I e Illic i an BIailjj lIEILN)II)TV\I' N N 101IMj.l\ 111lO a Ann Arbor, Michigan Thursday, February 24, 2011 FIRESIDE CHAT Students tell Coleman of concerns for their futures University alum Michael Cherney, exhibit coordinator for the University's Exhibit Museum of Natural History, prepares the Basilosaurus exhibit yesterday. The exhibit is scheduled to open in April and will feature skeletons of whales that lived 37 million years ago. MARIJUANA ORDINANCE A~ 2 A2 medical pot cultivator sues city over ordinance President, VP for Student Affairs offer advice about career planning By KYLE SWANSON ManagingEditor "What do you have to offer for students who don't know what they want to do?" This was one question posed to University President Mary Sue Coleman yes- terduy at the president's r monthly fireside chat - an invita- tion event in which stu- dents ask KYLE SWANSON Coleman questions Covering the about cam- Administration pus issues. The event was sparsely attended yesterday - only 16 students attended the discus- sion, compared to the normal crowd of 40 - but the dialogue was serious, with many students voicingconcerns about how their University degrees will translate into careers. Undergraduate and gradu- ate students shared their con- cerns with Coleman and Royster Harper, the University's vice president for student affairs, at the event. Each provided a slightly different story, but the overall issue was clear - stu- dents are unsure about how a University degree translates into a successful career that provides financial independence and per- sonal happiness. One LSA freshman told Cole- man he was worried about how his degree 'would help him secure a career since he feels pressure to figure out what he wants to do and then get a job in that field. "It's not really the reality, but it's what people think," the stu- dent said. Coleman and Harper reas- sured students they don't think that's the case. Coleman added that college is a time for explora- tion. "My feeling is, if you come to See COLEMAN, Page-SA City officials say marijuana ordinance currently pending before Ann Arbor City lawsuit won't affect Council caused one local medi- cal marijuana grower to file a proposal lawsuit against the city. Ann Arbor resident Tony By BRIENNE PRUSAK Keene - owner of the medical Daily StaffReporter marijuana cooperative Hydro Med on South Industrial High- The unclear distinctions way - filed a lawsuit against regarding the difference the city of Ann Arbor on Feb. 17, between dispensaries and cul- which questions the differences tivation facilities in the medical between the two definitions as outlined in the proposed ordi- nance. Keene said he decided to file the lawsuit after speak- ing before City Council several times and not seeing any change to the ordinance. City officials said the lawsuit will have little effect on the outcome of the ordinance, as it is still being revised. Currently, the ordinance does not clearly define what a dispen- sary is. The ordinance currently states that a "dispensary means a medical marijuana dispensa- ry." Cultivation facilities, mean- while, have a more detailed definition. "(Cultivation facilities are a) structure or each space in a structure that is separately owned or leased by a person other than the owner of the structure, in which marijuana plants are being cultivated other See ORDINANCE, Page 5A SPRING BREAK 2011 With safety concerns, ASB trip to Guatemala canceled Security issues attributed to gov't. suppression By DAVID BUCCILLI DailyStaffReporter Amid the ongoing drug war plaguing Mexico and other countries in Central America, some students planning to go on alternative spring break trips south of the border will no longer be doing community service next week. Students originally travel- ing to Guatemala through the University of Michigan Hil- lel's Alternative Spring Break program were told the trip was cancelled due to safety con- cerns, though the exact rea- soning behind the termination is unclear. Though Jennifer Johnson, a University alum in charge of the Alternative Spring Break program at Hillel, told the 14 students formerly par- ticipating in the program that American Jewish World Ser- vice cancelled the trip due to security reasons and because "political unrest had made it unsafe." "AJWS has pulled all of See ASB, Page 6A STUDENT GOVERNMENT * Rackham Student Government talks school's services, future Bill of Rights lrendan Campbell and DeAndree Watson, Michigan Student Assembly president and vice president MForward candi- dates, pose for a portrait on Friday, Feb.18. MForward running mates find balance in experiences RSG committee also addresses GEO's unionizing efforts By RACHEL BRUSSTAR Daily StaffReporter With the semester about halfway through and students' stress peaking, Rackham Grad- uate School administrators and members of the Rackham Stu- dent Government are aiming to increase awareness of resources to help make graduate school more manageable. At last night's Rackham Stu- dent Government meeting, the body addressed various issues pertaining to the improvement of campus life for Rackham students, including the school's student services and a future Graduate Student Bill of Rights. Following the meeting, an RSG committee met to discuss the unionization efforts of the Graduate Employee's Organiza- tion. Darlene Ray-Johnson, direc- tor of the Office of Graduate Student Affairs in Rackham, addressed the members of RSG about the range of resources available to students. The Office of Graduate Student Affairs and the Office of Graduate Student Success work collaboratively to sponsor workshops on subjects ranging from how to write a See RACKHAM, Page 5A Watson, Campbell of the assembly, the LSA juniors are hoping to capitalize on this plan to increase combination to win the spots of MSA president and vice presi- MSA transparency dent in the student government election next month. By ROBIN VEECK MForward party, Watson Daily StaffReporter and Campbell hope to succeed outgoing MSA President Chris With DeAndree Watson's Armstrong and Vice President institutional knowledge of the Jason Raymond, who are also Michigan Student Assembly and MForward members. The can- Brendan Campbell's fresh view didates said if elected, they plan to strengthen the assembly through several initiatives such as increasing MSA transparency and expanding the advocacy role of the assembly on campus. Watson is the current speaker of the assembly. Campbell isn't currently on MSA but is chair of the University's chapter of College Democrats. MForward officially nominated Watson and Campbell on Feb. 4. Other MSA See MFORWARD, Page 5A WEATHER HI: 31 TOMORROW IM LO:19 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and letus know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Carr, Hutchins now in Mich. Sports Hall of Fame MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE GAME INDEX AP NEWS ....................3A CLASSIFIEDS..............6A Vol. CXXI,No.101 O OPION .....................4A SPORTS.. . ..........7A @ 011 TheM ichiganDaily NEW S........................5A THE B-SIDE..................1B michigondoilycom IL it