~1i fiid~ig0an 0 ai ONE-H U NDRH El)-TWENTY-FOU( )1YH TS ()1' F 1)IT'ORIAL FREEDI OM Monday, January 13, 2014 Ann Arbor, Michigan michigandaily.com BUBBLE FUN ADMINISTRATION 'U' charged for nuclear security violations RYAN REISS/Daily Music, Theater & Dance junior Elias Wygodny creates bubbles in front ofnthe UMMA during an A2 Bubbles event on Sunday. RESEARCH Brelm center, national org. to enhance diabetes studies Nuclear Regulatory Commission fines for multiple incidents By AUSTEN HUFFORD OnlineEditor The United States Nuclear Reg- ulatory Commission announced Friday a proposed $3,500 fine against the University's Radiation Safety Service for "security-relat- ed violations" discovered during a routine inspection. The security violation occurred on the Ann Arbor campus and the University "took immediate corrective actions" after it was informed of the violation. The NRC found two safety violations and one security viola- tion during its June 2013 inspec- tion and subsequent interviews, according to the inspection report sent to the University and obtained by The Michigan Daily. All of the violations are classified as Sever- ity Level IV, the lowest level viola- tion for those that are "more than minor concern." In the inspection report released to the public, information about the violation that resulted in the fine was withheld for security reasons. One of the safety violations con- cerned a 2012 incident in which cadmium-109 was used on two human research subjects without the proper licensing. The report said while the University took "corrective action" at the time, not enough was done subsequently to "prevent recurrence." The other safety violation said the University did not properly notify the NRC after it stopped using its license at the Murchie Science Building on the Flint cam- pus. The report said this violation occurred because of a "misinter- pretation" of the statute. The RSS is part of the Univer- sity's Occupational Safety and Environmental Health office and is chargedwith providingtraining, guidance and technical support regarding radiological material at the University, according to its website. The University was sent the inspection report on Oct. 4 and appears to have responded on Nov. 8. According to a "conversation record" made by the NRC, Dennis Palmieri, a senior OSEH represen- tative, told the NRC that the Uni- versity "does not dispute any of the violations referenced in the subject letter," referring to the Univer- sity's response sent in November. University receives $1 million grant to examine the disease By AMABEL KAROUB Daily StaffReporter The University's Brehm Center and Juvenile Diabe- tes Research Foundation have partnered to investigate a new hypothesis about the origins of Type 1 diabetes. Scientists have long sup- ported the idea that in Type 1 diabetes, the body loses its abil- ity to produce insulin due to the death of beta cells, which are insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Recently, how- ever, researchers at the Brehm Center found evidence that beta cells may not be dying, but instead regressing to an imma- ture state and losing the ability to produce insulin. JDRF, the top Type 1 diabe- tes fundraising organization worldwide, granted the center roughly $1 million to explore the hypothesis. Andrew Rake- man, director for JDRF's Cure Therapies division, said the col- laboration intends to confirm the process is occurring and, if it is, to look for ways to disrupt and reverse beta cell regres- sion. "The first steps will be to really show through animal models, mouse models with Type 1 diabetes, as well as with samples from humans with Type 1 diabetes whether or not this process is occurring," Rakeman said. "Second, we'll be beginning to look at what are the mechanisms that cause the beta cells to lose function, and could we think about drugs or therapies that would disrupt that mechanism." The Brehm Center was See DIABETES, Page SA ANN ARBOR City could claim land wanted for campus growth With the right council members see itt pur- chase as important to main- of first refusal, tain Ann Arbor's quality of life and prevent the property from A2 can purchase falling off the tax rolls. Conversely, the University Edwards Bros. land holds that its growth is in the best interests of students and By EMMA KERR faculty at the University, as Daily StaffReporter well as the city of Ann Arbor. The Michigan Department More property, more prob- of Treasury reports that Ann lems. Arbor's tax base has grown While the University has by 36 percent since 2001, plans to purchase the $12.8 while comparable communi- million Edwards Brothers ties in Michigan experienced property on South State Street, a decline of 4.9 percent. The the cityofAnn Arbor holds the difference is in part due to power to use its right of first the University's presence refusal to block the Univer- and growth in Ann Arbor, sity's purchase of of the 16.7 according to Jim Kosteva, the acres of land. However, the University's director of com- city would then be compelled munity relations. The growth to purchase the property, and translates into about $23 mil- most likely, search for a pri- lion of additional annual tax vate entity to buy the land. revenue for the city. Although the city does not "You shouldn't look at the have a specific need for the purchase of a property by the extra property, many city See LAND, Page SA GOVERNMENT Sierra Club asks Snyder for policy changes Report card gives Gov. a weak review before annual State of the State address By SHOHAM GEVA Daily StaffReporter The results are in, and the Michi- gan chapter of the Sierra Club has given Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder weak reviews. The club's "gubernatorial Score- card" - an evaluation of envi- ronment-related actions during Snyder's tenure - ranked Snyder on energy, environment and what the group calls "good government" poli- cies. The group found that the gov- ernor made only eight decisions the Sierra Club approved of as environ- mentally sound. The evaluation was originally based on the group's evaluation of 36 bills and administrative actions, See SIERRA CLUB, Page SA Omar Barghouti speaks on why the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement asks the world to boycott Israel until it ends its mistreatment of Palestinians on Friday at Hutchins Hall. Palestinian activist urges 'U' to divest fro-m Israel Barghouti's talk draws praise and ire across campus By MICHAEL SUGERMAN Daily StaffReporter With a focus on universal human rights and activism, Omar Barghouti - a key mem- ber of the Boycotts, Divest- ment and Sanctions campaign against Israel - received a standing ovation from those in attendance at his guest lecture in Hutchins Hall Friday night. "The very basis of BDS is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in that, a very basic concept that has been forgotten to an extent: that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights," Barghouti said. Barghouti, a Palestinian activist and commentator, explained BDS's mission by focusing on what he said were oppressive Israeli policies, including a lack of access to education for many Palestin- ians. "BDS was launched by Pal- See ACTIVIST, Page SA WEATHER HI:33 GOTANEWS TIP? NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM INDEX NEWS .........................2A ARTS,,....................6A LEATHE6 Call 734-418-4115ore-mail Interactive Map:Restaurant Week 2014 Specials Vol. CXXIV,No.46 SUDOKU..........,.3A CLASSIFIEDS.........6A Tm0l4TheyichianDaily OPINION.....................4A SPORTSMONDAY. t.......1B TOMORROW . 16 nnws@michigandaily.cvm and let us kevin. MICHIGAN DAILY.COM/BLOGS michitundailycom