iC i 9 a Yt ailm Ann Arbor, Michigan Wednesday, February 9, 2011 mIchigandailycorn (RE)MODELING THE MOTOR CITY UNIVERSITY FACULTY Records outline 'U' sanctions for prof. '. r ANNA SCHULTE/Daily Members of a School of Art & Design studio class taught by Assistant Prof. Beth Diamond make project proposals and present models for installations that will be added to the Heidelberg Project in Detroit in April. Rackham student Nick Lavelle (left) presents his group's project titled "Full Circle." UNIVERSITY RESEARCH New drug could reduce death rates of bone marrow disease Amid scandal, Yaron Eliav forced to step down from committee posts By CAITLIN HUSTON Daily News Editor Yaron Eliav, an associate pro- fessor of rabbinic literature at the University, has finished his court- ordered probation after pleading no contest to the charge of using a computer to commit a crime in 2008. However, e-mail con- versations and court documents obtained by The Michigan Daily show the University initially imposed restrictions on his pro- fessorship after the incident. Eliav was involved in an inci- dent in April 2008 when he responded to advertised sexual acts on Craigslist that were post- ed by a 22-year-old University Law school student. Eliav paid the student $300 for sexual acts. During the incident, the student allowed him to slap her buttocks but became concerned when he slapped her twice on the face. The student pursued Eliav in court after their encounter. Eliav received a deferred sen- tence on Dec. 30, 2008 after pleading no contest to the charge of using a computer to commit a crime. The student involved also received a deferred sentence after pleading no contest to the charge of using a computer to commit a crime. Steve Hiller, deputy chief pros- ecuting attorney for Washtenaw County who was not involved in the lawsuit, said the case was dismissed in November 2009. He added that Eliav and the Law student successfully completed their probationary periods and "no longer have a public record of conviction." Eliav wrote in an e-mail inter- view this week that he and the Law student currently have no legal repercussions as a result of the situation. "I wish to emphasize that the incident concluded without any legal consequences, for me or the woman involved; the only charge that was eventually brought to court against us - illegal use of a computer - was dismissed with- out conviction and without any criminal record," Eliav wrote. "In other words, I was not found guilty of any wrongdoing." Eliav returned to teach on See SANCTIONS, Page 3A In mice, drug prototype prevents graft-versus-host disease By RACHEL BRUSSTAR Daily StaffReporter University researchers have developed a prototype drug that may positively impact the future of bone marrow transplants and the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The collaborative research of Gary Glick, the Werner E. Bach- mann Collegiate Professor of Chemistry at the University, and James Ferrara, director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at the University's Comprehensive Cancer Center, focuses on the metabolism of cells and aims to stop the devel- opment of graft-versus-host dis- ease known as GVHD. GVHD can be a major com- plication during bone marrow transplant procedures, Ferrara said. According to a Jan. 26 Uni- versity press release, the new findings could potentially create new ways to fight immune dis- eases. Glick and Ferrara, among oth- ers, recently co-wrote a study on the effectiveness of the proto- type drug Bz-423 in stoppingthe onset of GVHD, accordingto the press release. The findings of the study, which was performed on mice, was published in Science Translational Medicine maga- zine on Jan.26. Ferrara explained that the research on Bz-423 initially began with Glick's "long-stand- ing interest in the bioenergetics or the metabolism of cells." According to Ferrara, Glick first discovered Bz-423 through the screening process of com- pounds and also found it could "get activated cells to die in a test tube," preventing the contrac- tion of GVHD in the test animals. See DISEASE, Page 3A PANEL DISCUSSION Public health experts talk potential of nanotechnology Professors discuss School of Public Health, Mark Seventy people also watched pros and cons of nano use By ADAM RUBENFIRE Daily StaffReporter Three University experts gathered yesterday to discuss the risks and benefits of nano- technology use in a panel titled "Nanotechnology-Unplugged." Martin Philbert, dean of the Banaszak-Holl, a professor of chemistry and macromolecu- lar science and engineering at the University and Shobita Parthasarathy, an assistant professor of public policy at the University, spoke before an audience of about 20 faculty members and students at the School of Public Health's Risk Science Center about the con- troversial use of nanotechnolo- gies in the fields of science and public policy. a live stream of the event online at the Risk Science Center's website. Andrew Maynard, director of the University's Risk Sci- ence Center and the moderator of the panel, began the discus- sion by asking Banaszak-Holl to explain what nanotechnol- ogy is. A nano is about three to five times bigger than an atom, Banaszak-Holl explained. He See PUBLIC HEALTH, Page 3A MICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY MSA passes resolutions to improve campus resources, budget reports ANNA SCHULTE/Daily Janice Inwood, a registered nurse at the University Health Service, and LSA freshman Hailey Steinhauser, a UHS work- study student, demonstrate the process of getting a flu shot at UHS yesterday. Less students seek fliu vaccinations this year After H1Nt hype, scant notice from the University flu season compared to last year community. has contributed to a decrease in virus garners little Robert Ernst, medical director demand for the vaccine. of University Health Service, said "There is a lot more vaccine attention low demand for the flu vaccine available this year than there this year was troubling since the was last year ..." Ernst said. "This By SARAH ALSADEN vaccines available in Ann Arbor year, there's been less demand Daily StaffReporter could have protected the stu- but widely available vaccines, so dents, staff and faculty who have there are people sitting on sur- After the deluge of attention come into UHS with the flu. pluses of vaccines." on the H1N1 virus last year, this According to Ernst, the lack The emergence of the HINt year's flu season has received of media attention on this year's See FLU, Page 3A Six total resolutions pass, two involve MSA budget By ROBIN VEECK Daily StaffReporter The Michigan Student Assembly addressed internal and campus problems at its meeting last night. The MSA approved six reso- lutions at the meeting, which took place in MSA chambers. Three of the resolutions amend- ed MSA's governing documents, and the other three proposed potential improvements to cam- pus life. The assembly passed a reso- lution amending MSA's Com- piled Code that is intended "to address the lack of clar- ity" regarding MSA's process of addressing student organi- zations' potential violations of student rights, according to the resolution. Twenty represen- tatives voted for it, two voted against it and nine abstained. The resolution was written by MSA Student General Coun- sel Timothy Bekkers, Engineer- See MSA, Page 3A WEATHER HI: 15 TOMORROW Lo.5 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let usknow. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM 'U' profs. join National Academy of Engineering MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE WIRE INDEX AP NEWS.. vol. CXXI, No.90 NEWS ....... dettTheMichiganDaily OPINION... michigondailycom ..2A ARTS.. . ..A........A ..3A SPORTS ......................7A .4A THE STATEMENT..........1B 0 4