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June 20, 2005 - Image 1

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Publication:
Michigan Daily Summer Weekly, 2005-06-20

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Opinion 4 Regents should
protect transgender
community
Arts 9 Batman returns
with a "Pow!"

SJb he 1Mi 4juu 1aiI Monday,June 20, 2005
Summer Weekly
One-hundred-fourteen years ofedftonad freedom

-,

W W WAIII 111 clilUilll .l tJlll

Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXV, No. 130

©2005 The Michigan Daily
'U' adjusts
Coca-Cola
contracts
Coke must achieve specific goals set
by the Dispute Review Board over the
next year to maintain its contracts.
By Jeremy Davidson
Daily News Editor
The University's Dispute Review Board has officially rec-
ommended that the University suspend its contracts with the
Coca-Cola Bottling Company, replacing them with shorter
conditional contracts while the company has time to respond
to the allegations of human rights violations that the board
has found credible.
The DRB recommended that Coke agree in writing, no
later than September 30, to a third-party audit that will
review the complaints against the company. An indepen-
dent auditor, satisfactory to all parties, must be selected by
December 31. The audit must be completed by March 31,
2006, and findings must be received by April 30, 2006. Coke
must enact a corrective action plan by May 31, 2006. If any
of these demands are not met by Coke, the company faces
the serious possibility of having its contract with the Uni-
versity cut.
The decision did not come as a surprise, but some were
still disappointed by the University's seemingly relaxed
response.
"Unfortunately in our society, the richer and more power-
ful the criminal, the less swift our sanctions and justice,"
said Ray Rogers, director of both Corporate Campaign
Incorporated and the Campaign to stop Killer Coke.
Last year the University approved a Vendor Code of Con-
duct, which says that all vendors that do business with the
University must adhere to specific standards. The DRB was
created last year in order to investigate complaints brought
forth against vendors for violations of the code and to make
recommendations to University Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer Timothy Slottow.
The DRB began research for their formal report after a
recommendation following an informal investigation from
University Purchasing Services.
Since the start of its formal investigation, the DRB has
found evidence in support of allegations of pesticides in India
and corrupt labor practices in Colombia. The DRB said there
is not enough information to make a decision about the other
two allegations.
Frank Stafford, chair of the DRB, said that while the board
considered cutting the contract, ultimately they believed the
spirit of the review process for the Code of Conduct is that
the vendor should have time to work with the University, in
order to provide additional information about its practices to
clear its name, or reform its practices in accordance with the
University's standards.
"The interpretation of the committee was that the code
itself was not designed to sanction vendors, (but) to get them
to go in a direction that we'd like," Stafford said. "If they
don't step-up and participate in corrective actions and pro-
viding more information in a big way, it would be cause to
terminate the contract."
In a letter to the DRB, Slottow wrote that he agreed with
the DRB's interpretation of the code.
"As originally conceived, one of the most important
See COKE, page 3

p
p

City Council candidate LSA Senior Eugene Kang decided to run at the end of the winter term. One of Kang's platforms involves address-
ing concerns with student housing. Kang is running as a Democrat in the 2nd ward, to replace Michael Reid (R) when he steps down.
Student launches campaign
By Laura Van Hyfte city and its resources. affordable housing at all levels and for all dif-
Daily News Editor "We do a lot for the city and residents ferent incomes.
don't usually see that," Kang said. "(We Kang said the city's housing problems are
A University undergraduate continued his want) to try to show them that we're not due in part to cutting corners in infrastructure
campaign for Ann Arbor City Council Sunday, trying to destroy the city. (The students) costs and now the city has to pay the price for
discussing his reasons for running and what he are not like little Satans running around it every year.
plans to do if elected. Ann Arbor." Kang added that the problem is only going
Eugene Kang, a 21-year-old LSA senior Kang said that permanent city residents to get worse with time, unless action is taken.
is a Democrat running for the city's 2nd often think college students are only stay- "The only people who can live Ann Arbor
Ward seat against former Republican, ing in Ann Arbor for a short time and think are the extremely wealthy. Those in the middle
Stephen Rapundalo. their concerns are not significant. who don't make $150,000 per year won't be
Kang decided to run at the end of the winter "They don't realize that students inter- able to live here," he said.
term, but he had considered running since last ests aren't going to change every four Kang said that current residential areas in
fall. The chance to give back to the community years - student faces may, but what they Ann Arbor that people enjoy would not exist if
he grew up in compelled Kang to run, he said. want won't," he said. introduced to the city today.
Kang said that he recognized that his inexpe- Kang said he has two other major concerns "A lot of the cooler places built down
rience may concern some, but he stressed that for the city: the five-year running budget defi- Main Street could not be built now
his energy and dedication to the city were more cit and affordable housing. Kang said that the because of city zoning," Kang said.
important than his age. budget problems could be fixed potentially Kang said he is also concerned about
Kang said that he hopes his campaign either cutting city services or implementing student participation in city politics.
will motivate University students to get more an income tax. Alex Donn, one of Kang's campaign
involved in Ann Arbor politics. He also said "We have these high taxes, but we have a advisers and a third-year Law School stu-
that he wants to show permanent residents that yearly budget deficit," Kang said. dent, said

students are not just four-year burdens on the

Kang said he wants to find ways to provide

See CITY COUNCIL, page 8

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