SIGH OF RELIEF 0M M
Against a mediocre team from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Norah Jones's ix
Michigan halted its three-game losing streak, with star rock 'n' roll that
forward Deshawn Sims re-emerging in a big way. as tame as her 0
SEE SPORTSMONDAY INSIDE S3
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday, December 7,2009
michigandaily.com
OLD MEETS NEW
COPENH AGEN CLMAT E SUMMIT
'U' team
heads to
UN talks
w
TOREHAN SHARMAN/Daily
High school students from across Michigan and prospective members of the Michigan Marching Band rehearse with the band at Crisler Arena yesterday. The rehearsal
was used as a way to promote the Michigan Marching Band to future students.
AMENDING THE CAM US CONSTITUTIN
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udents, alumni including students and faculty
from Alma College - asmall school
profs. to observe in the center of Michigan - will be
one of over 985 non-governmental
climate change organizations attending the con-
ference. The delegation has been
conference granted observer status, which
means members will be permitted
OSEPH LICHTERMAN to sit in on all of the official delib-
Daily Staff Reporter erations.
Ricky Rood, a professor of
rns of University students, Atmosphere, Oceanic and Space
ors and alumni are among Sciences, is leading the University
ousands of people head- delegation. Rood said the Univer-
Copenhagen, Denmark sity is just one of the many to be
o participate in the United granted observer status.
's COP15 Climate Change Rood said these observer groups
ence. are in place because the United
'ly 100 world leaders are Nations wants to protect the con-
rd to descend upon the Dan- ference's credibility.
tal for what is beingbilled as "If you go and look at the all of
the most important climate the observers, you would find a
f the last few years. While range of universities. You would
nference isn't expected to find some NGO advocacy groups,
ny major binding treaties, you might find some trade groups,
if the world's worst pollut- some trade associations," Rood
ncluding the United States, said, "But, essentially, it's a mecha-
nd China - are expected to nism to ensure transparency to the
sajor concessions on emis- process."
'he University's delegation, When the members of the Uni-
sers like it, will serve as a versity delegation are not at the
og on this process, pro- conference's official events, they
- United Nations officials said they would be at various side
- more transparency for events in Copenhagen that will
s. focus on different aspects of the
conference, which runs climate change debate.
hrough Dec. 18, will bring Each University participant will
r representatives from be attending and volunteering at
untries to discuss policies side events that pertain to his or
uld limit carbon emissions her studies and interests.
the world. Engineering senior Aubrey Ann
University delegation, Parker said she would be going to
has more than 40 members, See CLIMATE CHANGE, Page 7A
New student group
led primarily by
officials from MSA
By MALLORY JONES
Daily StaffReporter
After the Central Student Judi-
ciary ruled the Michigan Stu-
dent Assembly-led Constitutional
Convention unconstitutional, the
leaders of the former convention
and 20 of its members formed
a student group to continue the
convention's efforts to amend the
campus-wide constitution.
On Sept. 29, MSA created the
Constitutional Convention in
hopes of amending the student
constitution, but CSJ ruled on
Nov. 23 that the convention's
participants were not properly
elected.
Students interested in the origi-
nal convention submitted applica-
tions to MSA President Abhishek
Mahanti, who then selected about
40 applicants and presented their
names to the assembly for approv-
al. CSJ ruled that this process
did not constitute an election as
required by the constitution and
ordered the Constitutional Con-
vention be disbanded.
Immediately after the trial,
members of the former convention
mobilized to create the student
group Students for Progressive
Governance to continue the effort
to revise the constitution.
Amendments can be added to
See CONSTITUTION, Page 3A
FOOTBALL SAT URDAYS
Big Ten schools push to curb
drinking at football games
TELLING SECRETS
'U' officials: There's
no plan to bring
similar program to
the Big House
By GRACELIN BASKARAN
Daily StaffReporter
In an effort to cut down on
excessive drinking before foot-
ball games, two Big Ten schools
are implementing probationary
programs for students who are
ejected from games because of
drunkenness.
But the University of Michigan
doesn't plan to implement a simi-
lar program any time soon.
The Show and Blow program at
theUniversityofWisconsin allows
students who have been ejected
from a game due to excessive
drinking to attend future games if
they take a breathalyzer test prior
to kickoff. The University of Min-
nesota began a similar program
this year called Check BAC.
Mary Jo Desprez, alcohol and
other drug policy and prevention
administrator, said University
of Michigan officials don't have
any plans to implement a similar
program, adding that managing
incidents of excessive alcohol con-
sumption can be difficult given
the number of other activities and
demands at football games.
"Alcohol issues, especially on
a Football Saturday, can really be
a tremendous issue to manage,"
Desprez said. "I think it's even
See ALCOHOL, Page 7A
MSA ELECTIONS
Issue with registrar delays
MIA MA RINO/Daily
PostSecret creator Frank Warren speaks on Friday at the Michigan Theatre. Warren posts 20 new anonymous postcards to his
website PostSecret.com every Sunday. He has also published five books, most recently "Confessions of Life, Death and God."
MAKIN IHLGRAr
official MSA election results Site gives students advice on papers
Results are expected
to be certified today
after bureaucratic
hurdle gets cleared
By STEPHANIE STEINBERG
Daily StaffReporter
Because of a conflict between
administration officials and the
Michigan Student Assembly, about
five to10 newly elected MSA mem-
bers will not be sworn in as sched-
uled tomorrow.
Student Affairs Program Man-
ager and MSA Adviser Anika Awai-
Williams must first verify with the
University's Office of the Registrar
that candidates are enrolled in the
school theyare elected to represent
before they can be seated. She must
also check their uniqnames and
student identification numbers.
In previous years, Awai-Williams
has been given immediate access
to the data. But Williams has been
on medical leave for the last four
weeks, and the Office of the Regis-
trar refuses to release the informa-
tion to any other MSA official.
MSA fall election polls closed last
Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. On Wednes-
See MSA ELECTIONS, Page 3A
Experts provide
writing feedback on
Mindbounce.com
By BETHANY BIRON
Daily StaffReporter
The days of waiting around for
feedback from your professor or
Graduate Student Instructor on a
midterm paper may soon beover.
Miodhounce.com, a new online given a nurturing environment,"
company, aims to provide students Speagle said. "And I think that's
with the ability to connect with what Mindbounce offers."
writing professionals around the President and Founder Said
nation who can provide feedback Hamideh originally started the
on students' writing. company this past August after
Gordan Speagle, Mindbounce's encountering difficulty finding
quality assurance manager, said he help for his master's thesis.
thinks writing isn't simply a skill "He felt there should be a service
that "you either have or you don't." out there that allows people to get
"I think everyone can learn to feedback from writing profession-
get feedback and help cultivate als who can give them constructive
their own writing style if they're See WEBSITE, Page 3A
"Oak
WEATHER H:36
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