Arts 9 The Bard takes over the Arb a,_ Ift Sports 13 Cager's 2006 Monday,June 19, 2006 recruitment not Summer Weekly good enough 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. 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