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Ann Arbor, Michigan

Friday, February 14, 2014

michigandaily.com

ADMINISTRATION
Court ruling
brings new
energy to
GS fiht

University President Mary Sue Coleman discusses higher education issues at the Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club in East Lansing, Michigan Thursday
Coleman talks higher ed.

Speech to economic
club addresses
affordability, cost
containment efforts
By JENNIFER CALFAS
ManagingNews Editor
LANSING - University
President Mary Sue Coleman
addressed the Lansing Region-
al Chamber Economic Club
Thursday about the importance
of public research institutions
of higher education as federal
and state support dwindles.

The Lansing Regional Cham-
ber Economic Club is devoted
to enhancing economic growth
and professional development
across the state, according to
the club's website. The group
hosts many guestspeakers each
year to provide diverse per-
spectives on issues facing the
state.
Coleman called upon attend-
ees to understand the signifi-
cance of higher education in
the state's development.
"It's the single most driv-
ing force," Coleman said. "It's
why we choose to work here, to
develop our careers and learn
more."

In her speech, Coleman cited
a report that revealed states
are spending 28 percent less on
college students than in 2008.
However, Gov. Rick Snyder's
(R) budget proposal for the
2015 fiscal year will increase
state appropriation for public
higher education institutions
by 6.1 percent - the largest
increase in state funding since
2001. The club hosted Snyder
in 2011, garnering nearly 850
guests.
Coleman lauded Snyder's
budget proposal, adding that it
will expand the state's national
impact drastically.
"We have a chance here in

Michigan to recapture national
leadership with the growth of
our public universities," Cole-
man said. "I firmly believe that
states that do not invest in high-
er education will not win the
21st century, and I want desper-
ately for Michigan to win."
Cost-containment and
affordability were highlighted
several times in Coleman's
speech as she described sev-
eral of the University's primary
goals for the future.
To help accomplish these
aspirations, the University
launched the Victors for Michi-
gan fundraising campaign with
See COLEMAN, Page 3

Appellate judge says
parts of a 2012 law
banning unionization
are impermissible
By SHOHAM GEVA
Daily StaffReporter
After a recent court ruling, the
debate surrounding the collec-
tive bargaining rights of gradu-
ate student research assistants
has gained new energy. The Feb.
6 district court decision declared
parts of a 2012 law barring GSRA
unionization unconstitutional.
However, the decision does not
mean total victory for union orga-
nizers. Instead, it clears the way
for the Graduate Employees Orga-
nization to challenge the exist-
ing classification that prevents
GSRAs from unionizing.
The provisions found uncon-
stitutional last week are a part of
Public Act 45, which was signed
by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in March
2012. This law included a provi-
sion declaring that GSRAs were
not entitled to unionization.
The provision was thrown out
by the court on the grounds that
it violated the state constitu-
tion's "change of purpose clause."

Since the bill's original draft was
meant to address the power of
emergency financial managers
for municipalities - not collec-
tive bargaining rights - the court
deemed the GSRA amendment
unconstitutional.
The GEO, in partnership with
the Michigan state affiliate of the
American Federation of Teachers,
first reopened the issue of GSRA
unionization in summer 2011,
when it began making plans to
include GSRAs in their represen-
tation.
GSRAs are currently banned
from unionizing in the state due
to a 1981 ruling by the Michigan
Employment Relations Com-
mission. The commission decid-
ed that GSRAs are not public
employees and thus are not eli-
gible to hold a union contract as
a collective group. To pave the
way for unionization, organizers
would need to lobby for GSRAs to
be classified as public employees.
After an original petition to
MERC asking for reconsideration
of the issue was dismissed, the
group secured a special admin-
istrative hearing on the issue in
response to a second petition in
November 2011.
However, shortly after that
decision, State Sen. Randy Rich-
See GSRA, Page 3


DON'T SLIP

RESIDENCE HALLS
Gelato station
in East Quad
finally opens

Much-delayed ice
cream station will
have grand opening
at 4 p.m. today
By AMABEL KAROUB
DailyStaffReporter
East Quad Residence Hall's
gelato bar is here - but actually.
East Quad's long-awaited gela-
to bar opened in the Java Blue
Cafd, and its official inauguration
will be Friday at 4 p.m. with free
samples and coupons.
The gelato bar features about
12 flavors - including raspberry,
strawberry, raspberry chocolate,
chocolate chip, cinnamon, mint,
natural vanilla bean, chocolate
and chocolate chipotle. East
Quad Sous Chef Jeremy Moser
said the gelato will be made with
all local and fresh ingredients.
He added that the gelato will cost
about three dollars for a three-
ounce cup.
"We're just excited we're mak-
ing gelato here from scratch,"
Moser said. "It's a U of M prod-
uct. It will only get better with
feedback from the students and
everybody else."
The prospect of a gelato bar in
East Quad gained a lot of atten-
tion during the residence hall's
renovations during the 2012 to
2013 academic year, but was not
realized until recently.

The gelato bar was originally
scheduled to open at the start of
lastsemester. LSA freshman Alec
Rosenbaum said housing staff
members' silence on the sub-
ject last semester upset him and
other residents.
"I was very disappointed, just
like everyone else," Rosenbaum
said. "I was told way back at
orientation that we were going
to have a gelato bar when this
place opened. Then I moved in
and there wasn't a gelato bar, and
then they didn't really say any-
thing. The thing that frustrated
me the most is that they didn't
really tell people what was hap-
pening."
Rumors have been flying about
the reason for the unfulfilled
gelato promise. LSA freshman
Joseph Ambrose speculated
about why the gelato machine's
installation took so long.
"They brought the machine,
they had it shipped from Italy,"
Ambrose said "There's a whole
debate whether they broke it or if
it was the company's fault."
Peter Logan, communications
director for University Hous-
ing, provided a clearer account
of what happened. The gelato
machine was part of a bid pack-
age that included all of East
Quad's kitchen and counter
equipment. The machine was
faulty when EastQuad received it
in the fall, so housing staff decid-
ed to exchange the machine at no
See GELATO, Page 3

JAMES COLLER/Daily
LSA juniors Ray Cleveland and Keima Smith practice writing Chinese characters with traditional ink brushes
alongside Beijing Normal University student Shirley Sheng during a cultural presentation with the Department of
Psychology on Thursday afternoon.
ARTS EVENT PREVIEW
'Trapped in the Closet' at
State Th eater a clt Classic

STUDENT LIFE
HBO films
student org.
discussion
on abortion
Journalism series
to examine crisis
pregnancy centers
ByBRIE WINNEGA
Daily StaffReporter
The film crew from HBO's
investigative journalism series
VICE joined members and sup-
porters of Students for Choice
Thursday to document a discus-
sion on crisis pregnancy centers.
Students for Choice is an orga-
nization that promotes abortion
education and making contra-
ception easily accessible for Uni-
versity students.
Katie Stack, founder and
director of the Crisis Project,
a movement to investigate and
expose threats posed by CPCs,
led the discussion in place of
Public Policy junior Carly Manes,
a Students for Choice activist.
Manes, who spoke at a fundrais-
er in New York City this week,
was prevented from returning to
campus in time due to a delayed
flight. Earlier this week, Manes
wasselected as forUM's Central
Student Government presiden-
tial nominee.
"I was really very sad about
it, but I knew that there was an
incredible group of students on
campus who care about this,
who are passionate, who would
See HBO, Page 3

Sing-along version
of R. Kelly's 'magnus
opum' a Valentine's
Day treat
By JACKSON HOWARD
Daily Arts Writer
Since the earliest days of
mass-produced popular cul-
ture, onlya select few works by

a handful of trailblazers have
managed to transcend general
societal acceptance and enter
into the increasingly trea-
sured realm of "cult classic."
R. Kelly's magnum opus, the 33
chapter hip hopera "Trapped
in the Closet," is not only an
undeniable cult classic - it is a
hilarious, gripping, absurd and
addicting masterpiece of sex,
deception, drama and emotion
that is blended together with
an extra-special R. Kelly twist.

Gay priests? Check. Stut-
tering pimps? Of course. Phi-
landering midgets hiding in
cabinets? You betcha. R. Kelly
voicing an entire cast of char-
acters ranging from a nosy old
lady to an ex-convict named
Twan? Yes, yes, absolutely yes.
This Friday, on Valentine's
Day no less, the State Theater
will be hosting a "Trapped in
the Closet" SING-A-LONG for
Kelly diehards and newbies
See R. KELLY, Page 5


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