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ONHl IL\NIl)kE WE lT ( I
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, January 19, 2012
michigandaily.com
STATE OF THE STATE
In address,
Gov. lauds
innovation
and growth
LEFT: A protester holds a sign in solidarity for GSRA unionization. TOP RIGHT: Protesters assemble outside of the Lurie Engineering Center to rally against the
firing of former GSRA Jennifer Dibbern yesterday. BOTTOM RIGHT: Dibbern speaks to local news reporters about her termination.
GEG protests firing of GSRA
Dibbern claims she ference claiming that Jennifer for GSRAs to gain the right to she was locked out of her lab and
Dibbern, a GSRA in the Depart- unionize. wasn't allowed to continue her
was dismissed due ment of Materials Science and In an interview after the research.
Engineering, had been unjustly event, Dibbern said her relation- "My GSRA work was how I
to union advocacy fired due to her support of the ship with her adviser, Engineer- paid tuition and that was how
GSRA unionization effort. ing Prof. Rachel Goldman, was I supported myself," Dibbern
By GIACOMO BOLOGNA Dibbern, GEO President amicable until Goldman became said. "It's my job."
Daily StaffReporter Samantha Montgomery and aware that Dibbern supported Goldman declined to com-
GEO member Jeremy Moore unionizing. ment.
The ongoing fight over addressed a crowd of about 50 Dibbern claimed she was Dibbern said she wouldn't
the right of graduate student people yesterday in front of later unjustly fired from her have been fired if GSRAs were
research assistants to unionize the Robert H. Lurie Engineer- position on Aug. 30 for talking able to unionize, and she said
continued to escalate yester- ing Center on North Campus to openly about her support for she continues to support GEO's
day as the Graduate Employees discuss Dibbern's termination GSRA unionization. Following initiative.
Organization held a press con- and laud the continuing fight her termination, Dibbern said See GSRA, Page SA
Despite successes,
Snyder says
challenges still
remain
ByANDREW SCHULMAN
Daily StaffReporter
LANSING -Inhis Stateofthe
State address last night, Repub-
lican Gov. Rick Snyder urged
members of the state House and
Senate to press forward on the
progress they forged last year,
claiming this year will be serve
as an opportunity to profit from
the foundation set in 2011.
Snyder presented promises
for the upcoming year while
reviewing failures of 2011,
focusing primarily on the econ-
omy and innovation. He pledged
that the opportunity was ripe
for "Michigan 3.0" - "a new era
of innovation" ushered in by a
reinvention of the state.
"2011 was focused on dra-
matic policy improvements over
a broken model of the past," Sny-
der said in the speech. "We set a
right course for the future. 2012
is about finishing that work,
the work left over from 2011
and tackling a limited number
of unaddressed challenges and
really making this year about
good government."
During his address, Snyder
spoke at length about what he
believes to be effective govern-
ment - a system that brings
the state prosperity and serves
its citizens - referencing last
year's accomplishments and this
year's ambitions.
Snyder praised last year's
budget, calling it "financially
sound" in the face of tough
choices and highlighted gains
in the state's economy. He noted
that the state's unemployment
rate dropped to 9.3 percent in
See ADDRESS, Page SA
SUNIVERSITY RESEARCH
'U' students, faculty
take part in Auto Show
Solar technology, NAIAS, even if it's not widely in Detroit - is the University's
known. The University's part- Solar Car Team. Eric Hausman,
battery design
benefit Detroit
By PETER SHAHIN
Daily StaffReporter
Among the glitz and glamour
of the North American Inter-
national Auto Show in Detroit,
University innovations make up
many of the underpinnings of
the automobiles of tomorrow.
Ranging from solar technolo-
gies to advanced battery design,
University students and faculty
W comprise a substantial part of
nerships with the Detroit Three
- General Motors, Chrysler
Group, and Ford Motor Co.
- have assisted in providing
student groups and University
researchers with funding for
projects to help the companies
develop technologies to imple-
ment in future automobiles,
many of which are on debut at
the show.
One of the University exhibi-
tors featured prominently at
NAIAS - an annual showcase of
future products in the automo-
bile industry held this year from
Jan. 9-22 at the COBO Center
interim project manager for the
team, said the group maintains
partnerships with GM, Ford
and Chrysler and the companies
are often interested in the new
designs and technologies that
the car employs.
Hausman said many of the
students involved with the proj-
ect get hired from their former
sponsors.
"There's a lot of interest in
going right into the industry
... because we work with all
those companies," Hausman
said. "(Sponsorship) not only
See AUTO SHOW, Page SA
iCKNZI E BKEZN~i cc~i/Daily
University students attend the Winter Career Expo in the Michigan Union yesterday.
Winter Career Expo brings
job opportunities to campus
EDUCATING TEACHERS
TeachingWorks program assists
teachers in training initiatives
New program to
improve resource
accessibility
By JESSICA GELFARB
For the Daily
Between designing produc-
tive classroom activities, dis-
ciplining rowdy students and
more teachers have to juggle
a myriad of responsibilities. A
new program developed in the
School of Education aims to bet-
ter prepare teachers for these
challenges.
School of Education Dean
Deborah Loewenberg Ball, the
director of TeachingWorks, said
the program was developed in
collaboration with faculty in
the School of Education to offer
increased resources intended to
help train teachers, by focusing
on a new set of teaching prin-
ciples developedby the School of
Education that it view as essen-
tial to effective teaching.
"Essentially, the organization
is rooted in a set of core skills of
teaching effectively," she said.
"We build curriculum for help-
ing people prepare teachers to
do those things really well."
TeachingWorkswaslaunched
at a Jan. 12 event that includ-
ed remarks by . Ball, Univer-
sity Provost Phil Hanlon and
Annemarie Palinesar, School
See TEACHERS, Page 6A
More than 75
companies visit to
recruit students
By ERIN FORSYTHE
For the Daily
With resumes in hand, stu-
dents in business casual attire
gathered at the Michigan Union
yesterday to mingle and vie for
interviews and internships at
the University's annual Winter
Career Expo.
The all-day expo is co-spon-
sored by the University's Career
Center and the Office of Multi-
Ethnic Student Affairs, and
brings more than 75 companies
to the University to hire qualified
students for full-time positions
and internships.
Juanita Bell, a representa-
tive for AT&T, was among vari-
ous corporate representatives
present at yesterday's fair, and
said she was searching for retail
sale consultants. Though AT&T
recruits from across the United
States, Bell said her success in
recruiting at the University in
past years at the expo proves the
potential of University students
in professional settings.
"We're looking for leaders,
individuals who are going to take
charge and continue togrow with
AT&T," Bell said. "(The) students
here are very professional. They
have great personalities and I
think that it would be a good fit."
Bill Burke, a representative for
Cisco Systems who was also in
attendance at the fair, also said
the University produces excep-
tional employees.
"(We're looking) for students
that have done well in school,"
Burke said. "We're looking for
GPAs; we're looking for things
we can tell quickly."
Burke also lauded the experi-
ence held by the many interns
at Cisco Systems that attend the
See EXPO, Page 5A
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