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March 16, 2010 - Image 3

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The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 - 3

NEWS BRIEFS
MINDEN, Mich.
Michigan's only
Wolverine found
dead in Minden
The Wolverine State has lost its
only known wild wolverine.
The body of the 28-pound
female was found Saturday along
a trail in Michigan's Thumb. The
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources and Environment is
conducting tests on the body.
"There's no visible indications
of the cause of death," Arnie Karr,
a wildlife biologist for thi depart-
ment, told The Bay City Times.
"According to the conservation
officers, it did not appear that she
had been dead very long."
Wolverines are the largest land-
living members of the weasel fam-
ily. The aquatic sea otter is larger.
Most North American wolverines
are found in the northern woods
and tundra of Alaska and Canada.
Until six years ago, the last
known Michigan sightings of wol-
verines were in the early 1800s.
Their reputation as fierce hunters
led to their selection as a mascot
for the state and for the University
of Michigan's sports teams.
LOS ANGELES
Ballot bid from pot
advocates gets
rejected in Calif.
Medical marijuana advocates
have failed to gather enough sig-
natures for a ballot measure chal-
lenging a new Los Angeles law
that will shutter hundreds of pot
dispensaries.
Lead organizer Dan Halbert
said Monday his coalition had
gathered about 15,000 voter sig-
natures. The group needed more
than 27,400 by Monday to put the
measure on a ballot.
Halbert's dispensary, the Rain-
forest Collective, is one of hun-
dreds that would have to close
under the new ordinance that caps
the number of pot dispensaries at
70.
About 128 dispensaries that
registered before 2007 would be
exempt.
SAN DIEGO
Toyota dismisses
man 's account of
* runaway Prius
Toyota Motor Corp. dismissed
the story of a man who claimed
his Prius sped out of control on the
California freeway, saying Monday
that its own tests found the car's
gas pedal and backup safety system
were working just fine.
The automaker stopped short
of saying James Sikes had staged a
hoax last week but said his account
did not square with a series of tests
it conducted on the gas-electric
hybrid.
"We have no opinion on his
account, what he's been saying,
other than that the scenario is not
consistent with the technical find-

ings," spokesman Mike Michels
told a press conference.
The episode March 8 was among
the highest-profile headaches Toy-
ota has suffered in recent months.
It recalled more than 8 million cars
and trucks worldwide because gas
pedals can become stuck in the
down position or be snagged by
floor mats. Dozens of Toyota driv-
ers have reported problems even
after their cars were supposedly
fixed.
PARIS
Deals made in
French election
France's Socialists on Monday
worked to secure alliances with
rival leftists going into next week-
end's final round of regional elec-
tions, an attempt to bolster their
front against President Nicolas
Sarkozy's struggling conserva-
tives.
In Sunday's first-round ballot-
ing, Sarkozy's party suffered a
national beating by voters who took
their frustrations over the eco-
nomic crisis to the ballot box and
clearly favored his leftist challeng-
ers for the governments of France's
26 regions. The decisive runoff is
March 21.
Leftist political parties were
scrambling to put together winning
alliances for the final round. Any
party with more than 10 percent
in round one can team up with any
party that won more than 5 percent
and present a joint list of candi-
dates in Sunday's runoff.
- Compiled from
Daily wire reports

GOOGLE
From Page 1
that her group plans to hold a
YouTube contest in which com-
munity members will submit 2-3
minute videos explaining how
Google Fiber would benefit Ann
Arbor.
The contest is set to begin
Wednesday with a kickoff party
at Weber's Inn, Raycraft said.
She added that the winners will
receive either a new iPad or
one of several gift certificates
redeemable at area businesses.
Raycraft said her group plans
to use the winning video to send
REACCREDITATION
From Page 1
to ensure people would feel com-
fortable voicing their concerns.
"It's private," she said. "It's a
confidential conversation."
Immediately before entering the
open meeting for University fac-
ulty, Celestino Fernandez, chair of
the HLC team, also said the pur-
pose of the meetings was to pro-
vide faculty, staff and students the
chance to speak openly to the HLC
about any comments or concerns
they have about the University.
Fernandez said the job of the
HLC is-to both assess the Uni-
versity and offer suggestions for
improvement.
"We wear two hats - consultants
and evaluators," Fernandez said.
Theresa Reid, executive director
of Arts on Earth, which is a collab-
oration between the School of Art
and Design, the Taubmen College
of Architecture and Urban Plan-
ning and the College of Engineer-
ing, attended the open meeting for
University staff.
Reid said the members of the
HLC asked those in attendance
how they impacted the student
learning experience and if they felt
SACUA
From Page 1
University in terms of their infor-
mation technology resources and
said the University is currently
considered to be middle of the .
road in this area.
One initiative to bring the Uni-
versity back to the forefront of
information technology and save
money at the same time, Patterson
said, is to combine three informa-
tion technology groups - Michi-
gan Administrative Services,
information technology Security
and Information Technology Cen-
tral Services.
Patterson said the consolidation
of the three organizations "went
live" last April in the form of IT
Services.
"The goal of bringing that orga-
nization together was to look at
how the central groups could
rationalize their services and
cut costs," Patterson told SACUA
members.
The consolidation of the three
groups has cut $7 million from
IT yearly expenditures. However,
Patterson said she is looking to cut
costs in other ways as well. She
stressed the importance of "ratio-
nalization" a University-wide
initiative to determine the best
source of information technol-

ogy service and at the same time,
identify ways of reducing "redun-
dancy."
"When you hear about IT ratio-
nalization, it's an initiative to look
at a whole list of services and deter-
GENERAL COUNSEL
FromPage 1
Fleming Administration Building.
In a statement released yester-
day, Scarnecchia said Masson was
truly the best candidate for the
position.
"As an experienced and success-
ful litigator, David brings broad
and deep knowledge of the Uni-
versity and legal community to the
role," Scarnecchia said in a state-
ment.
Throughout his time in the
Office of the General Counsel,
Masson has specialized in labor
and employment matters. Prior
to joining the University's legal
team, Masson worked as the chief
assistant corporation counsel for
the Labor/Worker Compensation
Division of the City of Detroit Law
Department.
Masson is a University alum.
He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science with

to Google endorsing Ann Arbor
as a trial site.
"What Google wants to see is
community involvement," Ray-
craft said.
Another community organi-
zation - Ann Arbor SPARK - is
alsobacking the city's efforts,
according to Elizabeth Parkin-
son, SPARK's vice president of
marketing and communications.
SPARK aims to foster eco-
nomic development county-
wide through things such as
sponsoring educational forums
for entrepreneurs. According
to Parkinson, Google Fiber's
ultra-high-speed Internet would
encourage the expansion of
valued by the University.
Reid said the members of the
HLC were "flabbergasted" by
the optimism they saw in spite of
Michigan's economic woes.
Jon Cameron, an equipment
coordinator for LSA instructional
support services, also attended
the staff forum and said everyone
in attendance gushed about how
great it is to work at the University.
Prof.Shak Ketefian, who teach-
es in the School of Nursing and was
at the faculty meeting, said much
of the conversation in the faculty
forum was centered around bud-
getary concerns and international-
ization programs.
Many of the faculty members
in the meeting complimented the
way the University involved faculty
members in budgetary decisions,
according to Ketefian, but many
said they were concerned about
the uncertainty of the future of the
University's budget.
Ketefian also said some of the
faculty felt there was a need for
greater budgetary commitment to
international programs. There was
discussion, she said, of a new pro-
gram in which University Presi-
dent Mary Sue Coleman's office
promises to match any donation
made to international programs.
mine what is the best source of the
service for the University at the
best price point." Patterson said.
One way this initiative could be
put into action is through consoli-
dating e-mail services on campus
into one system run by one unit,
like the University's Hospital, or to
outsource it to a third party vendor.
Currently the University's e-mail is
not managed by one system.
Patterson also said the Univer-
sity spends about $300 million
a year on information technol-
ogy services and she believes
it wastes money on "redundant
activities."
Patterson said the Univer-
sity could reinvest money it saves
through information technology
cost cutting measures into a "more
robust infrastructure" and useful
tools like video conferencing and
more advanced forms of commu-
nication.
Patterson said the current
infrastructure of the University's
information technology opera-
tions would be an issue when the
North Campus Research Complex
opens because it could make it dif-
ficult for those who work there to
collaborate.
Because units like the Univer-
sity's Hospital and Medical School
operate differently than other
units in terms of information tech-
nology, partnerships may be more

difficult.
Patterson said that in order to
improve all areas of information
technology, a consultant has been
hired to provide "third party eyes."
The consulting group, Accenture,
distinction from the University
and earned his law degree from
Wayne State University's Law
School.
Marchack will fill the other
associate vice president and dep-
uty general counsel position when
she arrives on campus on April
5. Her position will involve help-
ing Scarnecchia to oversee legal
affairs at the University of Michi-
gan Health System.
The position was left vacant
after Edward Goldmanleft the post
at the end of 2008 to become a pro-
fessor in the University's School
of Medicine. From that point until
her departure at the beginning of
the month, Hage served as interim
associate vice president and depu-
ty general counsel for the UMHS.
In a press release issued yes-
terday, Scarnecchia praised
Marchack's depth of experience.
"Margaret's extensive experi-
ence in health care law at local,
regional and national levels will
add valuable expertise and per-

information technology compa-
nies - like Internet or software
developers - within the commu-
nity.
"We have a nice base of com-
panies that could benefit and
grow and expand through this,"
Parkinson said in an interview.
Parkinson added that SPARK
believes Ann Arbor will emerge
as a strong contender for the trial
location.
"People have such a sense of
pride about being an innovative
community and being recog-
nized as such," Parkinson said.
The city's application for the
broadband network is due by
March 26.
Every time the University gets
reaccredited, University officials
choose a specific topic for in-depth
attention in pursuit of improve-
ment. This time around, the Univer-
sity is focusing its special emphasis
study on internationalization.
In an interview with the Daily in
January, University Provost Teresa
Sullivan said University officials
chose internalization because they
are considering reevaluating Uni-
versity study abroad programs.
"We're thinking about different
models," Sullivan told the Daily at
the time. "I think the old model of
spending one semester of my junior
year in Florence isn't what people
want to do for study abroad any-
more."
"I think that they've got differ-
ent ideas in mind. Maybe it would
be three weeks in Beijing and three
weeks in Nairobi and comparing
and contrasting what you saw in
terms of water treatment systems
in those two places," she said in
January. "There's a lot more ways
to make it relevant to your program
and more than tourism."
An open meeting for students
was also held yesterday.
- Daily News Editor Kyle
Swanson contributed to this report.
will make recommendations to
the University as a whole as well
as the deans of specific units about
the best ways to reduce costs.
According to Patterson, the deans
have the option to accept or deny
the recommendations, unless the
provost decides to intervene.
Patterson said she also plans
to create committees and groups
within the University to help
improve information technology
on campus.
"What we have tried to doit is to
look at decision-making for infor-
mation technology, not looking at
the University's traditional hierar-
chy, but by looking at domains of
shared interest or domains of the
mission of the University," Patter-
son said.
To consolidate these interests,
four domains will be created that
reflect four areas to research
improvements in information
technology at the University.
The four groups will be
research, libraries and digital
repositories, clinical care and
learning and teaching. An expert
in the area will head each division.
For example, Dean of Libraries
Paul Courant is expected to lead
the libraries and digital reposito-
ries domain.
Patterson said there will also be
a "technology council" comprised
of about twelve members. The

council will make recommenda-
tions to the executive officers on
the priority of information tech-
nology investments and help to
develop the vision for information
technology at the University.
spective to our busy Health Sys-
tem Legal Office," Scarnecchia
said in a statement. "This is a field
that changes rapidly and her prac-
tice has been and will continue to
be on the cutting edge."
Marchack is currently a share-
holder with Hall, Render, Killian,
Heath and Lyman, PLLC - a
national health care law firm in
Troy, Mich. Her latest specialty
is health information technology,
though she has focused on other
areas within health law in her
nearly 30 years of private practice.
Marchack has also worked for
the U.S. Attorney's Office, pros-
ecuting civil health care fraud
cases, and has served as an in-
house attorney for Mercy Health
Services.
Marchack is also a University
alum, where she earned aBachelor
of Arts degree with honors and a
Master of Business Administra-
tion degree. She, too, is a graduate
of Wayne State University's Law
School.

Biden's visit to
Israel ignites
fire storm in
U.S. Congress

Lawmakers criticize
administration's
public condemnation
of settlements
WASHINGTON (AP) - The
Obama administration's fierce
denunciationofIsraellast weekhas
ignited a firestorm in Congress and
among powerful pro-Israel inter-
est groups who say the criticism
of America's top Mideast ally was
misplaced.
Since the controversy erupted,
a bipartisan parade of influential
lawmakers and interestcgroups has
taken aim at the administration's
decisiontopublicly condemnIsrael
for its announcement of new Jew-
ish housingin east Jerusalem while
Vice President Joe Biden was vis-
iting on Tuesday and then openly
vent bitter frustration on Friday.
With diplomats from both coun-
tries referring to the situation as
a crisis, the outpouring of anger
in the United States, particularly
from Capitol Hill, comes at a dif-
ficult time for the administration,
which is now tryingto win support
from wary lawmakers - many of
whom are up for re-election this
year - for health care reform and
other domestic issues.
And those criticizing the admin-
istration's unusuallybluntresponse
to Israel say they fear it may have
distracted from and done damage
to efforts to relaunch long-stalled
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
"It might be well if our friends
in the administration and other
places in the United States could
start refocusing our efforts on the
peace process," Sen. John McCain,
R-Ariz., said Monday.
"Now we've had our spat. We've
had our family fight, and it's time
for us now to stop and get our eye
back on the goal, which is the com-
mencement of the Israeli-Palestin-
ian peace talks," he said.
McCain and Sen. Joe Lieber-
man, I-Conn., both urged the
administration to ease the tone of
the dispute, which they said was
demonstrating disunity and weak-
ness to steadfast allies of Iran.
"Let's cut the family fighting, the
family feud," Lieberman said. "It's
unnecessary; it's destructive of our
shared nationalinterest.It'satime to
lower voices, to get over the family
feud between the U.S. and Israel. It
just doesn't serve anybody's inter-
ests but our enemies."
At least eight other lawmakers
REGENTS
From Page 1
Others recommended by
Coleman to receive an honor-
ary degree at this spring's com-
mencement ceremony include
Jean Campbell, who founded the
University's Center for the Edu-
cation of Women, and Charles
Vest - president of the National
Academy of Engineering. Both are
being recommended for a Doctor
of Laws degree.
Coleman is also recommending
that Stanford Ovshinsky - presi-
dent of Ovshinsky Innovation
LLC - receive an honorary Doc-
tor of Science degree. Ovshinsky
is an inventor with hundreds of
patents to his name, including a
battery technology widely used in

today's portable electronics and
technology needed for a wider use
of hydrogen.
Susan Stamberg, a special
correspondent for National
Public Radio, is being recom-
mended for an honorary Doctor
of Human Letters degree and
Ornette Coleman, a jazz musi-
cian, is being recommended for
an honorary Doctor of Music
degree.
REGENTS TO CONSIDER $3.8
MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION
The regents will also consider
requests for $3.8 million in repairs
to two buildings on campus on
Thursday.
The regents are expected to
approve the request for $2.2 mil-
lion tocorrect air penetration and
condensation problems within
the James and Anne Duderstadt
Center. It's anticipated that the
regents will allocate an additional
$1.6 million to fix exterior and

have offered similar concerns, and
more are expected to weighin after
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton upbraided Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
for the housing announcement in
a tense and lengthy phone call on
Friday and White House officials
repeated the criticism on Sunday's
talk shows.
"It's hard to see how spending
a weekend condemning Israel for
a zoning decision in its capital city
amounts to a positive step towards
peace," said Sen. Sam Brownback,
R-Kan.' He complained that the
administration was attacking a
"staunch ally and friend" when it
should be focusing on the threat
posedbyIran's nuclearproblem.
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.,
accused administration officials of
using "overwrought rhetoric" in
suggesting that the east Jerusalem
housing announcement threatened
U.S.-Israeli ties.
"The administration's strong
implication that the enduring alli-
ance between the U.S. and Israel
has been weakened, and that
America's ability to broker talks
between Israel and Palestinian
authorities has been undermined,
is an irresponsible overreaction,"
shesaid.
With tensions still high, former
Sen. George Mitchell, the adminis-
tration's Mideast peace envoy, has
delayed his departure to the region,
where he is scheduled to hold sepa-
rate talks with Israeli and Palestin-
ianleaders, a U.S. official said.
Mitchell had been scheduled
to depart Washington on Monday
night. He still intends to go, but
the timing is uncertain, the official
said, speaking on condition of ano-
nymity in order to discuss internal
deliberations.
The State Department on Mon-
day said it was still awaiting a
formal response from Israel to
Clinton's call and, while repeating
elements of the criticism, stressed
that the U.S. commitment to Isra-
el's security remains "unshakable."
Butspokesman P.J. Crowley also
said a lot is riding on whetherIsrael
agrees to take steps suggested by
Clinton to underscore its com-
mitment to the peace process and
strong relations with America.
"We will evaluate the implica-
tions of this once we hear back
from the Israelis and see how they
respond to our concerns," he told
reporters.
Reaction to the administration
was particularly intense from pro-
Israelgroups.
structural deficiencies of Lorch
Hall.
According to Tim Slot-
tow's communication with the
regents, the University's execu-
tive vice president and chief
financial officer, the project at
the Duderstadt Center would
fix soffits, or the underside of
the building's roof, on the build-
ing that have been damaged by
breaches of air and water con-
densation.
To correct the problem, Slot-
tow is requesting money to install
vapor and air barriers and to add
thermal insulation to the affected
areas. Additionally, the project
seeks to upgrade current mechan-
ical systems.
In his letter to the regents,
Slottow wrote that without the
necessary repairs, parts of the
building's soffit could eventually

fall off the building.
If passed by the regents, fund-
ing for the project will be taken
from the University's General
Fund and will be completed by
fall 2010.
In a separate communication to
the University's Board of Regents,
Slottow submitted a request for
$1.6 million to make improve-
ments to "areas of significant
deterioration" of Lorch Hall -
including the building's masonry,
steel structures, roofing and rain
conductors.
The improvements being pro-
posed to the building, which hous-
es the Departments of Economics
and Linguistics, were taken from
a recent study that measured and
prioritized the building's struc-
tural needs.
If approved; funding for the
project will come from the Uni-
versity's General Fund and the
project is expected to be finished
by fall 2010.

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