9 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, March 11, 2010 - 7A
ON THE EDGE OF DISCOVERY
Former Detroit
city councilwoman
sentenced to three
years in prison
Engineering sophomore Alexandria Dulchavsky studies outside of Palmer Commons yesterday.
DEPRESSION
From Page 1A
"What you're doing is serving
as voices...and the voices need to
go back home and do things that
make a difference," Greden said.
The University Educational
Theater Company, led by director
Callie McKee, performed during
the conference's opening. Titled
"Invisible: Student Voices, Mental
Health, and the College Experi-
ence," the performance addressed
the stigmas attached to mental
health issues and the importance
of recognizing the prevalence of
depression.
The Heard, an organization
which aims to eliminate the stig-
ma related to mental health issues
and to promote an open discus-
sion surrounding mental health,
was also present at the confer-
ence.
FEAGIN
From Page 1A
ways and that he could benefit from
the forgiving provisions of the Hol-
mes Act.
While presiding over the court,
Brown encouraged Feagin to make
the best of his opportunity to erase
the serious drug charges from his
record through the youthful train-
ee process.
"The last thing I want to see is
you to fail here," Brown told Feagin.
In a set of interviews Feagin,
his mother Linda and his attorney
Nicholas Leydorf said they were
satisfied with the outcome of the
sentencing proceeding.
Leydorf said his main concern
coming into the sentencing was
ensuring that Feagin would be able
to leave the state of Michigan.
In order for Feagin - who now
plays football at Texas Southern
University - to be able to leave
Michigan, his probation must be
transferred to the jurisdiction he
moves to. But according to Leydorf,
Washtenaw County's probation
division has been uncooperative at
times in the probation transfer pro-
cedure.
During the sentencing, Ley-
dorf asked Brown to accelerate the
transfer process. Brown agreed to
do so, saying Feagin would be free
to leave the state upon payment of
Colleen Coffey, program man-
ager of The Heard, spoke to Uni-
versity students at one of the
conference's workshops. Coffey
said in an interview that the pur-
pose of her workshop is to edu-
cate students - about depression
and inspire them to bring mental
health to the forefront of the cam-
pus conversation.
About a quarter of college stu-
dents will be diagnosed with a
mental illness but all of them will
experience mental health issues
at some point in their lives, Cof-
fey said.
Coffey added that, over the
past 10 years, the number of col-
lege students with depression has
doubled and the number of stu-
dents who have expressed suicid-
al thoughts has tripled. She said
despite the trend, mental health
issues remain taboo.
"Most people don't understand
these issues, and what they don't
understand, they tend to stray
away from," she said.
At the workshop, Coffey told
students her own personal story
about depression. She said she
began to feel signs of the illness
when she was four years old and
by eighth grade she despised her
parents, stole her father's car and
fled to St. Louis as a result of the
disease.
Forced to repeat the eighth
grade at a boarding school, Coffey
said she began coping with her
depression through an eating dis-
order and was sent home before
her parents put her in a mental
hospital.
Coffey said she completed
high school, attended Belmont
University and acquired a mas-
ter's degree from Eastern Illi-
nois University. Throughout that
time she said she was in and out
of treatment and struggled with
episodes of depression during
her parents' divorce and a harsh
break up.
By sharing her story, Coffey
said she hoped to break down the
stigma that caused most students
to associate the term "mental
health" with people like Britney
Spears and Michael Jackson.
"The next time that you think
about mental health, I want you
to think about me...I am a doctoral
student, a good employee...a fully
functional member of society in
spite of the things I have gone
through," she said.
Coffey ended the workshop
with a dialogue on how to make
mental illness something stu-
dents at the University can feel
comfortable discussing.
"We are not just talking about
illnesses that are stigmatized,"
Coffey said. "We're talking about
people who mean something to
the world...who are missing out
on life."
Judge refuses to set
aside Monica
Conyers's guilty
plea for bribery
DETROIT (AP) - A former
Detroit city councilwoman was
sentenced to more than three
years in prison yesterday for brib-
ery after a federal judge refused
to set aside her guilty plea during
a stormy court hearing dominated
by a dispute over evidence of other
payoffs.
As guards cleared the packed
courtroom, Monica Conyers yelled
that she planned to appeal. The
wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers,
D-Mich., wanted to withdraw her
guilty plea, suggesting she was
the victim of "badgering" last year
when she admitted taking cash
to support a Houston company's
sludge contract with the city.
But U.S. District Judge Avern
Cohn, reviewing a transcript of
the June hearing, said Conyers had
denied any coercion and voluntari-
ly pleaded guiltyto conspiracy.
Conyers, 45, is the biggest catch
so far in the FBI's wide-ranging
investigation of corruption in
Detroit city government. Nine
people have pleaded guilty, includ-
ing two former directors of the
downtown convention center, and
prosecutors have promised more
charges are coming.
"Bribery is a betrayalof trust,"
Cohn told Conyers after announc-
ing a 37-month prison term for her
"egregious" crime. She quit the
FINANCIAL AID
From Page 1A
from $4,731 to $5,350 in the past
two academic years.
Consistent with the national
trend, the number of Univer-
sity students that applied for Pell
Grants or was eligible for federal
aid also increased. Pamela Fowler,
executive financial aid director at
the University, said the number of
University students applying for
federal financial aid increased from
22,091 to 24,592 students.
Many University students who
had previously been denied finan-
cial aid asked the University's
Office of Financial Aid to reassess
their Free Application for Federal
Student Aid applications, Fowler
wrote in an e-mail interview. The
office, she wrote, experienced a
40-percent increase in the number
of students seeking reassessment
this year.
Echoing Kantrowitz's senti-
ments, Fowler wrote that more
students applied for financial aid
because of the recession, but added
that she expects the number of
applicants to taper for the next aca-
demic year.
"Our target freshman class size
for fall2010 is about the same as fall
2009, so the number of aid applica-
RESTAURANT
From Page 1A
"I don't know about that res-
taurant. I have never seen the
menu," Hong said. "Anyway, I
don't care because I just make
my own food, and that's it."
Entrees at Tian Chu include
marinated beef short ribs, spicy
seafood noodle soup and chick-
en katsu. Appetizers consist of
spring rolls, Korean-style sushi
and seafood pancakes, among
others.
Cui said she has a long history
of working at restaurants, add-
ing that she started working in
the food service industry at the
age of 10 when her parents ran a
Korean restaurant in China.
After she graduated from col-
lege, Cui and her family moved
to Hungary, where they spent
the next 15 years managing five
restaurants in Budapest.
In 2002, Cui moved to Ann
Arbor. After searching for the
perfect location to open a res-
taurant, Cui settled on East Wil-
liam Street to provide another
option for Asian cuisine for stu-
dents on campus.
"There aren't enough Korean
restaurants in the area," Cui
said. "I have a lot experience
with Korean cuisine, and I think
there is enough of a demand
from the students and those liv-
ing in Ann Arbor."
council after pleading guilty in
June.
Conyers'pleadealwaslimitedto
takingbribes to support a contract
with Synagro worth $47 million a
year. But the recent trial of her for-
mer aide, Sam Riddle, exposed a
series of alleged schemes involving
others making payoffs to do busi-
ness at city hall.
Prosecutors said Riddle and
Conyers collected $69,500 by
shaking people down and urged
Cohn to consider the alleged
crimes when sentencing her.
Defense lawyer Steve Fishman
firmly objected and demanded a
separate hearing.
Conyers declared, "I'm not
going to jail for something I didn't
do."
Cohn had handled the Riddle
trial and said he agreed with pros-
ecutors that the evidence was
relevant. Considering it in the sen-
tencing would have boosted Cony-
ers' guidelines and given the judge
justification to send her to prison
for as long as five years. But Cohn
changed his mind - and she got a
break.
"The sentence will be based
solely on conviction," Cohn said. -
Earlier this year, jurors at the
Riddle trial heard secretly taped
phone calls in which he and Cony-
ers discussed money,hbank deposits
and how to split cash.
In a November 2007 call, Cony-
ers told Riddle, "You'd better get
myloot."On another call,business-
man Rayford Jackson, who passed
bribes to Conyers for her sludge
vote, said, "You're my girl. Don't
forgetthat."
tions should be comparable to this
year," Fowler wrote in the e-mail.
To meet students' financial
needs, Fowler wrote that the Uni-
versity expanded its financial aid
budget, adding the funds raised by
the President's Donor Challenge,
led by University President Mary
Sue Coleman.
As part of her Donor's Challenge
campaign, Coleman said the Uni-
versity would match dollar for dol-
lar funds raised by the University's
Office of Development during the
Michigan Difference Campaign,
which ended in November 2008.
According to Fowler, Coleman's
campaign raised about $4 mil-
lion in need-based scholarships
for undergraduate students for the
current academic year.
For some students, the deci-
sion to enroll in the University was
heavily affected by the recession
and the amount of financial aid
available to them.
Business sophomore Mikhail
George said he received a scholar-
ship to help cover his tuition costs.
George added that he would not
have been able to attend the Uni-
versity without the funds awarded
by the scholarship.
"Thebad economyledtotougher
times, less money, so I had to con-
sider my debt when I graduate in
this bad economy," George said.
With Tian Chu only in its sec-
ond week, students have just
begun to discover the new res-
taurant in town. Cui said the
restaurant suffered from hav-
ing its grand opening during the
middle of the University's spring
break and that few customers
came in.
So far, the restaurant has
received mixed reviews from
students.
"I have had Korean food
before, and have been going to
Maru since the beginning of the
year," School of Music, Theater
& Dance junior Ed Grumeretz
said, adding the food was not as
good at Tian Chu. "I had the jap
chae and fried squid rolls, and it
was mediocre at best."
Though Tian Chu hasn't been
open long, Cui said she plans
to make several changes in the
coming days. She said she hopes
to put several more dishes on
the menu and add the bubble
tea drink, a favorite among stu-
dents. In addition, Cui said she
wants to have a karaoke station
at the restaurant in the near
future.
"We have been really busy
this past week getting settled
into the new restaurant, and it
is critical that we take care of
the most important things first,
which is the quality of the food,"
Cui said. "But now, we are look-
ing for new ways to enhance the
experience for customers."
TOREHAN SH ARMAN/Da
Justin Feagin's attorney Nicholas Leydorf (third from right) talks to Judge Archie Brown during Feagin's sentencing yesterday.
a few fees and filing of requisite
paperwork.
Leydorf said Feagin's lack of sup-
port in Michigan would have made
an elongated stay in the state diffi-
cult.
"He has no family up here
(in Michigan), no place to live.
I would have let him stay at my
place," Leydorf joked in an inter-
view. "But things worked out here
today."
Aside from his advocacy, Leydorf
credited an understanding judge
and cooperative prosecutors with
the favorable sentencing outcome.
Linda Feagin was similarly
relieved that this chapter of her
son's life could now be put behind
him. Her mother and sister passed
away this past Friday and Mon-
day respectively, and she said the
favorable outcome of her son's case
provided some much-appreciated
relief.
"It's been a tough period, but at
least this isbehind us now," she said
in an interview.
Feagin said he also looks for-
ward to moving ahead with his life.
While cautious about discussing
specific long-term plans, he said he
will continue to stay "loyal" to his
new team at Texas Southern Uni-
versity.
"There might be other cross-
roads," he said in an interview.
"But I'll deal with them when
they come."
f ;,
EARTH DAY
From Page 1A
to protecting our environment,"
Coleman is quoted in the release
as saying. "This year's Earth Day
activities are an opportune time
to reflect on the past four decades
and focus on solutions for the
future."
Earth Day, which is commemo-
rated on April 22 every year, was
born out of a massive teach-in at
the University in 1970, when more
than 15,000 people packed Crisler
Arena to learn about the environ-
ment. The event included several
notables like musician Gordon
Lightfoot, environmentalist
Barry Commoner, advocate Ralph
Nader and politician Edmund
Muskie.
As part of this year's festivi-
ties, a similar event - though on a
much smaller scale - will be held
at the Michigan League on March
25. The event is meant to high-
light several issues related to the
environment and to promote the
University's new sustainability
initiative. It will feature student-
moderated panels of industry
experts and faculty members.
In a separate press release
expected to be released this
morning, Prof. Don Scavia, who
serves as special counsel on sus-
tainability to Coleman and is also
the director of the Graham Envi-
ronmental Sustainability Insti-
tute, called the event a sign of the
value the University places on
sustainability.
"Our 40th Anniversary Earth
Day Teach-In provides a good
example of the University of
Michigan's strong commitment to
sustainability," Scavia is quoted
as saying. "Engaging the commu-
nity and building public aware-
ness at a local level is essential for
positive progress toward sustain-
ability on a global scale."
Many other events - more
than 30 in all - will take place
throughout the rest of the semes-
ter.
White House official John
Holdren, who serves as assistant
to the president for science and
technology, will also take part in
the University's Earth Day cel-
ebration - delivering the ninth
annual Peter M. Wege Lecture on
March 22. Holdren is expected to
discuss plans for the nearly $148
billion for federal research and
development President Barack
Obama set forth in his budget
proposal to Congress.
As part of the festivities, a
forum at the Ross School of Busi-
ness on how ethics and the econo-
my interact with the environment
will take place tomorrow.
In addition, an environment
fair on the Diag aimed at rais-
ing awareness of environmental
efforts on campus will be held
in early April and a BioBlitz - in
which students will work to iden-
tify as many species as possible
at Nichols Arboretum - will take
place on April 10.
On April 1, a sustainable fash-
ion show encouraging organic
and fair trade clothing purchas-
es will be held in the Michigan
Union.
LSA senior Matt Gacioch, who
has worked with officials to help
coordinate this year's Earth Day
events, said the fashion show is a
good example of how students can
lead more sustainable lifestyles.
"You don't need to go out and
buy really expensive, new clothes
or the expensive new clothes that
you buy can be more sustain-
able and more eco-conscious,"
Gacioch said.
Nancy Connell, director of
strategic communications for the
University, said other activities
on campus are being expanded to
increase awareness of environ-
mental issues. For instance, Uni-
versity Housing Residence Halls
have offered sustainable meals in
the past featuring food from local
vendors and this year University
officials are planning to expand
the practice.
"This year, instead of doing
only the residence halls, they will
also do it in the eating establish-
ments in the Union so that there's
a broader awareness," Connell
explained.
A full listing of events being
offered to the campus community
can be found on the University's
new Earth Day website that will
be launched later today.
University officials will also
be posting flyers and banners
across campus to promote the
series of Earth Day activities and
to encourage those on campus to
live more sustainable lifestyles.
Connell said the University's
decision to highlight environ-
mental sustainability fits nicely
with Coleman's new campus sus-
tainability initiative.
"When you look at the history
and then you look at the tie in to
U-M sustainability, it seemed nat-
ural that a way to do this would
be to make more of a celebration
out of Earth Day and to make it
not just an administrative-driven
or academic-driven thing, but to
bring the students in also," she
said.
Connell added that the cam-
pus events would serve two pur-
poses - to raise awareness, and
through that, to educate students
and members of the University
community.
"The more you understand why
you're doing something, the more
inclined you are toward doing it,"
Connell said.