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Ann Arbor, Michigan

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

michigandaily.com

ACADEM CS
Grad
schools
rank
highly
U.S. News &
World Report
releases annual
rankings
By KATIE BURKE
Daily StaffReporter
Universitygraduate schools
ranked among the best in
the nation in the annual U.S.
News & World Report gradu-
ate school rankings released
yesterday.
Among the most notable
was the Schoolof Social Work,
which rose from the second to
the first spot, tied with Wash-
ington University in St. Louis
for the top social work gradu-
ate program in the nation.
In each of the five catego-
ries - business, education,
law, engineering and medicine
- the University achieved a
top 15 ranking. Specifically,
the University of Michigan
Medical School, College of
Engineering and Stephen M.
Ross School of Business all
rose in the rankings, and the
University of Michigan Law
School and the School of Edu-
cation each dropped three
See GRAD, Page 3A

LEGAL DISPUTE
GSRAs now
can 't legally
unionize

PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
University alum Josh Levin jumps over a slackline on the Diag yesterday.
CAMPUS COMMUNITY
In week, 5,000 have
switched toGm---al

Gov. Snyder signs
bill before MERC
hearing yesterday
By RAYZA GOLDSMITH
Daily NewsEditor
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder
signed legislation yesterday that
bans unionization by gradu-
ate student research assistants,
halting the year-long fight that
sharply divided campus over
how GSRAs should be legally
classified.
The bill, which became effec-
tive immediately, states GSRAs
cannot be considered public
employees and are ineligible
for collective bargaining rights.
The legislation was introduced
by state Senate Majority Leader
Randy Richardville (R-Mon-
roe) about a month ago and was
recently passed in the state Sen-
ate and House of Representatives
before reaching Snyder's desk.
Snyder signed the bill into law
the same day that the Michigan
Employment Relations Commis-
sion was set to meet and poten-
tially make a decision about
whether or not GSRAs are con-
sidered public employees.
Snyder spokesman Ken Silfven
said the law is important to dis-
tinguish the difference between

students and employees.
"It's important to protect the
relationship between students
and teachers," Silfven said.
"I think having grad student
research assistants unionize
could complicate that relation-
ship ... Students need to be free
to continue learning and doing
their valuable research."
Senate Minority Leader
Gretchen Whitmer (D-East
Lansing) said she was frustrated
with the way the Republicans in
the legislature passed the legisla-
tion.
"I'm very disappointed that
the Governor signed it into law,"
Whitmer said. "This is about
working students' rights to col-
lectively bargain, and what we've
seen out of the Republicans over
the last 14 months is if you can't
win by the rules that are on the
books, then you just change the
rules. Itcomes at the cost of these
working students."
Richardville did not return
multiple phone calls requesting
comment.
Though the bill took immedi-
ate effect, MERC proceeded with
yesterday's meeting, according to
Ruthanne Okun, director of the
Michigan Bureau of Employment
Relations. Okun said MERC will
decide at its next meeting or dur-
ing a special meeting whether or
See GSRAS, Page 3A

Students now have
full access, staff to
follow this summer
By AARON GUGGENHEIM
Daily StaffReporter
After five months of planning,
the University unrolled the first
phase in its NextGen Collabo-

ration Project with Google last
week, officiallytransferring cur-
rent e-mail services to Univer-
sity Gmail and giving students,
faculty and staff access to the
full suite of Google applications.
Bill Wrobleski, director of
infrastructure projects for Next-
Gen Michigan, said while all
users have access to Google apps
currently, students are the only
ones with access to a University

Gmail account. Due to the com-
plexities of the project, he said
staff members will not be given
access to University Gmail until
early this summer, adding that
the old University e-mail system
will be retired at the end of the
summer.
Students can now migrate
their old e-mails and calendar
information to their new Uni-
See GMAIL, Page 3A


STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Presidential debate
regulations finalized

WHIP IT

CSG candidates
to spar over issues
tomorrow, Friday
By GIACOMO BOLOGNA
Daily StaffReporter
At last night's Central Stu-
dent Government assembly
meeting, representatives pre-
pared for a busy week that
includes presidential debates,
the launch of a new website
and St. Patrick's Day festivi-
ties.
Law student Peter Borock,
CSG election director,
addressed the assembly about
the upcoming presidential
debates this tomorrow eve-
ning and Friday morning. The
events will dedicate a little
more than an hour for the
presidential and vice presiden-
tial to discuss their platforms.
Though the event will not fea-
ture rebuttals, the six presi-
dential and vice presidential
candidates will give opening
statements and respond to six
questions, he said. During the
meeting, members also dis-
cussed resolutions involving
funding and a waste-free ini-
tiative at Michigan Stadium.
CSG President DeAndree

Watson said the debate will
allow students to take a deeper
look at this year's candidates.
"This is not just a popular-
ity contest with name recogni-
tion," Watson said. "Students
have the opportunity to come
in and explore the platforms
and the ideas and personalities
of the people that are vying to
be their student government
leader."
Watson added that he was
excited about the wide range
of candidates running this
March.
"They all have some fantas-
tic ideas and I'm really proud
to see that," Watson said. "I'm
just excited that there are so
many people who are willing
to serve the student body as
well."
Thursday's debate will be
held at 7 p.m. tomorrow in
Auditorium B of Angell Hall,
and Friday's debate will be
held for WOLV-TV.
LSA senior Alys Alley, chief
programming officer of CSG,
also spoke to the assembly
about CSG's planned festivi-
ties for St. Patrick's Day this
Saturday that will serve as an
alternative to drinking. Alley
said she expects more than
1,000 students will attend the
See DEBATE, Page 3A

STUDENT ACTIVISM
Kony 2012
video sparks
debate on
campus
Viral video decrys
Lord's Resistance
Army leader
By KATIE SZYMANSKI
Daily StaffReporter
Since its release last Monday,
the Kony 2012 filmsand campaign
- created by the non-profit orga-
nization Invisible Children - has
become a viral sensation, accu-
mulating more than 70 million
views on YouTube and sparking
anexplosion of coverage on Face-
book and Twitter.
The film --which demands the
arrest of Joseph Kony, the leader
of the Lord's Resistance Army
in Central Africa who has been
accused of abducting thousands
of children and forcing them into
roles as soldiers, wives and sex
slaves - has invoked mixed feel-
ings among viewers around the
nation, including students and
faculty at the University.
Invisible Children originated
in 2005, and according to its
website, the group utilizes "film,
See KONY, Page 3A

LSA freshman Nathan Sotherland tosses a frisbee in the Diag yesterday.


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