Backup goalie Shawn SHunwick stepped in/ J Move to a hip urban environrment with for an injured Bryan vague aspirations, go to exclusive after- Hogan and earned a shutout win over Not Sparties and do nothing, says HBO. Dame on Senior Nigh PAGE 5 PAGE 8 (14e1* Iidciigan0 aIlj Ann Arbor, Michigan STEM CELL RESEARCH Battle brews over possible tightening of stem cell laws Friday, February 26,2010 michigandaily.com PAINFUL RELIEF 'U' researchers, students concerned over bills in state Senate committee By VALIANT LOWITZ Daily StaffReporter A package of bills moving through the Michigan Senate could add additional restrictions to embryonic stem cell research in the state, much to the dismay of University researchers and stu- dent groups alike. State legislators are currently seeking to amend requirements outlined in a 2008 statewide ballot initiative that loosened restrictions on using embryonic stem cell lines for research, known as Proposal 2. The legislators are also looking to establish stricter penalties for those who violate the new rules. One component of the proposed legislation is to change the defini- tion of the phrase "not suitable for implantation," which is the classi- fication for the embryos scientists use for research under the 2008 ballot initiative. Currently embryos are clas- sified as not suitable for imple- mentation if they have diseases or other defects, but if the bill passes the classification would include embryos that lack the potential for successful implantation, gestation or healthy development. In effect, critics of the bill say that the new laws would force patients to discard embryos with diseases, which could otherwise be used for research to cure those diseases. According to Sean Morrison, director of the University's Center for Stem Cell Biology Research, this definition would greatly inhibit researchers' abilities to find potential cures to serious diseases. "The vast majority of embryos that are discarded as being unsuit- able for clinical use are not known to have defects in implantation or fetal development," Morri- son wrote in an e-mail interview. "They are discarded because they are known to have diseases that will lead to death sometime after birth." Morrison wrote that if the bills are passed, the pool of usable embryos for research would decrease. "These bills will force patients to throw away embryos affected by serious diseases rather than donating them for stem cell research," Morrison wrote. See STEM CELLS, Page 7 SAMANTHA TRAUBEN/Daily Acupuncturist Li Coger demonstrates how to use acupuncture to alleviate back pain on her son Aaron, during a talk she gave in an honors seminar yesterday. UNIVERSrITY RESE A RuCH $14.8M from NIH to renovate, expand renowned institute By LILLIAN XIAO Daily StaffReporter The University's Institute of Social Research received a $14.8 million grant yesterday for reno- vating and constructing new additions to its Thompson Street location. The National Institutes of Health awarded the funds to the ISR through the American Recov- ery and Reinvestment Act. The ARRA recently allotted the NIH $8.2 billion in funding to help the economy through the advance- ment of scientific research, according to recovery.nih.gov. The grant for the ISR will raise the total ARRA stimulus funding for the institute to $48.3 million, according to a press release dis- tributed yesterday by the office of United States Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.). "ISR is internationally renowned and respected around the nation for the work they accomplish," Dingell wrote in the press release. "This grant will allow ISR to continue and expand upon its distinguished research." The institute engages in an array of research areas in the social and behavioral sciences, ranging from economics and psy- chology to political science. ISR Director James Jackson said the ISR was selected for the endowment after an NIH scien- tific panel reviewed applications from various scientific research institutes. Jackson said the review pro- cess focused on both the quality of research tobe funded and the fea- sibility of the funding proposals. "Those were the two big ele- ments in the grant," Jackson said, "How would this improve the sci- ence we do at ISR? And how the building would facilitate this." Jackson said the money will be used solely for constructing and renovating the ISR Thomp- son Street site, which will include building three main areas - data storage, gathering facilities and research space. The renova- tion will include the addition of 50,000 square feet to the building, See ISR, Page 7 HOW MANY DUM DUMS DOES IT TAKE... B i CAMPUS CRIME 'U' students charged in fed. court for fake ID shipment Federal agents intercepted package with 48 fake IDs Staff and Wire Reports Two University students and one Michigan State University stu- dent have been charged in federal court after authorities intercepted a FedEx package from Toronto with 48 fakeID cards, according to The Associated Press. The package was being shipped to an apartment in Ann Arbor, according to the AP. LSA sopho- mores Barak Leibovitz and Samuel Hamburger were confronted by immigration agentsyesterday. Michigan State University freshman Zachary Firestone was arrested when he drove from East Lansing to pick up 21 of the 48 ID cards, federal agents told the AP. Hamburger said in an interview that he is not involved in the inci- dent outside of the fact that he lives with Leibovitz. "I have nothing to do with this," Hamburger told The Michigan Daily. "I justsigned my name when a package came to the house. I had nothing to do with this whole ID operation." Agents say Michigan State Uni- versity student Zachary Firestone was arrested when he drove from East Lansing to pick up 21 of the 48 cards, according to the AP. In the interview, Hamburger said the incident is being blown out of proportion and that right now he's only concerned about the negative media attention. "Everything is being blown out of proportion," Hamburger said. "We are all doing fine. Everything is fine." - The Associated Press and Daily Staff Reporter Devon Thorsby contributed to this report. Engineering senior Edward Wagner uses deductive reasoning to try to guess the number of dum dum suckers in the jar at the FUNgineering festival yesterday. The festival was part of Engineers Week. LOCAL GOVERNMENT City Council to vote on texting ban UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION 'U' official Hage to take helm of general counsel's office at EMU Law would prohibit using GPS and other devices in car, on bike By A. BRAD SCHWARTZ Daily StaffReporter Using electronic devices like cell phones, computers or GPS units while driving may soon be illegal in Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor City Council will vote on a resolution on Mon- day banning the use of handheld electronic devices while operat- ing a car or bicycle on Ann Arbor's streets. City Council voted to con- sider the ban at their meeting last week. Councilmember Stephen Rapundalo (D-Ward 2), who pro- posed the ordinance, told coun- cilmembers at the meeting that driving while using an. electronic device is "a major public safety concern." "I think we've all experienced at one time or another, while driving, seeing somebody else who wasn't paying attention because of their distraction with cell phone use and caused either near accidents or accidents," he said. The ordinance specifically bans the use of a handheld electronic device to "talk or listen to another See CITY COUNCIL, Page 7 Hage starts new job on Monday after 18 years at the 'U' By DARRYN FITZGERALD Daily StaffReporter Officials at Eastern Michigan University announced last week that a top attorney for the Uni- versity of Michigan will be head- ing to EMU to take over as the school's general counsel. Gloria Hage, who will begin her appointment on Monday, will join the EMU executive team after an 18-year run at the Uni- versity of Michigan. She is leaving her current position as associate vice president and deputy general counsel in the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel, a position she has held since 2003. "I have learned a lot during my time here and I feel very fortu- nate to have been able to serve the University for the 18 years that I have," Hage said of her time at the University. Suellyn Scarnecchia, vice pres- ident and general counsel at the University and Hage's boss, said the University was supportive of See HAGE, Page 7 WEATHER HI:35 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail TOMORROW LO: 29 news@michigandaily.com and let us know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILYCOM Daily Arts's weekend concert guide. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE FILTER INDEX Vol. CXX, No. 103 ©201 The Michigan Daily michigandoilv.cow NEWS ...............................2 ARTS..................... 5 SUDOKU.............................. 3 CLASSIFIEDS....................6 O PINIO N................. ...........4 ARTS... ............................ 8 '