The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 3A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 3A
NEWS BRIEFS
DETROIT
Michigan district
to get emergency
manager
Gov. Rick Snyder has deter-
mined a financial emergency
exists in the Muskegon Heights
public school district, clearing
the way for the appointment of
an emergency manager.
Snyder made his announce-
ment yesterday after recommen-
dations from astate reviewteam,
which early this month suggest-
ed the move.
The recommendation had
been expected. The Muskegon
Heights review process started
after the district's school board
O voted in December to seek an
emergency manager.
SANFORD, Fla.
Zimmerman's
lawyers withdraw
from shooting case
The Trayvon Martin case took
a bizarre turn yesterday when
George Zimmerman's attorneys
quit, complaining that they have
lost all contact with him and that
" he called the prosecutor and talk-
ed to a TV host after they told him
not to speak to anyone.
The lawyers portrayed the for-
mer neighborhood watch captain
as erratic and his mental state as
shaky, and they expressed fear for
his health under the pressure that
has been building in the month
since he shot and killed Martin, an
unarmed black teenager.
"As of the last couple days he
has not returned phone calls, text
messages or emails," attorney
Craig Sonner said at a news con-
ference outside the courthouse.
"He's gone on his own. I'm not
sure what he's doing or who he's
talking to. I cannot go forward
speaking to the public about
George Zimmerman and this case
as representing him because I've
lost contact with him."
HOUSTON
" Texas spends
settlement funds
on conservation
Texas is the first state to con-
firm a deal to use settlement
money from the Gulf oil spill for
a coastal conservation project,
paying $2 million for 80 acres of
crucial habitat for endangered
whooping cranes.
The state worked with a pri-
vate nonprofit to quickly buy land
using some of the approximately
$6.5 million it got from MOEX
Offshore 2007 LLC, a minor-
ity partner in the ill-fated rig that
blew up in 2010, killing 11 people
and causing the worst offshore
spill in U.S. history.
The plan is for MOEX to give
$2 million to the Texas Nature
Conservancy to buy the land
and donate it to Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department. The private
nonprofit signed the contract yes-
terday.
BEIRUT
Syria launches
attacks despite
cease-fire plan
Syriantroops defieda U.N.-bro-
kered cease-fire plan yesterday,
launching fresh attacks on rebel-
lious areas, but special envoy Kofi
Annan said there was still time to
salvage a truce that he described
as the only chance for peace.
More than a year into the Syr-
ian uprising, the international
community has nearly run out
of options for halting the slide
toward civil war. Yesterday,
Annan insisted his peace initia-
tive remains "very much alive" -
in part because there is no viable
alternative.
The U.N. has ruled out any mili-
tary intervention of the type that
helped bring down Libya's Moam-
mar Gadhafi, and several rounds
of sanctions and other attempts
to isolate President Bashar Assad
have done little to stop the blood-
shed.
-Compiled from
Daily wire reports
COLEMAN
From Page 1A
Coleman said one of the com-
ponents of the current MIP pro-
gram is to track repeat offenders
to determine who is at serious
risk for addiction or abuse of
drugs or alcohol.
"If you take away that abil-
ity to identify somebody, are
you really in the long run doing
a disservice?" Coleman asked. "I
think there are unintended con-
sequences."
One recurring topic addressed
by several questioners was diver-
sity at the University. Business
graduate student Kendra Jack-
son asked how the University
could attract minority students
specifically to the Business
School after the passage of Pro-
posal 2 in 2006, which outlawed
the use of affirmative action in
the admissions process.
Coleman said despite the ini-
tial drop in applications from
minorities after the proposal's
passage, the University has made
progress in increasing applica-
tions and acceptances for minor-
ity students, but it hasn't been
able to translate those accep-
tances into actual matriculation.
"Our acceptances keep going
up," Coleman said. "The prob-
lem is in the conversion, get-
ting students to accept us ... If
you don't have the applications,
you're kind of stuck. We've got
the applications, we've got the
admittances, now we have to do
the conversions and we need to
do better than we're doing."
Coleman also called for stu-
dent input on how to improve the
enrollment of minority students
in the University as a whole.
Another student mentioned
potentially relocatingthe Trotter
Multicultural Center to a loca-
tion closer to Central Campus to
foster greater participation, not-
ing its proximity to fraternities
on Washtenaw Avenue at times
leads to discomfort, particularly
among female students.
"I thinkthat this issue of space
and a multicultural center closer
in itself isn't a bad idea," Harper
said. "But it's a continual strug-
gle around space and priorities
and what gets put in the space."
Coleman added that a new
space for student organizations
at the University could poten-
tially be fostered through exten-
sive renovation of the Michigan
Union and the Michigan League.
The last renovation to the build-
ings, Coleman said, was more
than 60 years ago.
Coleman and Harper also
heard from Engineering junior
Galen Kreutzberg about an
upcoming symposium on outer
space that will be the "Wood-
stock of space conferences,"
according to Kreutzberg.
Kreutzberg spoke about the
student-driven conference, slat-
ed to be held in August 2013, to
celebrate the history of space
exploration and the University's
long-standing relationship to
NASA.
After the session, Kreutzberg
said Coleman had extended the
University's support in the devel-
opment of the conference and its
promotion.
"They said they would help
us get sponsors and connect us
with people and really get the
University behind this," Kreutz-
berg said. "This is the true spirit
of Michigan coming through. We
really want to lead the country
into the (next phase) of space
exploration."
MARTIN
From Page 1A
said. "Just reminding the people,
'Hey, your vote matters, voting
is important to get these laws
repealed or adjusted' ... Actual
action, that's what we're trying
to promote."
Rackham student Vanessa
Cruz said the march was planned
to raise awareness about a law
in Michigan similar to Florida's
Stand Your Ground law-which
allows people feeling threatened
to protect themselves with force,
including using a gun, without
trying to get away first - and
may allow Zimmerman to walk
away unpunished. Cruz said
laws such as the Stand Your
Ground law are the root of insti-
tutional social injustice across
the nation.
"We just want to drive home
the point that the life of some-
body of color is not worth less
than that of anyone else," Cruz
said. "The justice systems in our
states should provide the proper
system for those people ... who
hold racial stereotypes to pay
their sentences."
Rackham student Davin Phoe-
nix, who also helped organize the
event, discussed Michigan's law
in more detail with a group of stu-
dents and community members
before the march began.
"Our voices will be raised in
protest," Phoenix told the crowd.
"We will have our eyes wide open
... to recognize that these trag-
edies can happen in our very own
community."
After a few brief statements
reminding the attendees that the
march was a nonviolent protest
and police would be on standby
to help anyone who might poten-
tially feel threatened, the group
began the nearly 45 minute
march to the Diag at 7:17 p.m., the
same time Martin's body was dis-
covered by police.
Amid shouts of "What do
we want? Justice! When do we
want it? Now!" and various other
chants, the crowd marched from
Washtenaw Avenue to South Uni-
versity Avenue, then made its way
down to State Street before cross-
ing over to North University Ave-
nue, picking up stray pedestrians
along the way. The march finally
ended at the steps of the Hatcher
Graduate Library at about 8 p.m.
Some of the marchers lit
candles while others took to a
megaphone, sharing personal
stories of injustice. LSA freshman
Daniel Morales shared his past
status as an undocumented citi-
zen and encouraged the crowd
to get involved in making lasting
change.
"I think we stand for justice for
all, regardless of race, gender ... or
immigrant status," Morales told
the crowd. "We all deserve to be
treated as human beings."
Morales added: "It is not just a
race issue ... or a religious issue.
It's a human issue."
Phoenix took to the stage once
more, emphasizing the need
for people to continue to make
strides toward fighting injustice.
"This right here does not con-
stitute a threat," Phoenix said
as he flipped up the hood on his
sweatshirt. "Get to know me.
Make every effort to join into the
struggle ... every day that we are
alive, we need to make a differ-
ence."
LSA senior Alex Ocampo, a
member of the Wolverines for
Diversity, encouraged the crowd
to attend the University's Board
of Regents meeting next Thurs-
day, where the coalition is plan-
ning to continue its fight against
social injustice at the University.
"We're going to demand
increased enrollment of under-
represented minority students,"
Ocampo said toa cheering crowd.
"We're going to request mandato-
ry IGR classes to improve campus
climate surrounding race."
Ocampo also mentioned that
allowing undocumented students
living in Michigan to pay in-state
tuition was another goal the
coalition planned to tackle at the
regents meeting.
After the speaking died down,
Ocampo and the other coalition
members passed out chalk to
the crowd, asking attendees to
write across the Diag what they
planned to do to ensure that the
event positive impacts.
LSA junior Luz Meza said she
attended the march to stand in
solidarity with other University
students and to make her voice
heard.
"It's just not fair for anyone
that this can happen in our coun-
try, and that our government can
be OK with it," Meza said. "We
need to be showing that we care
about it and that Wolverines
will always stand up for justice
and for what's right, and not just
ignore these things that racial-
ize our country and that divide
us."
GSRA
From Page 1A
Raiman said he expects the
Court of Appeals to rule that the
bill banning GSRA unionization
is legal.
"I'm confident that the court
will eventually rule in our favor,
that they will find the law that
was passed to be constitutional
and perfectly proper, so I don't
believe that MERC will feel the
need to convene about this issue
again," Raiman said.
Rackham student Liz
Rodrigues, communications
director for the Graduate
Employees' Organization, said
she thinks MERC's decision
makes sense from a legal stand-
point.
SANTORUM
From Page 1A
ning the Republican primaries
in Colorado, Minnesota and Mis-
souri before closely losing Rom-
ney's home state of Michigan.
The fact that neither of Rom-
ney's two remaining challengers,
Gingrich and Paul, were particu-
larly successful in the Repub-
lican primaries nearly assures
Romney of the nomination, said
communications Prof. Michael
Traugott.
"It's all over," Traugott said of
the race for the Republican nom-
ination. "It was heading towards
being all over anyway, but now
there's no effective opposition to
Romney. He is the presumptive
nominee."
Gingrich, who won the South
Carolina primary in January,
vowed yesterday to remain in the
race despite victories only there
and his home state of Georgia.
Traugott said Gingrich stood
little chance of topping Rom-
ney, but that the former House
Speaker's presence in the elec-
tion could compel Romney to
keep pandering to the Republi-
can Party's far right wing.
If that is the outcome of Gin-
grich's campaign, Traugott pre-
dicted trouble for Romney in the
general election.
"(Romney's) doubly cursed,"
Traugott said. "He may not be
conservative enough to people
on the far right, yet he's become
so much more conservative that
it could be a concern for moder-
ates in the Republican Party."
However, LSA junior Brian
Koziara, senior adviser to the
University's chapter of the Col-
lege Republicans, said Romney
would be well-equipped to shift
his focus to Obama because he's
already been in "general election
"It's not surprising that they
would (pass the motion tabling
the GSRA issue), given that the
law preventing GSRAs from
organizing is technically still in
immediate effect because a stay
has been put on the restraining
order," Rodrigues said.
She added that she is dis-
appointed with the decision
because it represents another
obstruction to GSRAs voting to
unionize, but is optimistic that
the House Democrats' lawsuit
could ultimately help GEO's
cause.
"We were heartened that the
lawsuit brought to attention the
fact that the way that the bill
was passed was troubling with
its speed and lack of respect
for democratic procedure,"
Rodrigues said.
mode."
"One of Mitt Romney's
strengths is that he's been focus-
ing on the general election the
whole time through," Koziara
said. "That's one of the reasons
that people see him as electable.
He's been able to focus a clear,
concise and accurate message
about President Obama."
Koziara also said he disagreed
with the notion that Republi-
can voters may be turned off by
Romney's perceived espousal of
more conservative policies dur-
ing the primary season. He said
he thought Republicans recog-
nize that their task in this fall's
general election will be to defeat
Obama, not to argue over the
merits of their own candidate.
"At the end of the day, Rom-
ney has a very fiscally conser-
vative, pro-jobs, pro-economic
message," he said. "That reso-
nates with Republican voters. At
the end of the day, jobs and the
economy are not Republican
issues, they're not conservative
issues - they're issues where
it's all about who is best to make
these things happen."
For the University's chapter
of College Republicans, Koziara
was unsure whether the orga-
nization will start pushing for
support on campus now that
Romney is the definitive candi-
date.
Still, he said many members of
the College Republicans already
supported Romney, and eve
those who didn't expected Rom-
ney to ultimately be the candi'
date in the general election.
"People have come to terms
already with the fact that he's
the likely nominee," Koziar
said. "I think it's important that
we understand that we under,
stand that we need to get behind
one single individual, and that's
Mitt Romney."
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DPS
From Page 1A
increase in larceny reports in
2012," Piersante said in the bul-
letin. "We have made a number
of arrests of career criminals
who have targeted our commu-
nity. But we still have predators
around."
E. Royster Harper, the Uni-
versity's vice president for stu-
dent affairs, said the University
is taking steps to promote stu-
dent awareness and security,
particularly in residence halls.
She added that the University
is also considering adding secu-
rity cameras on Central Campus
to deter crimes.
"There's been conversations
about more cameras," Harper
said. "What we're trying to
find (is) that balance between
this being an easy place to be
and being safe. You don't want
so many cameras that you feel
watched an invaded upon, but
you don't want so few that they
don't help with the deterrent."
Harper added that extra vigi-
lance during the final days of the
semester is especially impor-
tant.
"It's easy around final time
to get lax," Harper said. "There
are some bad people who prey
on students, and they know our
rhythm better than we do."
DPS spokeswoman Diane
Brown said most larcenies occur
outside of residence halls where
students leave items unattended
for brief periods of time, noting
that break-ins and home inva-
sions are comparatively more
rare than larcenies. Some of
the items reported as stolen in
the security bulletin were later
recovered, according to Brown,
but returns are rare.
"All of the residence halls
have cameras at all of their
entrances and exits, which has
been a significant deterrent
and also has assisted in solving
some crimes," Brown said. "It is
notable in locations where cam-
eras do exist that theyhave often
been helpful in quickly solving
crimes, particularly larcenies."
Brown added that DPS has
continued a dialogue with Uni-
versity administrators about
installing cameras in areas with
higher incident rates. A commit-
tee within the University has
been looking to formulate a uni-
form policy for camera systems
across campus, but those guide-
lines are not developed.
According to Brown, most
crimes are not committed by
University students but rather
by outside "predators."
"People do need to secure
their laptops, and their back-
packs, and their wallets in par-
ticular," Brown said. "These are
the things thieves are target-
ing."
However, groups such as the
University chapter of the Ameri-
can Civil Liberties Union take a
skeptical view of the use of cam-
eras in public space in deterring
crime.
Public Policy senior Bennett
Stein, ACLU and Ann Arbor Pri-
vacy board member, said add-
ing more cameras on campus is
"ill advised" and ineffective at
reducing crime.
"As we continue to move for-
ward with our technologies,
we need to consider what these
technologies are doing to our
fundamental liberties and fun-
damental rights," Stein said.
Stein cited the right to pri-
vacy, even in public spaces, as
a primary concern for both
groups.
"My experience has been that
DPS is concerned with solv-
ing crime and promoting pub-
lic safety," Stein said. "But we
would hope that now and in the
future they're engaging us more
in the discussion of howthey can
protect civil liberties as well."
LSA sophomore Ellen Steele,
outgoing chair of the Univer-
sity's chapter of the ACLU and
a member of the DPS Oversight
Committee, said the group gen-
erally opposes the use of cam-
eras and sees them as an undue
infringement upon the rights of
citizens.
"We in Ann Arbor have sup-
ported an effort to create an
oversight committee to oversee
the use of security cameras in
public spaces," Steele said. "We
would support an effort like that
on campus."
However, Steele said the
efforts to reach out to the Uni-
versity community through
education and crime alerts were
a progressive step for DPS.
"I think it's good to have
transparency with the police
department," Steele said.
Steele was not able to com-
ment on discussions within
the DPS Oversight Committee
because the issues are bound by
confidentiality.
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