Melanie Kruvelis: Why the Harry Potter craze infecting muggles and Facebook statuses everywhere has gotten out of hand. ) PAGE 4A c rjc4tgan aiIm Ann Arbor, Michigan Friday, November 19, 2010 michigandaily.com BOARD OF REGENTS 'U' requests 2.6-percent increase in state fund ing At meeting, regents * also OK fireworks display at Big Chill at the Big House By JOSEPH LICHTERMAN Daily StaffReporter FLINT, Mich. - The Univer- sity's Board of Regents unani- mously approved a letter to be sent to the state's budget direc- NOTEBOOK tor requesting a 2.6-percent increase in state appropriations for the University at its monthly meeting at the Uni- versity's campus here. Written by University President Mary Sue Coleman and presented to the regents by University Pro- vost Philip Hanlon, the letter is submitted to State Budget Director Robert Emerson annually by the University. The document details the University's cost containment efforts and its economic influence on the state as a whole. In the letter, Coleman wrote that the University is a catalyst for economic recovery in Michi- gan. The additional 2.6 percent in funding, she wrote, would cover inflationary costs as well as a one- percent loss in need-based state scholarships like the Michigan Promise Scholarship. "We acknowledge the fiscal circumstances of the state," Cole- man wrote. "Nevertheless, the University of Michigan plays a critical role in the stabilization and revitalization of the Michi- gan economy. And, we play a criti- cal role in the development and education of our workforce and cannot risk jeopardizing the qual- ity of our institution, research and service." Though the regents voted unan- imously to approve the letter, there was some level of dissent within the board. Regent Andrea Fischer New- man (R-Ann Arbor) said she thinks the University should have requested more than just a 2.6-percent increase. "I don't understand why, if we're doing this, why we wouldn't ask them for more," Newman said. "This is an opportunity to lay some things out and I don't think we took it." In an interview after the meet- ing, Newman said it's inappro- priate to only ask the state for a 2.6-percent increase, but then charge students more through tuition increases. See REGENTS, Page 3A University President Mary Sue Coleman at the monthly meeting of the University's Board of Regents yesterday. At the meeting, held in Flint, the regents voted to extend Coleman's contract for an additional two years. Regents extend President Coleman's contract to 2014 Board also lays out goals for Coleman to focus on By KYLE SWANSON Daily NewsEditor FLINT, Mich. - The Univer- sity's Board of Regents voted unanimously yesterday here to approve a motion extending Uni- versity President Mary Sue Cole- man's contract for an additional two years. Coleman's current contract with the University was sched- uled to end in July 2012, but the two-year extension approved yesterday means Coleman will serve through July 2014. Cole- man joined the University in 2002 after serving as the president of the University of Iowa. The motion '? to extend Coleman's' contracts was made t, by Board of KYLE SWANSON Regents Chair Julia Dar- C vrng the low (D-Ann Arbor), who read a statement in support of the action. "Throughout her service to the University, President Coleman has performed to extraordinarily high standards and has gained extraordinarily wide recogni- tion for her excellence," Darlow said. "President Coleman has kept our focus firmly on our mission, and we have achieved outstand- ing accomplishments on global, national and local levels. For the entire University community, she has preserved and strengthened our balance, our direction and our self-confidence." Coleman's compensation pack- age will remain the same in her new contract, though the Board of Regents will continue to evalu- ate her pay each year for possible merit increases, Darlow said. "(Coleman's salary) will contin- ue to be reviewed annually by the Board and any increases will be set at the discretion of the Board, taking into consideration perfor- mance and other relevant factors as we did at our last Board meet- ing in October," Darlow said dur- ing the meeting. However, the contract does add an additional $100,000 to Cole- man's deferred compensation package for the current contract year and the remaining years on her new contract. However, because it is deferred compensa- tion, Coleman will not receive the money until she retires. "The amendment is designed to build a substantial contribu- tion to her retirement over the remainder of her term," Darlow said of Coleman. "Certainly, she has earned it." See COLEMAN, Page 2A KEEPING THE REGISTER OPENCAPSPLC- EP G RM ich. ACLU says'U'should , review DPS trespass policy Coleman calls review of policy by general counsel 'appropriate' By DEVON THORSBY Daily News Editor The legal directoroftheAmeri- can Civil Liberties Union of Mich- igan is raising questions about the constitutionality of the Depart- ment of Public Safety's tres- pass policy in light of its recent trespass order against Andrew Shirvell - the former Michigan assistant attorney general known for his derisive criticisms of Mich- igan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong. Michael Steinberg, legal direc- tor for the ACLU of Michigan, told annarbor.com yesterday that he hopes the University will alter the policy to better follow the Constitution without the need for a lawsuit. "Now that a light has been shined on the deficient process for banning individuals from campus for life, our hope is that the Uni- versity will take a second look at this problem, and take action, without the need for a lawsuit," Steinberg told the online outlet yesterday. Once a trespass order is issued it can only be lifted or modified through a meeting with the DPS director. In an interview after the Uni- versity Board of Regents meeting yesterday, University President Mary Sue Coleman said she thinks See TRESPASS, Page 3A For a full story on the status of NL Nk d SCMULTE/Daily White arket head'nl"neto:eh LSA sophomore. Alex Oikowski (pictured) shoys at White Market yesterday. White Market. head onlinelo: Olkowski says she often buys her breakfast foods at the store. Though the michigandaily.com/blogs/The Wire. w ire ownership of the building recently changed, the store pians to remain open. STUDENT GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS Logistical issues delay results With Transgender Awareness Week, 'U aims to educate about gender expression ITS error and high number of exception ballots the cause for unofficial results * By RACHEL BRUSSTAR Daily StaffReporter Though the polls for fall stu- dent government elections closed at midnight last night, the official results have yet to be determined due to logistical issues. An Information Technology Services error made it difficult for School of Nursing students to vote in the election. In addition an unusually high number of excep- tion ballots were cast overall. According to Michigan Student Assembly Election Director Sagar Deshpande, because many of the elections are extremely close, the exception ballots will have to be validated before official results can be released. The exception ballots are those cast by students that for a variety of reasons were not on the official list of eligible voters, and there- fore need to be verified by com- munication between ITS and the election director in determining which of the votes are valid. Those valid ballots will be converted to actual votes and counted toward the total. According to an e-mail sent out by Deshpande last night, ITS loaded an incorrect eligibility list for the Nursing School election. Deshpande wrote in the e-mail that MSA officials discovered the error after some Nursing students See ELECTIONS, Page 2A Ceremony tonight to honor victims of hate crimes By MICHELE NAROV Daily StaffReporter According to transgenderdor. org, 30 people worldwide were murdered this year as a result of their gender identity or gender expression. And in actuality this number is a gross underestimate, because the website only lists the deaths that have been reported. In recognition of those victims and to increase awareness about gender expression on campus, the University's Spectrum Center is currently hosting Transgender Awareness Week. WilliamSherry, assistant direc- tor of the Spectrum Center, said the week - which occurs annu- ally - is essential in educating the University community because gender expression is commonly misunderstood. "A lot of people can say I know someone that's gay or lesbian but when we go out and do presen- tations we get a lot of questions about gender identity," Sherry said. The week began on Monday Nov. 15 and continues through this coming Monday and features a variety of activities includ- ing sessions on transgender and gender-neutral language and film screenings about people who faced obstacles as a result of their See WEEK, Page 3A WEATHE1R HI: 44 TOMORROW LO: 35 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Arne Duncan talks DREAM Act on conference call. MIcHIGANDAILY.cOM/BLOGS/THE WIRE INDEX NEWS....... Vol CXXI, No. 52 O PNINION.. X2010 The Michigan Daily A RTS........ michigndailycom .2A CLASSIFIEDS......................6A .........4A SPORTS ..............................7A ..........5A FOOTBALLSATURDAY..........1B