GUN-FREE MOLK DONE FOR YEAR State legislators' latest attempt After being out with a broken foot for five * to allow guns on campus is weeks, the redshirt sophomore center only misguided and dangerous. lasted four plays before tearing his ACL. SEE OPINION, PAGE 4 SEE SPORTS, PAGE 8 Ii JMidiigan &ailj Ann Arbor, Michigan Tuesday, October 27, 2009 TMPROV WTTH A SIDE OF RICE AND REANS michigandaily com SENATE ASSEMBLY Coleman discusses 'U' fiscal health ED MOCH/Daily LSA freshman Nick Drew of the comedy group "The Impro-fessionals" takes the stage at BTB Cantina's 'Laughter on Lunes' (LOL) Comedy Night. The South University hot spot will be featuring comedy acts on Monday nights with an open mic at 9 p.m:and scheduled acts starting at 9:30 p.m. SOUTH U. BLAZEr A DAFD:NtCu R r cuerldot Before faculty body, Coleman explains research, hirings By STEPHANIE STEINBERG Daily StaffReporter Members of the University's Senate Assembly received a visit from President Mary Sue Cole- man at their first meeting of the year yesterday. In her speech, Coleman high- lighted positive developments at the University during the last year and touched on the Univer- sity's financial status. . Coleman said research expen- ditures achieved more than $1 billion in research grants this year. The package included $421 million from the National Insti- tutes of Health - with more than $160 million in stimulus funding research awards from NIH alone. "That really gives me just tre- mendous confidence that people are ready, they're waiting and when they get their proposals out they are really good proposals," Coleman said. Coleman also said that the 100 new faculty members hired as a part of her 100 New Faculty Initiative launched in 2007 are "absolutely outstanding" While many universities across the country are enforcing hiring freezes due to the economy, the University of Michigan has con- tinued to hire new faculty mem- bers. Coleman said the new faculty~ members have proven to be "very, very high qualityscholars." She added that the University is constantly fighting the per- ception that because the state of Michigan is "just a basket case," the University is also suffering. "What I want to counter to people is that we are managing our resources well, that we are hiring faculty, that we have not closed the doors," Coleman said. "And so the fact that we are still out there in the marketplace is another good signal that we are competing, and competing effec- tively." Despite the economic down- turn, Coleman said she was also impressed with the way the University has handled its budget while other institutions See FACULTY, Page 7 Arcade's manager says homeless people had * been taking refuge in abandoned building By MALLORY JONES and EMILY ORLEY Daily StaffReporters Ann Arbor Fire Department offi- als have ruled out natural causes for the fire that destroyed the for- mer location of Pinball Pete's late Saturday night. "We have not found a natu- ral cause for it so we're looking at someone possibly causing the fire," said Fire Marshall Kathleen Cham- berlain in an interview yesterday afternoon. Chamberlain said that it is clear the fire was man-made, but it remains to be seen if it was an acci- dent or premeditated. According to Battalion Chief Robert Voteo, the owners have reported that the abandoned build- ing has been plagued with trespass- ing since it was vacated in 1995. "There appears to have been relatively easy access despite the boarding up," said Chamberlain. While authorities did not specify who might have been inside the building, there is much specula- tion. Lance Johnson, Pinball Pete's manager, said it was likely that homeless people took refuge in the building. Pinball Pete's was located at 1217 S. University Street for 12 years before its move across the street in 1995, Johnson said. Johnson said the business moved in order to condense space. The building across the street was left empty. "It has been abandoned since we left," Johnson said. "I don't know if it was condemned or not needed." The lot was sold in 2001 to See FIRE, Page 7 NCAA INVESTIGATION NCAA formally starts probe into UM football program Rec. Sports to change hands In notice, official says investigation to finish by year's end By JACOB SMILOVITZ Managing News Editor The University of Michigan's athletic department is officially under investigation by the NCAA for alleged violations of rules gov- erning practice time and off-sea- son workouts for the University's football team. University President Mary Sue Coleman announced today that she has received a "notice of inqui- ry" regarding the investigation. When the NCAA finds "suffi- cient information to warrant" an investigation, the notice is sent as a procedural step that allows the NCAA to dot its "i's" and cross its 't's" in informing the school that the investigation will move for- ward. The document sent to Cole- man last Friday lays out what the NCAA plans to investigate and the role that the school is expected to play in that investigation. The University initially launched an internal investigation after the Detroit Free Press pub- lished a report on Aug.30 alleging that the football team had gone far beyond the allowable number of mandatory practice hours for players on the football team. The report also alleged that football team officials monitored off-sea- son scrimmages, which is prohib- ited by the NCAA. The letter states that possible violations "primarily involve the See INVESTIGATION, Page 7 S T EM CE LL SUMMIT University researchers excited about conference's Detroit venue Oversight to shift from Athletic Dept. to Division of Student Affairs By JOSEPH LICHTERMAN Forrthe Daily Oversight of the Department of Recreational Sports is moving from the Athletic Department to the Division of Student Affairs in an attempt to garner more funds and resources. Rec Sports is in charge of all the campus recreation buildings, intra- mural sports, club and varsity club sports, Outdoor Adventures and the Challenge Program, which offers a ropes course and other team build- ing resources. The move is partially in response to a report issued last March by the Recreational Sports Task Force, which recommended Rec Sports relocate to the Office of the Provost. The report also called for signifi- cant, and costly, updates to the Uni- versity's recreational facilities. Under the previous system, Rec Sports was financially indepen- dent but overseen by the Athletic Department, whose financial house is in good shape. Rec Sports Director William Canning said that while Rec Sports has experienced difficulties in rais- ing money in the past, potential donors often assume that the orga- nization has proper funds because of this association with the Athletic Department. MAX COLLINS/Daily Officials say that with the change in oversight, campus recreational facilities, like the Central campus Recreation Building, will get funding for the renovations they need. New stem cell laws lay groundwork for event to take place in Michigan By ESHWAR THIRUNAVUKKARASU Daily StaffReporter Less than a year ago, the state of Michigan was almost com- pletely out of most discussions concerning the future of stem cell research. That was before the state's vot- ers passed Proposal 2 last Novem- ber. The ballot initiative created a constitutional amendment that allowed researchers within the state to create their own embry- onic stem cell lines to study and treat diseases. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Gra- nholm and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing announced earlier this month that Detroit would host the 2010 World Stem Cell Summit - a three-day event expected to attract more than 1,200 leaders in stem cell business, policy and sci- ence from over 30 countries. The University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University and the Michigan Economic Development Corpo- ration will co-host the summit, which is scheduled to begin Oct. 4 next year at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. Dr. Sean Morrison, the director of the University of Michigan Cen- See SUMMIT, Page 7 "Because there is money (in ath- letics), when Recreation goes to meetings across campus (donors say), 'Oh you work for Athlet- ics? What do you mean you need money?"' Canning said. Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper said that the transition to Student Affairs will make it easier for Rec Sports to afford the facility upgrades it needs. "It's hard to do that when there are other priorities, legitimate pri- orities - finishing the stadium, looking at Crisler Arena - but we want to be able to not be compet- ing against ourselves to get other things done that need to get done," she said. Harper said students using the various recreation facilities on North Campus and Central Cam- pus will notice improvements, like upgraded equipment, in their day- to-day use of the facilities as a result of these administrative changes. "We hope that you'll see that together we'll be able to do more," she said. "Also, the experience for you will be more enhanced. It will be seamless." Aside from those details, Harper said students will not be directly affected by the change. Canning stressed that intramu- ral, club and varsity club sports will See REC SPORTS, Page 7 WEATHER HI: 58 TOMORROW LO:45 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and letus know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM INDEX NEWS ....................2 ARTS..................5 Clive Owen, David Schwimmer tofilm at the 'U' Vol. CXX, No. 34 SUDOKU ............................3 CLASSIFIEDS................. 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