Monday, June 3, 2002 - The Michigan Daily - 9
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Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?
COLEMAN: I like a lot of food. I don't have a
favorite.
Q: WHAT BOOK DO YOU RECOMMEND WE ALL
READ?
A: It's so difficult to just recommend one book.
One of the things I enjoy doing is being able to
read the books from the writers workshop here.
... I think it's impossible to recommend a single
book.
Q: WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?
A: It's been so long. I tell you a movie I want to
go see and it just kills me that I haven't gotten
there, it's "Monsoon Wedding." But it has been
so long, I can't even remember what the last
movie was I've seen.....(couple of questions
later)... Oh! The most recent one I probably
saw was when I was visiting my son in Denver,
about Shackleton (a true story about Sir Earnest
Shackleton's 1914 expedition to the South Pole
and his successful struggle to keep him and his
24-man crew alive). It was an incredible,
incredible testiment to courage. Anyway...
Q: WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
A: I like to read. I like to spend time with my
family - I have a new daughter-in-law of about
three weeks.
Q: WHO DID YOU MOST ADMIRE WHEN YOU
WERE OUR AGE?
A: That was back in the early 1960s and it was a
faboulous, great time. It was when John
Kennedy was first elected and there was a great
optimism in the country. It was such a fabulous
- time. We had to confront, while I was in col-
lege, his death and that was very tough. That
was a very unsettled
time.
nbers of the Univer-
>cus on her accom-
oan, saying that she
"for being a good
and I believe it
a tough job. I look
ibly do it," she said.
lichigan and for the
says agree."
b he open and acces-
nal, and I hope the
said.
issues currently fac-
looking forward to
s already under-
e e undergraduate
of the University's
Initiative - stretch
ine or research, but
ts, including those
xciting for the Uni-
olved," she said.
Coleman added,
at the University
, especially since a
tudying the life sci-
975 to 1990, at the
istry professor and
physics professor at
Chapel Hill before
She said new initiatives should not overpower older ini-
tiatives or departments, but rather blend in with them.
"I think it is very possible for universities to embark on
new initiatives but still remain strong in many areas," she
said. "There are many, many areas across (the University),
and all of those will be nurtured and attended to."
She also said the role of undergraduates at any universi-
ty, whether research institutions or not, is "crucial" and
called undergraduate eduction "the centerpiece of what we
do."
"My information about the undergraduate experience at
Michigan is that it is excellent," she said. "I still believe
that we always need to be searching for improvements and
ways to improve."
On the issue of the Ed Martin indictment and convic-
tion, Coleman said she thinks the University has done
what it can, "given the limitations of its investigations" but
plans to pursue the truth of the situation.
"The University has to get to the truth and expose the
truth and make sure it never happens again," she said,
adding that she does not know what should be done if the
truth is something that may end up harming the Universi-
ty. "You can't forecast the future until you know, and so I
am dedicated to finding the truth, but precisely what that
truth will be, I cannot predict. I don't know."
As far as her view on the University's admissions poli-
cies, Coleman said she believes Michigan "has tried to
find a principle stand" and that "they have defended them-
selves on the basis of principle,"
She said Iowa does not have the same pressures facing
their admissions system as the University of Michigan
because the circumstances are different - Iowa draws
from a different pool of in-state candidates than the Uni-
versity of Michigan.
African-Americans make up 14.2 percent of the state of
Michigan's population while they make up 2.1 percent of
the state of Iowa's residents, according to U.S. Census
Bureau 2000 reports.
The percentages of Hispanics and American Indians in
Michigan are also higher than the percentages of Hispan-
ics and American Indians in Iowa.
Coleman said she was pleased that the University is
pursuing the lawsuit "because the lawsuit is going to be
very, very important to the whole country."
"I am very happy in working with the regents in defend-
ing their lawsuits," she said.
She would not comment whether she believes race
should be a factor in admissions.
Though she said she is still in the process of edu-
cating herself about "everything at the University,"
including the University's Statement of Student
Rights and Responsibilities, formerly known as the
Code of Student Conduct, which undergoes revisions
every other academic year. The president has the sole
authority to amend the statement.
After the last time amendment to the Code,
under former President Bollinger,
some students were angered because
they said the statement retained
troubling judicial procedures,
including the admission of hearsay
evidence and the prohibition on
legal counsel speaking on students'
behalf.
"I just look forward very much to
being at the University. I have enor-
mous respect for the University and
its history, and I am very excited
about the opportunity of joining it,"
she said.::
Mary Sue Coleman's new office will be on the second floor of the Fle
Adminstration Building behind the Regent's Plaza Cube.