4I hdpgan!0 ailjj ,' I a_ w j A F l 5 * Ann Arbor, Michigan Wednesday, February 23, 2011 michigandaily.com EN GARDE! UNIVERSITY FACULTY SACUA calls for personal decisions on tenure clock TODD NEEDLE/Daily University alum Rebecca Garber and Ann Arbor resident Michael Lloyd rehearse theatrical hoplology, or theatrical combat, with The Ring of Steel Theatre Troupe in the Student Theatre Arts Complex yesterday. The troupe has performed stunts in movies and stage productions the last 21 years. GRADUATE EMPLOYEES ,Concerns about unionizing for GSRAs addressed in meeting Faculty leaders also look for long-term solution to tenure . By JOSEPH LICHTERMAN Daily News Editor In a document given to The Michigan Daily yesterday, the leading faculty governing body proposed a mechanism that would allow individual fac- ulty members to add up to two years to their tenure probation- ary period as a temporary fix to issues with the University's cur- rent tenure system. This proposal came in response to University Provost Philip Hanlon's recommenda- tion to amend the University's Regent Bylaw 5.09 to extend the tenure probationary period. Statistics Prof. Ed Roth- man, chair of the Senate Advi- sory Committee on University Affairs and SACUA Vice Chair Gina Poe, an associate professor of anesthesiology and molecular and integrative physiology, pre- sented their four-point plan to University President Mary Sue Coleman yesterday afternoon and plan to e-mail the document to members of the University Senate today. The tenure probationary period is the amount of time faculty members have to obtain tenure, which protects faculty member's academic freedom by ensuring they can't be termi- nated from their position at the University without just cause. The centerpiece ofthe SACUA proposal is the "checkboxto stop the clock"method of extending the tenure probationary period. According to the document, an option would be added to faculty members' annual effort certifi- cation page - a federally man- dated statement that all faculty and staff must sign to ensure they are performing their work appropriately - allowing them to choose whether or not they want to extend their tenure clock by up to two years. In an interview last night, Rothman said the option would allow faculty - specifically clinical faculty in the Medical School - who feel rushed by the current eight-year tenure proba- tionary period to extend their clock without impacting other faculty members. "The idea of a checkbox is See SACUA, Page 3A 'U' official: Organizing GSRAs * is 'not a good idea' By KAITLIN WILLIAMS Daily StaffReporter Representatives from the University's Graduate Employ- ees' Organization discussed concerns about the unioniza- tion of certain graduate student employees at a meeting last night organized by graduate student research assistants. Walter Eagle, a GSRA and the president of the Aerospace Graduate Student Council, helped organize the meeting, which was held in a conference room in the Frangois-Xavier Bagnoud Building on North Campus. Eagle wrote in an e-mail that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the unionization of GSRAs with the aerospace department. Some GSRAs in attendance asked members of GEO prepared questions and also discussed concerns regard- ing joining the union. Attendees of the meeting expressed their uneasiness aboutpaying dues to be part, of GEO's collective bargaining agreement. They also discussed the differences between GSRAs and graduate student instruc- tors and why they should, or should not, be included in GEO's contractwith the University. GEO President Rob Gillezeau, a GSRA in the University's Department of Economics, estimated that 70 to 80 percent of GSRAs are in favor of being included under GEO's contract and collectivebargainingrights. See GSRAS, Page 3A UNIVERSITY ACADEMICS Sweetland Writing Center offers new writing. minor Minor open to LSA students beginning this fall By JENNIFER LEE For the Daily LSA students who major in math or science, but also have a passion for writing will soon have the opportunity to put their talent on their transcript. The Sweetland Writing Cen- ter will offer a minor in writing beginning this fall. According to Anne Ruggles Gere, the director of the Sweetland Writing Center, the minor was created to draw more attention to writing and to provide an organized academic track for students who already do a large amount of writing in their concentrations. The writing minor is intended for students with various inter- ests who are studying in all departments of LSA, Gere said. She added that the program is selective and students must dem- onstrate skill in prose writing to be accepted to the minor. Gere added that the minor will help students become "par- ticipants in 21st century writ- ing" by giving them the capacity to develop their writing skills in See MINOR, Page 3A UNIVERSITY RESEARCH Study finds gender does not impact risk of mortality from heart attacks TODD NEEDLE/Daily Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) addresses a group of Law School students in Hutchins Hall yesterday, In speech to Law students, Sen. Carl Levin promotes political participation Findings also show women have more blood complications By MARY HANNAHAN Daily StaffReporter A recent study conducted by * researchers at the University's Cardiovascular Center suggests that gender does not affect the risk of death during heart attack treatments, contrary to previous research conclusions. In the study published in January, researchers observed 8,771 patients from 32 hospi- tals between 2003 and 2008. According to Elizabeth Jackson, assistant professor of internal medicine and the study's lead author, findings also showed that women had higher rates of bleeding due to heart attacks that required transfusions and higher rates of vascular compli- cations than men. 'Jackson said because there have been beneficial changes in terms of medications and new interventions in heart attack treatment, she and her col- leagues wanted to look at the See HEART ATTACKS, Page 3A Senator discusses personal life, government affairs By JEREMY ARMAND Daily StaffReporter In a talk with students and members of the University community yesterday, Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) didn't shy away from expressing his opinion on international mat- ters and current events. "There is no doubt that there are regimes we have supported that have seen dic- tators using oppressive mea- sures, and we are paying the price," Levin told an audience of about 40 people on campus yesterday. Levin - who chairs the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee - spoke at the Law School to members of the Frank Murphy Society, a group of Law students inter- ested in government careers. Levin focused his speech on current events and his own political experience. Asked about the current uprisings in the Middle East and how the United States should respond, Levin said the See LEVIN, Page 3A WEATHER HI: 32 TOMORROW LO 28 GOT A NEWS TIP? NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail Video: Men's basketball beat talks No.12 Wisc. news@michigandaily.com and let us know. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/TH E GAME INDEX AP NEWS ....................2A ARTS .....................5A Vol. CXXI, No.100 NEWS .....................3A SPORTS....... .....7A 02011 The Michigan Daily OPINION.. ........... 4A TH E S TAT E M E N T.. ....1B michigondoilycom