E Illic4igan 4,3ailm, Ann Arbor, Michigan Wednesday, April 14, 2010 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL NCAA probe said to center on Rodriguez at W. Virginia JAKE FROMM/Daily University President Mary tue Coleman at a fireside chat in the Michigan Union yesterday. Students talk disabiliissues, ban on smoking with Coleman Source tells Free Press that inquiry is an offshoot of investigation at'U' By NICOLE AUERBACH Daily Sports Editor The NCAAis investigatingpoten- tial rules violations regarding West Virginia University's football pro- gram during the time that Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez was at the helm in Morgantown, multi- ple news outlets reported yesterday. A source familiar with the situa- tion atWest VirginiatoldESPN.com that the allegations focus on Rodri- guez, who coached at West Virginia from2001to2008. The news comes amid the NCAA's current investigation of the University of Michigan football program concerning potential rules violations and a source with knowl- edge of that probe told the Detroit Free Press yesterday that the inves- tigation into WVU's program is an offshoot of the investigation into Michigan's football program. University of Michigan officials announced on Feb. 23 that they received a notice of allegations from the NCAA, which charged the foot- ball program with violating regula- tions infive areas. The notice alleged that the foot- ball program had violated rules regarding the number of coaches allowed to work with student-ath- letes and that the program violated rules regarding the maximum hours allotted for mandatory practice time. In addition, the notice alleges that Rodriguez "failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance with- in the football program." According to ESPN.com, West Virginia officials refused to com- ment on the specifics of the allega- tions against the Mountaineers, but they did acknowledge that the NCAA has met with and inter- viewed university officials. "The NCAA has met with indi- viduals involved with the West Vir- ginia football program to identify any potential rules violations,"West Virginia officials said in the state- ment, according to multiple news outlet. "The university has fully cooperated with the NCAA during this process. West Virginia Univer- sity and its department of intercol- legiate athletics is committed to operating its athletics department in conformance with the legislation and policies of the NCAA and the Big East Conference." In an interview on Tuesday, NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn See NCAA, Page 7A How 'U' addresses disability issues a concern for students at fireside chat By JOSEPH LICHTERMAN Daily StaffReporter In a small group meeting with students yesterday, University President Mary Sue Coleman addressed a number of concerns raised by those assembled, includ- ing issues regarding students with disabilities on campus and the Uni- versity's Smoke Free Initiative. At the fireside chat - a monthly meeting with invited students held by Coleman and University Vice President for Student Affairs Royster Harper - students voiced concern with how the University handles issues relating to students with disabilities. Rackham student Katie Peth- an suggested that the Univer- sity should take a more proactive approach in reaching out to stu- dents with disabilities. Pethan said some departments are better than others at assisting students with disabilities, but she would like to see more action taken throughout the University. Pethan said it's often difficult for incoming graduate and under- graduate students to know what resources are actually available to them. However, she acknowledged that in order for the University to offer any help, disabled students need to inform the University of their disability. "I would like to open the discus- sion about how to create a proac- tive, perhaps an orientation, for students who self identify after they've been admitted," Pethan said in an interview after the event. In response to Pethan's con- cerns, Harper said the Univer- sity needs to remove the stigma in students' minds about identify- ing themselves as disabled, add- ing that the University's system for making accommodations for See FIRESIDE CHAT, Page 3A UNIVERSIT Y OF MICHGAN MUEU OF A R T 'U' officials tap Joseph Rosa to head UMMA A LIBRARY IN THE SKY Art Institute of Chicago's Rosa * will assume new post on July 1 By KYLE SWANSON Daily News Editor University officials announced yesterday that Joseph Rosa, the chief curator of architecture and design at the Art Institute of Chi- cago, will be the next director of the University of Michigan Muse- um of Art. Rosa will take the post effec- tive July 1, pending approval by the University's Board of Regents. He will be the seventh director of UMMA, succeeding James Stew- ard who left the University in 2009 after 11 years, during which he oversaw a major capital campaign and a construction and renovation project to accept the directorship at the Princeton University Art Museum. When Rosa begins the job, he will be taking over for a team of three interim co-directors that have headed the museum since June 2009. Rosa was selected after an international search conducted by a 14-member advisory commit- tee set up by University President Mary Sue Coleman. In a statement released yester- See ROSA, Page 3A STUDYING ABROAD 'U' bans student travel to northern Mexico in light of recent violence JAKE FROMM/Daily A person walks from the Shapiro Undergraduate Library to the Hatcher Graduate Library using the interlibrary connector yes- terday. The connector, opened in 1995, allows library users to move between libraries while remaining indoors. MCHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY With resolution, MSA pushes for greater student involvement in smoking ban plans University official says violence near border is 'extremely dangerous' By STEPHANIE STEINBERG Daily News Editor The University has suspended University-sponsored student r travel to areas in northern Mex- ico due to the increasing fighting between Mexican drug cartels in the region, according to an e-mail sent to the University community yesterday. The University's International Travel Oversight Committee has reviewed travel security in states including Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, Durango, Sinaloa and Baja California, where violent incidents have occurred in the last few months. After its inspection, the Univer- sity decided to suspend travel to these areas. The U.S. Department of State announced a travel warning in March to inform citizens of the risks of traveling to areas in northern Mexico - specifically cities like Tijuana, Nogales, Ciu- dad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Mon- terrey and Matamoros - which have experienced an increase in crimes and violence. John Godfrey, chair of the Uni- See MEXICO, Page 3A Assembly also OKs joint student gov. for three 'U' campuses By ELYANA TWIGGS Daily StaffReporter The Michigan Student Assem- bly gathered in MSA Chambers for their final meeting of the semester last night, and on its docket was a series of issues ranging from the campus-wide Smoke Free Ini- tiative to the creation of a joint student governing council for all three of the University's campus- es. At the meeting, the assembly passed a resolution in a 26-10 vote to push for more student represen- tation in discussing the Univer- sity's Smoke Free Initiative, which is set to take effect in July 2011. The University's chapter of Col- lege Libertarians are spearhead- ingthe call for greater involvement because they say the smoking ban stripsstudents and other members of the University community of their basic rights. The resolution See MSA, Page 3A WEATHER HI: 78 GOT A NEWS TIP? RL:58 Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail TOMORROW L: news@michigandaily.com and let us know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Banana-chocolate upside down cake recipe. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE TABLE INDEX NEW S .................................2A CLASSIFIEDS ... . ....... .6A Vol. CXX, No.129 OPINION ...................,.......... 4A SPO T . . .... ........7A Q 00 TheMichigan Daily ARTS.............................. A THE STATEM ENT.............. michigandoily.com " " " '"