iC tl an i l
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
rnichigandaily.com
UNIVERSITY SPONSORSHIPS
: Adidas
mishandled
severance
Coleman writes
letter encouraging
company to pay fired
workers
By ADAM RUBENFIRE and
PETER SHAHIN
Daily News Editor and
DailyStafReporter
University President Mary
Sue Coleman expressed concern
over the treatment of terminated
employees at a former Adidas con-
tractor in Indonesia ina letter sent
to two Adidas America, Inc. execu-
tives on Sept.21.
At the heart of the issue is the
ongoing treatment of the former
employees of P.T. Kizone, one of
Adidas' former suppliers. The
Indonesia-based company closed
in April 2011 when its owner fled
the country after the company's
sudden bankruptcy.
More than 2,700 workers never
received compensation from the
company. Nike and one of its sup-
pliers contributed $1.5 million
to the severance payments for
employees, but Adidashas not con-
tributed directly to the fund. Still,
Adidas says it has offered food
vouchers and job placement ser-
vices to the former employees.
The University's eight-year
partnership with Adidas began
in 2007 after its deal with Nike
expired, and is set to provide the
University with $60 million over
the life of the agreement. Though
Coleman did not directly threaten
to sever ties between the company
and the University in the Sept. 21
letter, she did request that Adidas
provide assistance and reparations
to the former employees of the P.T.
Kizone factory and also submit
monthly reports to the University
about the progress of arbitration
over the issue.
"I hope that Adidas will fully
appreciate the importance the
See ADIDAS, Page 5
your cer o omr}ce or via ma ie
To clerk's oice must receive the
at oe, regiter absentee application no later than
at eg ster 2 yn. on Nov. 3, the Saturday
offithcer before Election Day. You can pick
homfiew re at up your absentee ballot fram the
aoy Secretary oT clerk's office or it can be mailed to
State brach our home or school ades
There are tine
offices near First-time Michiga voters who maul
campus: 2720 to vote absentee must register in
Washtenaw Ave person at their local clerk s ottice,
in Ypsilanti and Absenteevoting laws va y fram stale
353 North Mapler to stale, uu be sure to cheek what
CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY
Weibo networks
connect
Chinese social
media tool allows
global users to
interact with the 'U'
By ASHWINI NATARAJAN
For the Daily
With the continued growth of
its social networking efforts, the
University has added yet another
initiative to attract international
students.
students
Weibo aChinesewebsitesimilar
to Facebook and Twitter, is a social
networking site that connects stu-
dents from across the world. The
University began using the site
about five months ago, through an
initiative started by Will Foreman,
the global communications man-
ager and public relations repre-
sentative at the University's News
Service, and his colleagues, Zhang
Xiaoxi.
"With Weibo you can post vid-
eos and photos, and people were
able to do that almost a year before
See WEIBO, Page 5
EVENT PREVIEW SING US A SONG, YOU'RE THE ORGAN MAN
Business Prof. Whitman to
* read from her new memoir
Accomplished
"This was a force to contend
with," Whitman said. "He was
ec
hi
Chi
ing up
plishm
Marin
had m
most p
Wh
Neum
ing G
develo
ence
Manh
other
)nomist recalls a wonderful
father, but he Reading
er upbringing put a lot off
pressure on
By JOHN BOHN me to always Martian's
Daily Arts Writer be on the
top of every- Daughter
ildren often fret about liv- thing." Tuesday at
to their parents' accom- Still, it's 5:30 p.m.
rents. Business Prof. safe to say Hatcher Graduate
ia von Neumann Whitman she's escaped
sore to worry about than her father's library
reople. shadow. She Free
itman's father, John von was the first
ann, is known for invent- woman to be appointed to the
ame Theory, pioneering president's Council of Economic
ipments in computer sci- Advisers in 1972, by President
and contributing to the Richard Nixon. Whitman also
attan Project, among served as vice president and
achievements. chief economist of General
Motors from 1979 to 1985 and
group vice president for public
affairs from 1985 to 1992.
On Tuesday, Whitman will be
giving a reading of her recently
published memoir "The Mar-
tian's Daughter."
"The book is my memoir and
my life and career, but it has two
basic themes," Whitman said.
"One of which is my relationship
with my father and how I got
out from under the shadow of a
larger-than-life parent."
She remembers one conten-
tious exchange after Whitman
told her father that she planned
to get married upon graduating
college.
"He had a fit," Whitman said.
"He thought that this would be
See MEMOIR, Page 5
Organ Prof. James Kibbie plays the organ during a faculty recital at Hill Auditorium on Monday.
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