rye It ic1 i an 4'.3al1 Ann Arbor Michigan Friday, October 5, 2012 .l michigandaily.com RANKINGS - 'U' places 20th in new global rankings * British publication lists 400 best universities around the world By RAYZA GOLDSMITH Daily News Editor The University was ranked 20th on a 2012-2013 list released Thursday of the top 400 universities in the world. The list is released annu- ally by the Times High- er Education, a British higher education publication. The rankings are based on 13 variables divided into five cat- egories that measure univer- sity performance: teaching, research, citations, industry income and international out- look. University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said though he's proud of how the University fared, rankings aren't the most important indicator of a uni- versity's success. "What you or I may have picked for a college is some- thing that's unique and indi- vidual," Fitzgerald said. "So rankings are nice, but they are not what students should be basing their decisions on where to attend college." Though the University dropped two spots from last year's rankings, Phil Baty, the editor of the Times Higher Education Rankings, said it was a difficult year for American and British institu- tions. Specifically, she noted tough competition from Asian institutions benefitting from significant funding and gov- ernment support, according to a University press release. California Institute of Technology was ranked first, followed by the University of Oxford and Stanford Universi- ty. The University of Michigan was the third-highest ranked American public institution in the Times' rankings. The Uni- versity of California, Berkeley came in ninth and the Univer- sity of California, Los Angeles ranked 13th. Baty said in the release that the top 200 schools comprise just 1 percent of the world's colleges and universities. In addition to ranking the world's top institutions, the Times Higher Education also ranks world universities by See RANKINGS, Page 3 LSA junior Nick Anastasia writes a poem on a typewriter during a Write-a-Thon at Espresso Royale on State St. on Thursday. The event was sponsored by the State of the Book Festival. For a complete preview of the event see page S. FOOTBALL AD:kI Slippery Rock in talks to play at the Big House DiiinII school announced at Michigan home playing another opponent, not discussions don't necessarily sig- hopeful to make a deal, but 'nothing is definite' By ZACH HELFAND Daily Sports Editor SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Slip- pery Rock, the Division II school whose football team's scores are games, has engaged in discus- sions with the Michigan Athletic Department about playing a foot- ball game at Michigan Stadium, according to multiple sources at the school. Slippery Rock Athletic Direc- tor Paul Lueken said on Thursday that Slippery Rock is "exploring the options" with the Michigan Athletic Department, but said, "nothing is definite." A potential plan would have Slippery Rock Michigan, as early as=next sea- son. "We love our positive relation- ship with Michigan football fans and how supportive they are of our program and look forward to a possible game in the future," Lueken said. Michigan declined to discuss the matter, but Associate Athletic Director Dave Ablauf cautioned that these conversations aren't uncommon and in many cases, nify a deal is imminent. "We have discussions with a lot of schools, some that come to fruition and some that don't due to a multitude of reasons," Ablauf wrote in an e-mail. "As a matter of policy, we won't comment on any on-going discussions that we might have with a school until the ink is dry on a contract." Slippery Rock previously played at Michigan Stadium in See SLIPPERY ROCK, Page 3 CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS Group unites first-generation college students on campus Organization set foot on campus. However, unlike most fresh- provides resources, men, Johnson couldn't call par- ents for first-day advice. Johnson, community a first generation college student, was on her own, until an adviser By ALICIA ADAMCZYK introduced her to First Genera- Daily StaffReporter tion College Students at Michi- gan, a campus group connecting As one of only 10 students in students who are the first mem- her high school graduating class bers of their family to attend col- to attend a four-year university, lege. LSA junior Theresa Johnson had Founded in 2007, the clubholds no idea what to expect when she events and activities for members to network and discover Uni- versity resources. Lisa Rudgers, the University's vice president for global communications and strategic initiatives, and E. Roys- ter Harper, the University's vice president for student affairs - both of whom are first-generation college students - have spoken to the group in the past. Johnson - who attended Kel- loggsville High School, a small school near Grand Rapids, Mich. See FIRST GEN, Page 3 RUBY WALLAU/Daily Rackham student Allyson Green picks tomatoes at the UMSFP Harvest Festival at the Botanical Gardens on Thursday. Harvest Fest celebrates locally-sourced food CAMPUS EVENTS Conference focuses on women's issues and justice in modern era Students support roasted oil-drizzled baguette slices - attendees of Thursday home-grown food night's Harvest Fest got a taste of the value of sustainable food from nearby farms sources. The event, held at the Mat- By KASEY COX thaei Botanical Gardens, was For the Daily designed to encourage attend- ees to appreciate harvesting, With a spread of fall-themed eating and supporting locally- delicacies - including gourmet grown food. The University goat-cheese and kale salads, of Michigan Sustainable Food apple butternut squash soup and Program, a student organiza- tion started and managed by master's students in the School of Natural Resources and Environment, hosted the well- attended festival. Attendees included Slow Food Huron Valley, a local organization committed to-edu- cating about food, the student- developed food stand Brassica, and Cultivating Community - a student group that grows a gar- See HARVEST FEST, Page 3 Three-day event features multitude of experts By ALICIA ADAMCZYK Daily StaffReporter In light of the increasing prominence of women's health care issues in national politics, the University's Institute for Research on Women and Gender is hosting a Sex and Justice Con- ference this weekend to promote discussion on the many forms that sexual injustice takes in today's society. Multiple campus departments are also involved in the confer- ence, which began Thursday and will continue through Saturday. By focusing on the intersection between sexual identities and other factors, such as race, the conference aims to change the conversation on how sex and jus- tice are intertwined. The conference will focus on intersectionality, a feminist soci- ological theory that examines how institutions, such as gen- der, race and sexual orientation, are connected. The theory holds See CONFERENCE, Page 3 WEATHER HI. 55 GOT A NEWS TIP? NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Call 734-418-4115 ore-mail 'The X-Factor': Bootcamp begins TOMORROW LO:3 news@michigandaily.com and letus know. 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