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. WEATHER HI: 67 GOT A NEWS TIP? NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM TOMORROW LO: 54 Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail .#michlinks news@michigandaily.com and let us know. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE WIRE INDEX NEWS ......................2 SPOR TS. ......... Vol. CXXIII, No.22 AP NEW S....................3 CLASSIFIEDS.... .. 20r2 TheMichiganyaily OPINION ............ 4 ARTS........... michigandailycom A A