Remember how Michigan ! football was supposed to have a 'committee' of running backs? It hasn't worked out that way. PAGE 5A iC ipaYi 4,3at IV Ann Arbor, Michigan Thursday, October 28, 2010 rii.igiaiiaiiyAcori ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS Michigan grad. r rates in line with national 0 Div. I average According to NCAA data, the University's student- athlete graduation rate is 75 data, 79 percent of percent, outpacing the national average of 64 percent. 'student-athletes A recent University press release boasted that the six-year graduate in six years graduation rate for the entire student body was 89.4 percent - By JOSEPH LICHTERMAN more than 30 percent higher than Daily StaffReporter the national average for four-year institutions, 'according to the The National Collegiate Ath- University's statement. letic Association released data The University's GSR rate of 79 yesterday on student-athlete percent, however, is equal to the graduation rates, showing that 79 national Division 1 GSR rate for percent of University of Michi- student-athletes. gan student-athletes who entered In an interview last night, thneUniversity between 2000 and Athletic Department spokesman 2003 graduated within six years David Ablauf said the Athletic - a figure that is on par with the Department was pleased with graduation rate for Division I the student-athlete graduation schools nationwide. rate, but acknowledged they are The NCAA uses its own for- always motivated to advance. mula, known as the Graduation "(The Athletic Department) Success Rate, to measure the always strives to improve. That's rate of student-athlete gradua- the key objective," Ablauf said. tion. The United States Depart- "We place. a high priority on ment of Education, meanwhile; graduating out student-athletes. uses its own model - the Federal The fact that we're at the nation- Graduation Rate - to determine al average is good, butI think we student-athlete graduation rates. always want to strive to do bet- The NCAA figures, unlike the ter." Department of Education ones, Student-athletes who entered don't penalize schools when ath- college in 1998 were the first to letes in good academic standing be measured using the GSR. The transfer. So, typically, the GSR University's GSR peaked in 1999 rates are higher than the FGR at 87 percent. However, the data rates. released yesterday is the first According to the government See ATHLETES, Page 3A University President Mary Sue Coleman talks with audience members during the question-and-answer session at her annual State of the University address yesterday. Coleman: Officials working to Cut,$120M Lout o udget University president also talks plans to hire 50 new faculty in State of'U' speech By KYLE SWANSON Daily News Editor University President Mary Sue Coleman announced plans to cut an additional $120 million in annual recurring expenses from the University's budget and dis- cussed an initiative to hire 50 new faculty mem- bers as part of her State of the University address yester- day. Speaking before a crowd KYLE SWANSON of University administra- C tri the tors, faculty, Admiirtio staff and even afew students, Cole- man also praised the academic work of students on campus dur- ing her speech in the University of Michigan Museum of Art audi- torium. In last year's speech, Cole- man announced that' University officials would double their cost- cutting efforts and cut $100 mil- lion in recurring expenses from the budget over the course of three years. However, yesterday's announcement essentially tripled the University's original cost cut- ting goals. "Because of economic forecasts and a decline in state support that we do not expect will reverse any time soon, we now know that we must identify another $120 million in savings by 2017," Coleman said in her speech. In an interview after the speech, Coleman stressed the cuts would be focused in non-academic areas as much as possible, in order to See COLEMAN, Page 6A UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES UGLi lobby to become less so Renovations slated to be completed in Feb. will transform lobby into lounge By MALLORY BEBERMAN Daily StaffReporter The Shapiro Undergradu- ate Library may, in part, lose its aesthetic namesake in the com- ing months. This past Tuesday marked the start of construction for the UGLi's new updated lobby. The lobby, which will show- case new technology and seating options, is slated become a study lounge for students in the winter. Laurie Alexander, the direc- tor of the Shapiro Undergraduate Library, said the project has been discussed ever since the addition of Bert's Cafe to the lobby in Janu- ary of 2008. "It's a natural progression to think about the rest of the lobby," she said. Alexander said the new lobby is designed to be more open and inviting, adding that clusters of chairs, tables and sofas will sur- round the circulation desk, which will be located in the center of the area. She said she hopes that as students become comfortable working in the lobby, they will move the furniture around to bet- ter suit their needs. Alexander added that there would be large television screens situated around the room that stu- dents will be able to plug their lap- tops into when working on group projects and other sorts of assign- ments. "When you look at the space you'll see it really promotes col- laboration and connection and the technology will support the work that students are already doing," she said. Alexander added that the screens would be "a wonderful opportunity" to display student art installations, films or PowerPoint presentations. In addition, the screens will show international news feeds. In order to design a lobby that See UGLI, Page 6A SAM mOLSOs/onjly Dr. Rob Steele speaks at a rallyon the Diag last night. Steele, a Republican, is challenging United States Rep. John Dingell (0-Michi- gan) to represent the15th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. At rally, Steele supporters say it's time for Dingell to 'go home' ANN ARBOR EATERIES Latest hot spot for dinner, dancing and drinks? Employees say Sava's Steele says youth Democratic United States Rep. John Dingell to represent the 15th have the most to congressional district. Steele, accompanied by other lose in midterms prominent state Republicans, spoke out against the current By MIKE MERAR political landscape of Washing- Daily StaffReporter ton and what he described as the threat posed to youths across the A few hundred supporters country. Steele's opponent is the gathered on the Diag last night longest-serving member of Con- to rally for Dr. Rob Steele; the gress, having occupied an office Republican who is challenging in Washington for 55 years. Though the latest poll on the race published by the Detroit Free Press and WXYZ-TV shows Dingell leading Steele by about a 20-percent margin, that pales in comparison to the 45 percent margin the Congressman won by in 2008. Another poll released on Oct. 8 had Steele ahead by 4 points, but Dingell staffers criti- cized the poll, calling it partisan. At the rally, Thayrone X, a local See STEELE, Page 3A Cafe recently secured liquor and dancing licenses By LINDSAY KRAMER Daily StaffReporter Though most walk in the door of Sava's Caf to grab a meal, employees at the restaurant are hoping that new dance and liquor licenses will keep patrons coming in throughout the night. Sava's was issued its liquor license in June and a dance permit over the summer. Day manager Cyndi Bertsos said she isn't sure the dance permit means Sava's will be throwing any wild parties, but it does provide the chance to host events, like Friday Latin Nights, withoutbreaking any laws. "I don't know if they have any crazy plans for it," Bertsos said. "We just wanted to comply with the city so when we have a DJ and people were dancing, we wouldn't be breaking any laws." But Bertsos said that doesn't mean they've ruled out the pos- sibility of hosting larger events in the future. "We are making a lot of chang- es that have been thought of but haven't been carried through to execution yet," she said. "I'm sure See SAVAS, Page 3A WEATHER HI:49 TOMORROW LO: 46 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Student groups promote breast cancer awareness. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE WIRE INDEX NEWS...... Vol. CXXI, No. 36 OPINION.. J20 The Michigan Daily SPORTS.... michigandoilycom ................ 2A C LA SSIFIED S ................ .................4A FALL REALTY SECTION.. ...... .. 5A THE B-SIDE.................. 6A 7A