The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, November 18, 2011- 3 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, November18, 2011 - 3 NEWS BRIEFS DETROIT Obama appoints Detroit judge to federal bench The White House says Presi- dent Barack Obama has nominat- ed Wayne County Circuit Judge Gershwin Drain to a seat on U.S. District Court in Detroit. In a news release, Obama describes Drain as someone who will be a "thoughtful and diligent judge" on the federal court. The nomination requires U.S. Senate confirmation. Drain has been a Wayne Coun- ty circuit judge since 1997. Before that, he sat on the Detroit Record- ers Court, which served the city until it was merged with the county circuit court. Drain was a judge on Detroit's 36th District Court in 1986-87. EAST LANSING, Mich. Survey: Job market improving for college graduates A new survey says the job mar- ket for upcoming college gradu- ates has settled down and could show slow but steady growth. The report yesterday comes from Michigan State University's annual Recruiting Trends study. The survey of more than 3,300 employers nationwide forecasts hiring will increase by 4 percent overall for students graduating late this year or in the spring and summer of 2012. It would be an improve- ment from last year, when many employers were overly optimistic with hiring forecasts only to cut back on hiring later. Hiring is expected to be strong for engineering, computer sci- ence, accounting, agriculture sci- ences and agriculture business, and some science major disci- plines. Hiring will vary by region of the nation but should be stronger in most areas. Job prospects will vary by degree earned. WASHINGTON Inflation, prices drop for United States consumers Consumers paid less for gas, cars and computers last month, as overall prices dropped for the first time since June. Inflation is easing after prices rose sharply this spring. The Labor Department says the Consumer Price Index dropped 0.1 percent in October. It rose 0.3 percent the previous month. A steep drop in gas prices led the decline. Food prices rose, but at the slowest pace this year. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called "core" prices rose 0.1 percent. The cost of renting an apartment rose, as did prices for health care products and services. But new car prices dropped by the most in almost two years, and airline fares and hotel costs declined. BEIJING China wary about * Obama's changing foreign policy While Beijing's public response to President Barack Obama's more muscular China policy has been muted, behind the scenes the U.S. president's sudden moves to contest rising Chinese power are setting the capital on edge. During his ongoing nine-day swing through the Asia-Pacif- ic region, Obama has already unveiled a plan for an expanded U.S. Marines presence in Aus- tralia, advocated a new free- trade area that leaves China out, and called on Beijing not to buck the current world order. The Beijing government is trying to understand the shift, tasking academic experts to review the initiatives and sub- mit options on how to respond. -Compiled from Daily wire reports Students show support for art minor in LSA With passage of bill, Congress averts shutdown From Page 1 aware of the obstacles MSA faces in influencing campus change, but believes it is still rel- evant for students. "MSA only can have a limited impact for any students - we don't have any direct control over the vast majority of finan- cial or policy decisions that shape the broad direction of (the University)," O'Mahen wrote. "However, it can playa valuable role in improving life on campus through mobilizing and work- ing with existing student groups to lobby administrations and the Board of Regents." The' College of Pharmacy, whose one MSA representative had resigned, elected Pharmacy senior Eric Zhao. Zhao said he plans to use MSA's vast resourc- es to strengthen programs with- in the College of Pharmacy. "I want to be the link between MSA and my student government," Zhao said. "MSA has a lot of resources, including funding, advertising and con- nections." Zhao added that though elec- tions were important in secur- ing representation from the Pharmacy school within MSA, the future is just as important to continuingto establish aspres- ence for the college in the stu- dent government. "One of my initiatives is to make sure that we have continu- ity from now on, to have a Phar- macy rep. in MSA every year," Zhao said. Aditya Sathi, director of recruiting for MForward, said MForward spent an extensive amount of time prior to the elec- tion looking for suitable repre- sentatives from each school. "There had to be at least one person out there who was going 'Cain gets Secret Service protection Request for protection is earliest in history WASHINGTON (AP) - Herman Cain became the first Republican presidential can- didate yesterday to receive Secret Service protection. Cain asked for the secu- rity and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and congressional leaders approved his request yester- day, Secret Service spokes- man Ed Donovan confirmed. Elite agents were expected to begin protecting the for- mer pizza company executive sometime yesterday. There have been threats against Cain, who had been experiencing a bounce in the polls, according to an offi- cial with knowledge of the situation who asked not to be identified because of the sen- sitive nature of the situation. The nature of the threats was unclear. Donovan would not say whether there had been any threats or discuss why pro- tection was being provided. Cain's campaign had no immediate comment. Secret Service protection is given to each major party's presidential nominee, but can be provided earlier if the Department of Homeland Security approves a cam- paign's request. When then-Sen. Barack Obama was placed under Secret Service protection in May 2007, it was the earli- est ever for a presidential candidate. One of his rivals, Hillary Rodham Clinton, already had a protective detail because she was a for- mer first lady. to be passionate about repre- senting their school and making a change," Sathi said. The issues for last night's election were varied depend- ing on the school. For Rackham, O'Mahen said the rights of Grad- uate Students employed by the Universitywere the mostimpor- tant issue for him. Andrew Mod- ell, a freshman in the College of Engineering and a newly elected representative, said instituting a system for students to opt out of mass e-mail lists was one of his primary goals. 10 representatives elected to LSA Student Governement Ten representatives were elected to LSA Student Govern- ment yesterday, and despite a drop in voter turnout from last fall, LSA-SG officials said they were pleased with the results. Five candidates were elected to LSA-SG for the first time, and five others were re-elected to serve another term. All the rep- resentatives elected tonight will serve through November 2012. LSA freshmen Tyler Hoff- man, Kendall Johnson, Chris Graham, Elena Brennan and Cindy Yu were each elected to their first terms. LSA sophomore Gaby Korn- blau, LSA junior Brian Koziara, LSA sophomore Gabby Trupp, LSA junior Katharine Stock- rahm and LSA junior Anna Wit- tow were all re-elected.. Ten percent of the LSA stu- dent body, or 1,652 students, voted in the election - a 2-per- cent drop from last year's fall election. Jeff Larkin, LSA-SG vice president and election coordinator, said fewer stu- dents voted because the MSA didn't hold a full election, which encourages students to vote in their individual school student governments as well. Three proposals were also on the LSA ballot. One proposal asked students whether they'd like to get e-mail notifications when their grades are posted on Wolverine Access at the end of the semester - a feature cur- rently not available. Larkin said the grade notification proposal passed by a "large margin." Another proposal asked LSA students where they'd like to see water bottle refill stations added across campus. A majority of students voted that they'd like to see stations in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library and rec- reational facilities. Larkin said it was "no sur- prise" that students chose those locations to add water bottle refilling stations. There is already a station in the Intra- mural Sports Building, so LSA- SG will work to put the filling stations in the Central Cam- pus Recreation Building and the North Campus Recreation Building, Larkin said. The third ballot proposal asked students if they would be in support of LSA students hav- ing the option of having a minor in the School of Art & Design. Larkin said a majority of stu- dents voted in support of adding the minor. LSA-SG President Anne Laverty said she was "thrilled" with the results of the election. "Our voter turnout was pretty close to what it was last fall, which is great consider- ing this is the first time MSA hasn't had their full elections and LSA has," Laverty said. "So we're really happy with that and obviously there's always room to improve." - Daily News Editor Joseph Lichterman contributed to this report. Republicans dissatisfied with spending measures WASHINGTON (AP) - A weekend government shutdown that neither party wanted was averted when Congress approved a compromise spending bill yesterday, as leaders overcame major defections by Republicans angry over what they considered excessive spending. To the dis- may of liberals, the measure also blocks Obama administration plans to impose stricter nutrition standards on school lunches. The Senate sent the measure to President Barack Obama for his signature on a 70-30 vote, shortly after the House consent- ed to the bill 298-121. Though passage was by com- fortable margins, the vote in both chambers highlighted GOP fissures over federal spending. House Republicans backed the legislation by just 133-101, while GOP senators voted heavily against the bipartisan bill, 30-17. Many conservatives also were unhappy that the bill poten- tially would leave taxpayers on the hook for even more spend- ing because it would expand the size of mortgages that could be insured by the Federal Housing Administration in wealthy areas from $625,500 to $729,750. "Some say, 'Oh, the tea party, you shouldn't listen to them, they were angry people,"' Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said. "Well, I think they were deeply frus- trated people and, yes, somewhat angry. Why shouldn't they be?" The votes occurred against a backdrop of partisan gridlock among members of Congress' supercommittee, which has less than a week to try agreeing to a debt-reduction plan. Some Republicans on that phnel have been pushingto include some tax increases as part of a deal, and that has upset some Republicans adamant against abandoning the party's core stance against boosting levies. Democrats supported the measure overwhelmingly, with only 20 in the House and none in the Senate voting "no." Liber- als mocked a provision blocking Obama administration efforts to prod schools to put healthier foods on their lunch menus, including a proposal to no lon- ger consider the tomato paste on pizza to be a vegetable. "What's next? Are Twinkies going to be considered a veg- etable?" said Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., who voted against pas- sage. Despite the objections, pas- sage was never in real doubt. Both parties were eager to avoid further tarnishing Congress' ghastly public image, which took a beating after partisan stand- offs nearly caused a government shutdown this past spring and a federal default in the summer. "It's a goodbill. It's not perfect but it's alot better than the alter- native," said Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Com- mittee. The government's new fiscal year started Oct.1 without enact- ment of any yearlong spending bills. A temporary measure that has been financing federal agen- cies expires after midnight Fri- day. The legislation would keep the government's doors open through Dec. 16, giving lawmak- ers more time to catch up on their tardy budget work. Approximately 40percent of every incoming PhasimD class consists of former LSA students. So. You want one good reason to earn a pharmacy degree from the Universily of Michigan? Here are 12 good reasons, for starters: 1. Financial support unequalled by any other U.S. pharmacy school. 2. Outstanding pay. 3. Job security in economically uncertain times. 4. Unlimited opportunities to improve people's lives. 5. Unparalleled career choices. 6. Continuous growth potential. 7. Life and career mobility. 8. The power to apply medical knowledge at the forefront of technological innovation. 9. Membership in an influential alumni network spanning the globe. 10. The prestige of owning a degree from one of America's top-ranked pharmacy schools. 11. One-to-one learning with world-renowned faculty. 12. A small college environment within a major, academic institution. Choosing the right career requires equal parts knowl- edge, insight, and planning. If you are weighing your career options, please be sure to attend one of the pre- pharmacy counseling sessions listed below. To learn more about Michigan's PharmD Program, visit the College Web site at www.umich.edu/-pharmacy. Or contact the U-M College of Pharmacy at 734-764- 7312 or at mich.pharm.admissions@umich.edu. Pre-Pharmacy Sessions at the U-M College of Pharmacy: Academic Year 2011-2012: Th sday, Sept. 15, 2011 - 45 pm, Pharmacy Building, Room 1819 Thrsay, Oct. 20, 2011 - 4-5 pm, C.C. Little Building. Room 1567 Monday, Nov. 21, 2011-- 4-5 pm, C.C. Little BWilding, Room 1567 Tousday, Diec. 8, 2011 - 4- pm, C.C. Little Building, Room 1567 Monday, Jan. 23, 2012- 4- pm, C.C. Little Building, l m 567 h day, Feb. 16, 2012- 4-5 pm, CC. Little Building, Rom 1567 'ijeday, Mar. 27, 2012- 4-5 pm, CC. Little Building, -( 1567 dly, Apr. 6, 2012- 4-5 pin, C.C. Little Building, (pm1567 Your future neverlooked brighter. 4 0 A A.