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Sports 13 Cager's 2006 Monday,June 19, 2006
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One-hundred-sixteen years ofeditorial/freedom
www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVI, No. 123 ©2006 The Michigan Daily
Coleman
reinstated
for second
term at 'U'
President Coleman reaffirms goals of
strengthening U' research programs
and The Michigan Difference
By Kelly Fraser
Daily News Editor
The University's Board of Regents voted unanimously to
renew University President Mary Sue Coleman's contract
today, assuring she will serve a second five-year term.
Coleman's salary for the new contract - which begins
August 2007 - will be determined by the amount she
earns at the conclusion of her first contract.
This past November, a study by the Chronicle of Higher
Education reported that Coleman earned $724,604 in pay
and benefits during the 2005-06 academic year, making
her the highest-paid public univer-
sity president.
The new contract is nearly iden-
tical to Coleman's first, with the
exception of an annual $100,000
retention bonus that will replace
the $500,000 one-time end-of-term
'bonus of Coleman's first contract.
Although the $500,000 has not
yet been paid to Coleman, she
and her husband Ken have already
announced plans to donatee Coleman
money to the University.
Regent Martin Taylor, who chairs the Compensation
Personnel and Governance Committee that undertook
Coleman's review, praised Coleman's direction of the
University during a difficult four years.
The review committee also hired a private consultant
who interviewed faculty, staff and students about Cole-
man's performance.
Taylor said the committee's response was "overwhelm-
ingly positive." See COLEMAN, Page 2
PARTY IN THE PARK
Emmy Welnert, a freshman at the Rudolph Steiner School, and Megan Shiplett, an 8th grader at Ann Arbor
Open School, dance to the music of the Bugs Beddow Band at the opening night of the annual Ann Arbor
festival, Top of the Park, held in Ingalls Mail on Friday.
Epressing opposition to MCR,
Alumni Association makes history
Official statement says
the initiative threatens
the association's mission
By Leah Graboski
Daily News Editor
The Alumni Association has never
taken an offical stance on issues that con-
cern the University.
Until now.
On May 6, the Alumni Association Board
of Directors issued a statement in opposi-
tion to the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative,
a proposal that seeks to ban some affirmative
action programs in the state. Michigan vot-
ers will make the final call when the proposal
appears on the ballot in November.
The statement reads, "The initiative sig-
nificantly threatens the (Alumni Associa-
tion's) ability to fulfill its mission, would
severely limit U-M's ability to attract, sup-
port and maintain a diverse student body
and academic community, and is harmful to
U-M's students and alumni and society."
The association will also launch a website
devoted to its stance later this week.
Bruce Courtade, vice chair of the associ-
ation's Board of Directors, said MCRI pro-
ponents are attempting to make the issue
black versus white.
"It's ironic that Iam the white male Repub-
lican from Grand Rapids and I'm an opponent
of MCRI," he said.
The variety of people and groups against
MCRI - both Gov. Granholm and her prob-
able opponent, Dick DeVos, for example
- show MCRI's opposition's broad base,
Courtade said.
"It's much more far reaching than a race
issue," Courtand said.
University and School of Law alum Geoff
Brown is disappointed with the association's
decision to take a position on MCRI.
"I would prefer to see the association
remain neutral on this issue," Brown said in
an e-mail. "Or, at the very least, it is some-
thing that the association might have dis-
cussed with its membership."
Brown said that as an incoming president-
elect of one of the association's largest local
alumni clubs, he was not approached about
this issue - nor was his alumni club.
"I can only say that it seems that the
association's position reflects the opinion of
its leadership, and not necessarily its mem-
bers," Brown said.
Brown also said Association President
Steve Grafton has been open about his stance
against MCRI. When Brown was an associa-
tion employee, he said he witnessed that the
association's board was comprised of mem-
bers "hand-picked" by Grafton.
Brown said that with that in mind, he is not
surprised that the association has chosen to
take a stance in opposition to MCRI.
Courtade began to draft the statement in
January 2005, but decided not to release it
publicly because it was not clear if MCRI
would be on the ballot.
When it was clear the initiative would be up
for a vote later that year, he submitted a formal
policy statement to the board.
The association held a panel discussion
before the Alumni Leadership Council -
a group of more than 100 alumni leaders
that counsel the board - featuring MCRI
proponents and opponents.
MCRI Executive Director Jennifer Gratz
and RC Prof. Carl Cohen spoke on behalf
of MCRI.
Director of the Michigan Department of
Civil Rights Linda Parker and University
Vice President Marvin Krislov spoke on
behalf of the opposition.
The next day, the council had a formal debate
and voted to recommend that the board of direc-
tors issue a statement of opposition to MCRI.
See ALUMNI, Page 8
Today's issue is the last edition of
the Daily printed this term. We
thank you for your readership
throughout the semester and
encourage you to keep track of
the latest campus news during
the break by reading online
updates on our website www.
michiganrdaily. coin.