The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 24, 2006 - 3
A PLACE TO PRAY Skyb x opposition
t Sybx opoitlonspek
Public, upset over May
vote, says renovations will
commercialize tradition
By Kelly Fraser
DailyNews Editor
A group of speakers opposed to the
proposed renovations to Michigan Sta-
dium dominated the public comments
portion of the monthly University
Board of Regents meeting Friday.
The speakers are upset about the plan
to include enclosed seating,,or skybox-
es, in the stadium's renovation designs.
The regents approved the plans by a 5-3
vote during this past May's meeting.
The renovations will widen the sta-
dium's aisles and seats, add restrooms
and improve access for the disabled.
The plan will boost the big house's over-
all capacity to 108,251, adding nearly 1,000
seats. This includes 83 enclosed suites,
3,180 club seats and 650 chair-back seats.
The regents did not vote on any matter
concerning the renovation olans on Friday.
Both Athletic Director Bill Martin
and University President Mary Sue
Coleman support the proposal.
Martin said he hopes to present the
regents with schematic design plans
for approval this fall.
Plans will be made available to the
public at this time, Coleman said.
She said the University will also host a
public comment period to hear concerns.
The Board's comment policy states no
more than six people may speak on the
same topic.
To comply with this policy, other
speakers also addressed the stadium
during their allotted time under different
subject headings.
University alum Douglas Kelley
found a loophole by discussing the sta-
dium in his comments, titled, "Teach-
ing Jefferson Democratic Ideals by
Institutional Example"
LSA freshman John Latus was the
only student to address the board.
In his remarks, Latss said the sky-
boxes represented "a complete surren-
der to commercialism."
for its egalitarian environment but said
separating fans with enclosed seating
would undermine this stance.
After signing an online petition to
the University against skyboxes, Latus
joined Save The Big House - a coali-
tion of alumni, faculty' and students
who oppose the inclusion of skyboxes
in the renovations.
University alum Albert Meyer also
worried that the $226 million project
would not be fiscally sound if the Uni-
versity keeps its pledge not to serve
alcohol in the enclosed seats.
"Michigan State University and lowa
University tried to go dry and failed,"
Meyer said.
At Friday's meeting, Coleman high-
lighted the renovation's webpage,
which is currently accessible from the
University's gateway site.
The page includes a podcast inter-
view with Martin, during which he
answers common questions about the
renovations.
The renovations will be funded
through private donations and revenue
See SKYBOXES, Page 8
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Prineon
Review
PETER SCHOTTENFELS/Dail
Palestinians pray outside of the Damascus Gate in the
Old City of Jerusalem on June 21. The Israeli police
have recently prohibited anyone under the age of 45
from visiting holy mosques in the city.
PROTEST
Continued from Page 1
40-minute march through the Ann
Arbor Street Art Fair but city law
requires a permit for large groups to
march in the streets.
Due to time constraints, organizers did
not apply for a permit, Abdelfadeel said.
Instead, the march made two laps on the
sidewalks of campus.
Four Department of Public Safety Offi-
cers escorted the march.
During the group's second lap, one
man screamed back at the demon-
strators, causing some adverse reac-
tion from marchers. The instance was
quickly broken up by organizers.
American Culture and Women's Stud-
ies Prof. Nadine Naber, who spoke at the
rally, said the individual was "insignifi-
cant" to the event's overall success.
Abdelfadeel said that the biggest mis-
conception onlookers might have of the
rally is that "we as a group support Hez-
bollah or Hamas and that we don't care
about the Israel civilian casualties. That's
not true at all"
University alum Laurel Federbush and
her mother, who are Jewish, marched
with signs reading "Real Jews denounce
Israel's war crimes."
Federbush said that while the Israeli
government often speaks on behalf of
Jewish people, she does not support its
actions in Lebanon.
Over the past few months Federbush has
asked the University's Board of Regents to
cut financial ties with Israel twice.
Each time the line passed Univer-
sity President Mary Sue Coleman's
residence on South University Avenue,
leaders paused to demand that the Uni-
versity divest from Israel.
Activist and University alum Tarek Diya
shouted into a bullhorn, "Mary Sue, I told
you we'd be back:" as police officers moni-
tored the crowd from Coleman's lawn.
"This will be the year of divestment
for Ann Arbor," he continued. Abdel-
fadeel said Students Allied for Free-
dom and Equality plans to make a
See PROTEST, Page 8
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