The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Friday, October 24, 2014 - 3


FOOTBALL
From Page 1
Regents Oct. 16.
The number of student ticket
sales dropped from about 19,000
in 2013 to about 12,000 in 2014,
creating a noticeably smaller stu-
dent section.
As has been the policy in pre-
vious years, the Athletic Depart-
ment . will sell season ticket
packages to every student who
equests one for the upcom-
ing season. Citing the lower
prices and a home schedule that
includes games against Ohio
State and Michigan State, Hunter
Lochmann, Athletic Department
chief marketing officer, said he
hopes the student section will
rebound to between 18,000 and
20,000 people next fall.
"The wrestling about this issue
started when we got12,000 student
tickets sold for this season, and we
ORDINANCE
From Page 1
During the public hearing at
Monday's meeting, local organi-
zations voiced their support for
the new ordinance. A represen-
tative from SafeHouse, a group
that provides support for sur-
vivors of domestic violence and
*exual assault, was among those
in attendance.
Barbara Niess-May, execu-
tive director of SafeHouse, said
she was thrilled with the new
ordinance. Victims of domes-
tic violence, sexual assault and
stalking are often dismissed from
jobs, restaurants and businesses
because of their attacker's behav-
ior, Niess-May said in an inter-
viewwith The Michigan Daily.
The wider impact of the
ordinance is also important to
the organization, which works
closely with the local LGBTQ
community.
"It's not just about one sliver
of society, it's about its entirety,"
Niess-May said.
Kailasapathy said Ann Arbor
is hoping to set an example for
the state of Michigan through
the revised ordinance. The
state's anti-discrimination leg-

saw that significant dropoff from
the previous year," Brandon said.
"Clearly, that was a strong message
to us that, 'Hey, something is amiss
that we need to address'"
Student seating will be
assigned based on attendance
at this season's games, as was
announced this spring. The pol-
icy rewards students who attend
at least six games this fall and
arrive more than 20 minutes
before kickoff with better seats
in 2015. The policy change comes
after a shift to a General Admis-
sion model prior to the 2013 sea-
son, which was met with uproar
by the student body.
The remainder of the students
will be organized based on class
ranking.
Dishell said he and Brandon,
along with Lochmann and CSG
Vice President Emily Lustig, an
LSA senior, have been in talks
for the past "two or three weeks"
about improving the student sec-
tion.

Dishell, who originally devel-
oped the CSG survey, worked to
add questions and feedback from
Brandon before sending it out
to students Oct. 10. According
to Dishell, 5,802 individuals -
roughly 12 percent of the student
body - filled out the survey. And
since then, the group has worked
"night and day" to implement a
new policy.
"This was strictly (in conjunc-
tion) with students," Dishell said.
"This is really us being us. I
don't know of another school
who's lowering ticket prices 40
percent," Brandon added.
The plan also plans to lower
the ticket processing fee from $15
to $10 while includingthe T-shirt
for students in the cost of the
ticket package - a $15 value.
"Michigan football is such a
core component (of the Univer-
sity experience) because there's
no other experience on campus
that more students participate in
at one time," Dishell said.

MADNESS
From Page 1
similar event last year, Maize
Out, Lights On, before Michigan
played against Notre Dame.
"We got kind of lucky with the
timing with there being a dip in
school spirit so we can help pick
that up," Borger said. "It's still
early in the semester so kids can
still get involved and raise that
morale and get them excited to
be at Michigan. It's still a time
where you can jump into a new
organization. You can see some-

one on stage and say, 'I want to
do that.'"
Though the event was focused
in part on Michigan's upcoming
game against Michigan State
and included a speech from
Michigan football coach Brady
Hoke, the Athletic Department
has been subject to vocal criti-
cism in recent weeks.
Many students railed against
Hoke for putting sophomore
quarterback Shane Morris back
in Michigan's Sept. 27 football
game against Minnesota after
he sustained a "probable, mild
concussion," and later against
Athletic Department officials

for failing to provide adequate
communication about the inci-
dent.
Borger said he hopes the rally
will take place again next year
and continue increasing morale
and pride at the University.
"We've been working so hard
just for tonight so we always
hope someone will carry it for-
ward," Borger said. "We felt that
this year was particularly impor-
tant to get people to step up and
increase University morale and
take pride to be here. Yesterday,
the block 'M' got painted green,
and we can't let that happen. Not
here, not at my University."


CLEARY
From Page 1
ing stalking provisions and the
inclusion of gender identity and
national origin as classifica-
tions for hate crimes.
She added that there would
be more training regarding
sexual misconduct for students,

faculty and staff coming this
fall.
Representatives from the
University's Sexual Assault Pre-
vention and Awareness Center,
including Director Holly Rider-
Milkovich, who was involved
with a committee that devel-
oped the new policies, could not
be reached for comment.
Brown said she and Universi-

ty Police will be working for the
next several months to ensure
that their policy is up to date.
"We certainly embrace the
spirit of creating avenues to
help our community members
be informed about crime and
safety issues reported to author-
ities, and if this is deemed help-
ful in that regard, so much the
better," she said.


islation, the Elliott-Larsen Civil
Rights Act, does not include
protections for sexual orienta-
tion, gender identity and gen-
der expression. However, it was
amended in 2009 to increase
protections for pregnant
employees.
State Rep. Adam Zemke (D-
Ann Arbor) acknowledged the
state's shortcomings in a state-
ment read by Taylor at Monday's
meeting.
"I would love to stand before
you today and say that a com-
prehensive local ordinance is
unnecessary because the state
has included all persons regard-
less of sexual orientation, gen-
der expression or identity under
the protection afforded by the
Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act,"
Zemke wrote. "That would
be the right thing to do for all
Michiganders, however, that is
not yet the case."
Political beliefs are another
protection many would like to
see added to state legislation.
In an interview with the Daily,
Michael Steinberg, legal direc-
tor for the American Civil Lib-
erties Union in Michigan, said
an Ann Arbor doctor was fired
a few years ago because she
was an activist for Palestinian
rights. Steinberg said he hopes

state lawmakers will realize the
importance of protecting people
of all political views.
"Ann Arbor is not alone; sev-
eral states have political beliefs
protected in their civil rights
laws - California, Colorado,
Connecticut, South Dakota and
Louisiana, just to name a few,"
Steinberg said. "It isn't radical
or out of the ordinary."
He added that the ordinance
is especially relevant to Ann
Arbor. Because the town is home
to one of the nation's preeminent
universities, the right to freely
exchange ideas is important.
William Hampton, president
of the Ann Arbor chapter of the
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People,
praised the Council for the work
they did to improve the ordi-
nance and noted Ann Arbor's
longstanding tradition of social
progress.
"It showed a lot of courage to
have a human rights ordinance
in the 1970s, and we did," he
said.
However, Hampton added
that without enforcement, the
new ordinance will be mean-
ingless. He hopes that if it is
enforced it will encourage com-
munity members to value and
celebrate diversity.

BOWMAN possibility, and he thought his Ford, people would walk up to
message was something that me and say - it's kind of loud in
From Page 1 would resonate with the dis- there - but they would kind of
trict. yell 'Hey Bowman, are you run-
very successful in doing that." "Even before we were able ning for Congress?"' he said.
He added that he would to get out there and start cam- "And I would say 'Yeah,' and
not have entered the race if paigning full-time, while I'm they'd say, 'Alright, you've got
he didn't think winning was a working on the assembly line at my vote."'
Missouri police prepare
for Michael Brown ruingU

...

ABORTION
From Page 1
either to the microphone set up in
front of the stage or the one at the
other end of the room and facing
the backs of the audience, to tell
their first-person experiences.
Last year, abortion opponents
protested the event on social
media in the hours leading up
to last year's event. LSA senior
Emma Maniere said in an inter-
view following Thursday's event
that she was appreciative of the
peaceful nature of this year's
Speak Out.
"We're very pleased with the
BERNSTEIN
From Page 1
represented the Paralyzed Veter-
ans of America in a case against
the University for failing to
provide necessary facilities for
disabled spectators. The case
resulted in the University spend-
Ong an estimated $2 million to
add wheelchair-accessible seats
to Michigan Stadium.
During the hour-long session
Thursday, Bernstein highlighted
how he would add diversity to.
the Supreme Court Justice panel
if elected.
"When you have a multi-judge
panel, you want to have as much
unique life experience as pos-
sible," he said. "I think mine will
be an asset when we're having
those conversations and making
those decisions."
He added that his experience
as a lawyer would be beneficial as
a justice.
"The law is a great vehicle for
change," he said. "You can see
Wow law gives a voice to folks who
otherwise don't have one."
LSA senior Trevor Dolan,
chair of the College Democrats,
said the group hosted Bernstein

turnout overall of the event,
and we got a good, diverse array
of experience," Maniere said.
"That's somethingthat's motivat-
ed our decision to host this event
and has proved that abortion
stories are not black and white,
they're not always shameful,
they're not always empowering;
I'm glad we got to capture that."
For the remainder of the year,
Students for Choice will host
events focused on spreading
sexual health information. Next
month the organization will host
a panel on coercive sterilization
and its effect on women of color.
In March, the group will bring
back their performance of the
play "The Vagina Monologues."

Hannah Le, founder of blog
"STFU, Pro-Lifers" attended the
event as well. Le said the event
resonated with her personal
experience with seeing a fam-
ily member effectively rise above
abortion stigmas and her person-
al views on bodily autonomy.
LSA freshman Cora Sharp said
she attended the event to support
those who have had abortions, as
she believes she would have made
the same choice had she been
pregnant in similar situations.
"I want people to understand
that you're not being a selfish per-
son just because you're trying to
choose your life, because I know
I wouldn't have been able to raise
a kid," she said.

Authorities
stock riot gear in
anticipation of
civil unrest
FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) - Mis-
souri police have been brushing
up on constitutional rights and
stocking up on riot gear to pre-
pare for a grand jury's decision
about whether to charge a white
police officer who fatally shot a
black 18-year-old in suburban
St. Louis.
The preparations are aimed
at avoiding a renewed outbreak
of violence during the poten-
tially large demonstrations that
could follow an announcement
of whether Ferguson police
officer Darren Wilson will face
a criminal trial for the Aug. 9
death of Michael Brown.
Police and protesters have
repeatedly clashed since the
shooting, which prompted a
national conversation about race
and police tactics. Images of
officers in riot gear and armored
vehicles confronting protesters
have drawn widespread criti-
cism.
Many protesters want Dar-'
ren Wilson indicted for mur-
der. Grand jury proceedings
are secret, but legal analysts

say recently leaked informa-
tion about Wilson's testimony to
investigators may be an attempt
to prepare the public for the
possibility that he might not be
charged.
The decision could be made
public within the next month.
In the meantime, law offi-
cers have adjusted their tactics
for interacting more peacefully
with protesters while also hon-
ing their procedures for quick,
widespread arrests. They plan
to have a large contingent of
officers at the ready, but have
been meeting with clergy, com-
munity leaders and students in
hopes of building relationships
that could ease tensions on the
streets.
"I know there's a lot of anxi-
ety, there's a lot of fear, anticipa-
tion" about that announcement,
said Missouri State Highway
Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, who
was put in charge of security
in Ferguson in the days after
Brown was killed and is now
part of a coordinated command
with local police. But "I have a
lot of hope."
Law enforcement officers
expect to receive at least a
day's notice before a grand jury
announcement. That should
provide time for them to exe-
cute security plans but may also
allow demonstrators to prepare.

"The moment I learn that
there is, in fact, a non-indict-
ment, then there's going to be
an organized protest," said Eric
Vickers, a black St. Louis attor-
ney and civil rights activist.
Brown was unarmed when
Wilson encountered him walk-
ing in the street with a friend.
A scuffle ensued and Brown
was shot multiple times. Wit-
ness accounts of what happened
varied, with some people saying
they saw Brown raise his hands
as if in surrender.
Wilson told investigators
he felt threatened while fight-
ing with Brown from inside a
police SUV, where an initial
gunshot was fired, accord-
ing to information provided to
several news outlets by people
described as familiar with the
investigation, but otherwise
not identified. After Brown fled
the vehicle, Wilson said Brown
turned around in threatening
manner, prompting the officer
to fire the fatal shots, according
to those accounts of his testi-
mony.
Wilson's description of events
was leaked recently, as was an
autopsy report that showed
Brown had marijuana in his sys-
tem and was shot in the hand at
close range. Wilson has alleged
Brown was trying to grab his
gun in the SUV.


because they wanted to help
enhance his public presence,
among other reasons.
"He's a really fantastic speak-
er and he's also in an incredibly
important race that doesn't get a
lot of attention because it is a non-
partisan race and on the back of
the ballot," he said.
Bernstein said a major problem
facing the Democratic Party in
Michigan is the fact that 35 per-
cent of Democratic voters do not
complete the entire ballot. The
Supreme Court race is a "down-
ballot issue," Bernstein said, and
appears on the back of the physi-
cal ballot.
Bernstein also referenced his
experience finishing 18 mara-
thons and an Ironman Triathlon.
"Athletics helps to shatter a lot
of stereotypes and change a lot of
perceptions people have of peo-
ple with disabilities and special
needs," he said.
Music, Theatre & Dance
freshman Samuel Koeppe
attended the event to support
Bernstein's efforts on behalf of
the disabled.
"Both of my parents work for
kids with disabilities, so activism
for disabilities has always been
present in my life and I think it's
a very important topic to be dis-

cussed," he said. "So many people
with disabilities have a hard time
finding good education and hope-
fully he can open up doors to
make it more accessible."
Bernstein discussed the
Supreme Court justice election
process, generally voicing his
support for it but identifying one
main flaw. Candidates are nomi-
nated by their respective parties,
but the race is billed as non-par-
tisan and candidates are elected
rather than appointed. He said
the blurred partisan lines in the
election can lead to impropriety
in the campaign process.
"It is critical that you go out
and spend time with voters," he
said. "The one problem that has to
be changed is dark money. PACs
can pour tremendous amounts of
money into these races and you
don't know where that money is
coming from."
Bernstein also added that
social media will be the party's
greatest asset.
"Social media changes how
these elections are fought," he
said. "The one chance that we
have as Democrats is the fact
that even though we're going to
get outspent, we have energy and
spirit, and we are going to out-
work them."

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