The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - 7A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - 7A
COMMITTEE
From Page 1A
sity Affairs Select committee will
solve problems in a multifaceted
way, by recognizing the various
identities of every student at the
University and working with dif-
ferent groups.
"The committee demands col-
laboration from all other issues
across the campus," he said. "It
includes the point of view of every
committee on campus."
Watson said there was tension
within the assembly during the
voting process. Those who voted
against the committee, according
to Watson, were worried that the
assembly would be spread too thin
among its various committees.
"They didn't want to expand the
bureaucracy of the Michigan Stu-
dent Assembly," he said.
As an MSA representative,
Watson said it is his job to stimu-
late advocacy on campus and to
help students who are fighting for
rights.
The Diversity Affairs Select
Committee, according to Wat-
son, serves the needs of students
more than other MSA committees
because the committee aims to
advocate for students.
"We are going to be the ones
going to the Division of Student
Affairs to make sure the proposed
changes will happen," Watson said.
"This committee is purely for solv-
ing a problem, not to entertain stu-
dents."
One of Watson's goals for the
committee is to change the pro-
cess for reporting biased incidents
within University residence halls.
Biased incidents include acts that
target a student's race, ethnicity,
religion, gender or sexual orienta-
tion. Watson said most students do
not know how to report biased inci-
dents, and if they decide to report
a crime, it is a convoluted process
with no definite procedure.
"There needs to be something in
writing that explains what the end
result will be and the steps to get-
ting there," Watson said.
Currently, students can report
biased incidents on campus by
going in person to various depart-
ments, including the Dean of Stu-
dents Office, Department of Public
Safety, Counseling and Psychologi-
cal Services, the Spectrum Center,
Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, Ser-
vices for Students with Disabilities,
among other locations.
The Diversity Affairs Select
Committee plans to meet with
Royster Harper, vice president of
Student Affairs, to discuss chang-
es to the protocol used to address
incidents of discrimination in resi-
dence halls.
Unlike other universities, Wat-
son said the University does not
have concise language that spells
out how to deal with acts of dis-
crimination. He cited the Universi-
ty of California at San Diego, which
has clear regulations and conse-
quences regarding punishment for
perpetrators of biased crimes on its
campus.
Watson gave an example where
a noose was hung on a student's
door ina residence hall. He said the
perpetrators admitted to the crime
because of pressure from students
on the California campus.
"They came forward because
there was so much animosity, so
much energy on the campus, com-
pelling them to come forward and
apologize that they did it," Watson
said. "The culture is there because
of the policies in place."
Currently, the University of Cali-
fornia at San Diego has a written
statement that says a student may
be expelled for acting out in a bias
incident.
Watson said the newly-proposed
Students 4 Progressive Governance
student constitution will help to
bolster the committee's efforts.
The current constitution con-
tains wording that labels students
by race, gender and sexual orien-
tation when referring to acts of
discrimination and student rights.
The revised constitution will not
contain wording that specifies stu-
dents' identities.
"(The language) allows the con-
stitution to be breath and be flex-
ible in the future," Watson said.
Graduate student Elson Liu, a
former MSA Rackham represen-
tative who used to be a member of
the Diversity Affairs Select Com-
mittee, said he became involved in
the committee because issues of
diversity are relevant to students
on campus as well as all universi-
ties across the nation.
"I believe diversity is an asset
to a campus community," Liu said.
"Universities have a compelling
interest in diversity."
FOOTBALL
From Page 1A
sity and football program in prime-
time,"Farahwrote. "WhileIstrongly
feel that the tradition at Michigan is
vital to our program's image, I also
feel that we sometimes cling too
strongly to antiquated ideals in order
to preserve that tradition."
Farah added that the game could
draw attention to the University by
bringing in more fans and potential
new recruits.
"From a fan's standpoint, I think
it makes that game a 'big' game -
regardless of the opponent - and
raises the program's profile among
casual fans and, more importantly,
potentialrecruits," Farah wrote.
LSA freshman Britany Doughty
said she is looking forward to the
night game and the possibility of
future night games because it will
give her a chance to sleep in before
attending the game.
"of course I'm going to be there,"
Doughty said.
Other students said the atmo-
sphere surrounding the game will
be interesting to watch as the game
gets closer.
Engineering junior Demetri
Golematissaidheislookingforward
to experiencing a night game at the
Big House, adding that he thinks the
gamewill increase studentmorale.
"I think the game is going to be
a huge boost for the Michigan foot-
ball program," Golematis said. "It's
somethingwe've neededfor areally
longtime. Knowing Michigan fans,
there's going to be a lot of excite-
ment that day - the atmosphere is
going to be surreal."
LSA freshman Devitt Cooney
agreedthatthe game was going to be
a major event on campus.
"There's going to be a lot of
momentumbuildinguptothegame,"
Cooney said. "Night games are the
best - all big games are at night."
But Engineering freshman Sam
White said the excitement could lead
to increased security concerns on
the nightofthe game.
"I work at the games with DPS,"
White said. "It'll definitely be crazy
with everyone drinking all day. We'll
see how this night game goes."
Engineering senior Chris Ham-
mond said he was definitely going to
watch the game - which is sched-
uled to be broadcast on ESPN or
ESPN2 - on television and ques-
tioned how athletic officials will
light the field.
"It's going to take a lot to light
up the stadium," Hammond said,
as he mused about the engineering
issues involved in holding a night
game.
Hammond added that if the
Wolverines lose, the experience
could be worse than if the team
lost the typical daytime football
game.
"There's going to be alot of secu-
rity," he said. "There will probably
be a huge proportion of drunken
students. It could go very badly,
dependingonifwe winornot."
According to a March 19 article
in The Michigan Daily, Athletic
Director David Brandon said the
night game would be an "experi-
ment," and if it proves successful,
there may be more night games in
the future.
"This is the first time we've done
it," Brandon said. "Hopefully we'll
just get better and better at it. If all
goes well, we'd love to have at least
one game a year scheduled at nightat
Michigan Stadium. It would be a ter-
rific tradition to start."
University alum Tom Ringel,
from Miami, Fla., has been a sea-
son ticket holder for 41 years. He
wrote in an e-mail interview that
he thinks the game could usher ina
"new era in Michigan football" and
that the national broadcast of the
game will attract athletes to the
University.
"The additional exposure of
primetime football will be great
for recruiting," Ringel wrote. "The
excitement will be felt over the sta-
dium knowing that nationwide tele-
vision audiences will be watching
the Blue."
Ringel added that he hopes this
game will improve the team's repre-
sentation inthe Big Ten.
"It will be great to put some
excitement back in the program
to get Michigan football back to
the top of the Big Ten," Ringel
wrote.
Though there was a lotof enthusi-
asm among the students and alumni
who were discussing the future
game, many students mentioned that
the game was a little too distant for
them to really get excited.
"It seems a little far away for me
to care aboutrightnow," White said.
LSA freshman Brian Green said as
it gets closerto the date of the game,
the student body will express more
fervor.
"It's exciting - just the idea of
being under the lights - but it's too
far awaytobereallyexcited,"hesaid.
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