $35 on top of sity of Michigan received around tnual registration fee the $381,000 in revenue from the requires. While the state plates, according to Cynthia Wil- no additional money from banks, vice president for govern- niversity plate program, ment relations at the University. om the additional fee goes The target of those funds is ly to the school featured on left up to the discretion of each tte. school. owing that initial pay- At the University, the money drivers must pay the state's has, been routed to University- e registration fee plus an affiliated outreach activities. anal $10 each year, which The revenue contributed to directly to the university See LICENSE PLATES, Page 3A MIARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily Jared Hawkley, an intern for campus non-profit group 826michigansdirects movie- goers into the Michigan Theatre last night to see a sneak peek of the new film "Where the Wild Things Are" based on the book of the same name. WEATHER HI: 61 TOMORROW LO: 52 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and letus know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Hoops squads look forward to "Michigan Madness" MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE GAME INDEX NEW S ................2..............2A CLASSIFIEDS ...................... 6A Vol. CXX, No. 22 OPINION ..A SPORT ......-... .............7A ©2009TheMichigan Daily ART ......................... A T STAT M NT ............ @209chr e MilychR S.................. A T ES A E E T ........1