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Ann Arbor, Michigan

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

michigandaily.com

POLICY ANALYSIS
'U sexual
misconduct
policy takes
step forward

AAMLANI Nn/eDIy
University President Mary Sue Coleman discusses the Gibbons case, #BBUM campaign and curriculum requirements during a fireside chat in the Union Monday.
Coleman hosts private talk

In monthly fireside
chat, President
addresses array of
questions, concerns
By CLAIRE BRYAN
. Daily Staff Reporter
As her tenure comes to a
close, University President
Mary Sue Coleman is still
looking to reach out to stu-
dents.
Coleman and E. Royster
Harper, vice president for

student life, sat with about 30
students in the Pond Room of
the Michigan Union Monday
for their monthly fireside chat,
which serves as an opportuni-
ty to hear and respond to stu-
dent concerns on campus.
The pair answered ques-
tions about the Brendan
Gibbons case, curriculum
requirements, the Being Black
at the University of Michigan
campaign and the University's
participation with the civil
unrest in Venezuela.
One student started the
chat by asking about the Uni-
versity's recent handling of the

controversy surrounding for-
mer kicker Brendan Gibbons'
permanent seperation and the
timeline of the response.
The Michigan Daily report-
ed in January that Gibbons
was separated from the Uni-
versity in December after
being found responsible for a
violation of the University's
Student Sexual Misconduct
Policy.
Coleman said she could not
discuss individual cases of
student sexual misconduct,
but stressed that the Athletic
Department did not playa role
in the process of reviewing

Gibbon's case.
"I am very comfortable with
the process and what hap-
pened," Coleman said. "We
have pretty well-defined pro-
cedures that we use."
The fireside chat quickly
changed subjects as many stu-
dents asked about the Univer-
sity's curriculum. LSA senior
Zach Klausner was one of mul-
tiple students who voiced their
concern with how strict the
distribution requirements are
at the University.
"The only classes that I have
truly had a negative experi-
See COLEMAN, Page 3

Changes include a
more investigative
approach to assault
and harassment claims
By AUSTEN HUFFORD
Online Editor
The University's sexual assault
and harassment policies are not
something frequently discussed
during weekend parties or in Ann
Arbor cafes. For those directly
impacted by these procedures,
their stories and experiences with
the University's process are infre-
quently told. When controversies
do arise, the public outcry is loud
even before any facts are made
public.
Since April 2011, the University
has quickly created both an inter-
im and a final Student Sexual Mis-
conduct Policy that changed how
the University deals with these
allegations. During this time, the
University has struggled to convey
the significance of these changes
to a student body, which seems
most interested when bad news
hits. The fastpace of these changes
have also made it difficult to pur-

sue ongoing cases during the tran-
sitional period,
More than four years after an
alleged Nov. 2009 sexual assault, a
Nov. 2013 letter was sent to former
kicker Brendan Gibbons inform-
ing him he was found responsible
by the University for violating the
Student Sexual Misconduct Policy.
Gibbons was permanently separat-
ed from the University in Decem-
ber for this violation.
Documents, includingthe letter,
were reviewed by The Michigan
Daily and first reported on in Jan-
uary 2014, resulting in widespread
media coverage and negative
attention towards the Univer-
sity and the Athletic Department.
Many questioned why it took more
than four years to expel Gibbons
and wondered if his position on the
football team played a role.
The University has not. com-
mented on Gibbons' case specifi-
cally but has repeatedly stated the
University Athletic Department
has no influence in the sexual mis-
conduct process and has pointed
towards the changes in the Stu-
dent Sexual Misconduct Policy.
Both University President Mary
Sue Coleman and Michigan coach
Brady Hoke released similar state-
See POLICY, Page 3


CAMPUS LIFE
Maize Rage
discusses new
line policies

After controversy at
Sunday basketball
game, members
brainstorm solution
By BRIE WINNEGA
Daily StaffReporter
During their weekly meeting
Monday, Maize Rage - the stu-
dent-organized cheering sec-
tion for a the University's men's
basketball team - discussed
the confusion that occurred
before Sunday's basketball
game against Michigan State.
Students arrived at the
Crisler Center early Sunday
morning and began to form a
line for entry into the building
in order to obtain the best seat-
ing. Later, students in the origi-
nal line were told by authorities
to relocate to a secondary line.
While some complied, others
remained in the original line
for fear of losing the bleacher
seats that they had been wait-
ing for.
Students from the second
line, most of whom arrived
later, were granted first access
to desired seating locations.
After some delay, authorities
compromised by granting those
remaining students access to a
different section of seats.
During the meeting, Maize
Rage members and other

students discussed possible
solutions that might ensure
similar events could be avoided
in the future. Some of the ideas
offered included the elimina-
tion of a start-time for students
tobegin liningup before agame
and the possibility of priority-
based seating for students who
have attended the most games
in the past.
Some attendees also agreed
that adding fences or barricades
to guide the line-up process
would be helpful. On Sunday,
Rob Rademacher, associate
director of facilities and opera-
tions, said the University's Ath-
letic Department consistently
evaluates their attendance poli-
cies, including the use of bar-
riers and increased security to
improve attendees' experience.
"We haven't made a decision
on anything," LSA senior Sasha
Shaffer, Maize Rage president,
said. "It's an ongoing process
that, obviously it's only been
a little over 24 hours since it
happened, so we haven't come
down to a decision."
Although a representative
from the University's Athletic
Department representative was
expected to attend the meeting,
no staff member was present.
"I mean, they obviously have
a lot going on, so it just couldn't
happen," Shaffer said. "But
they're setting up a meeting."
Engineering freshman
See MAIZE, Page 3

STUDENT GOVERNMENT
CSG's Make
Michigan to
campaign on
experience
Candidates confident
in ability to connect
with students and
administrators
By KRISTEN FEDOR
Daily StaffReporter
In the upcoming Central Stu-
dent Government elections,
Make Michigan candidates are
hoping to set themselves apart
from the rest of the pack.
Public Policy junior Bobby
Dishell and LSA sophomore Mea-
gan Shokar, Make Michigan's
candidates for CSG president and
vice president both already hold
leadership roles in student gov-
ernment. Dishell is the current
vice president of CSG, while Sho-
kar serves as the speaker of the
CSG assembly.
"Our experience this year
is unlike any other candidates
experience, both in terms of what
we've been able to accomplish on
campus, as well as our experi-
ence in student government and
working with administrators,"
Dishell said.
Dishell began his career in stu-
dent government when he joined
the Greek Relations Commission
at the end of his freshman year.
As a sophomore, he served as an
LSA representative in the CSG
assembly. Last winter, he was
successful in his 2013 bid for vice
See CSG, Page 6

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), the longest serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced his retirement
Monday. Above, Dingell celebrates the election to his 30th term in Congress on November 6, 2012.
Dingell to retire after 58
years serving in Congress

Longest serving
member of congress
will not run for
re-election in fall
By STEPHANIE SHENOUDA
and ALLANA AKHTAR
Daily News Editor
and Daily Staff Reporter
U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-
Mich.) officially announced his
decision to retire from the U.S.
House of Representatives after

not seeking re-election this fall.
The announcement, released
in a statement from his office,
came Monday morning.
At 87 years old, Dingell is
the longest serving Congress-
man with 58 years under his
belt, assuming the seat after
his father, John Dingell, Sr.
passed away in 1955. Some of his
most notable accomplishments
include passing legislation for
the Clean Water and Clean Air
Acts and the Civil Rights Act of
1964. Most recently, he contrib-
uted to the Affordable Care Act,
which was signed into law in

March 2010.
In his prepared remarks for
the annual "State of the Dis-
trict" address to the South-
ern Wayne County Regional
Chamber of Commerce, Dingell
expressed sentimental feelings
about leaving the position he
held for so long.
In his address, he thanked
his staff, colleagues and wife
for remaining loyal to him and
supporting him throughout his
career. He praised his constitu-
ents and the people of Michigan
for letting him serve them.
See DINGELL, Page 6


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