ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Friday, October 11, 2013
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
MARLENE LACASEE/Daily
Protestors demonstrate outside of the Supreme during the Fisher v. University of Texas on October 10, 2012. The Court will take up affirmative action again, this time specific to Michigan, with oral arguments begin Tuesday.
Court to discuss Prop. 2 ‘U’ invested SCOTUS will hear arguments on state’s right to ban affirmative action
will hear oral arguments on Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, a case that will approach the question of whether or not the state of Michigan violated the U.S. Constitution and federal statutory law by changing the state’s constitution to prohibit all sexand race-based discrimination or preferential treatment. The case is part of a series of responses that occurred after the Supreme Court’s 2003 decision on affirmative action involving admissions to the University’s Law School in Grutter v. Bollinger, which bears the name of former University President Lee Bollinger, now president of Columbia
By TAYLOR WIZNER Daily News Editor
Michigan residents voted to ban affirmative action in 2006 ballot initiative, but a case before the U.S. Supreme Court may reverse that decision and set a new precedent for the way Michigan’s higher-education institutions consider race in application processes. On Tuesday, the justices
University. In a 5-4 decision, the court held that the Law School’s more holistic admissions program, which included race as a possible factor in admissions decisions, was constitutional. However, in Gratz v. Bollinger, the court held that the University’s undergraduate admissions program’s assigning substantial points to certain students based on race was unconstitutional since the undergraduate admissions process was more formulaic. After the ruling, the University and many other institutions adopted programs that were closer to the Law School’s holistic approach and did not assign point values based on the
in affirmative action debate
different qualities the applicant possessed, particularly those related to race. However, the two Supreme Court rulings based on University admissions policies did not quell controversy surrounding affirmative action, and in 2006, 58 percent of Michigan voters approved Proposal 2. The referendum amended the Michigan constitution to prohibit racially based preferences in admissions for public universities. University President Mary Sue Coleman has continued to be a vocal proponent of the use of affirmative action in highereducation policies, and the day after the passage of Proposal See PROP, Page 3
After defending policies in two other cases, University is watching this one By TAYLOR WIZNER Daily News Editor
After
Michigan
voters
ANN ARBOR
>> STORY ON PAGE 8
Biz incubator expands to aid older startups Stage two of program helps growing ventures By WILL GREENBERG Daily Staff Reporter
Local business incubator Ann Arbor SPARK has expanded to help Ann Arbor technology startups grow and increase profitability. SPARK has added a second stage to its incubation program, allowing startups a chance to advance from stage one after growing to four or five employees. The second stage allows companies to maintain support from the incubator until they reach 12 employees. Bill Mayer, director of business acceleration at SPARK, said creating the bridge between the early beta stages of a new product and profitability from that product is very helpful for young companies — especially in Ann Arbor where space can be hard to find and is particularly expensive. “It doesn’t make sense for a company for 12 months, espe-
WEATHER TOMORROW
cially a task for startups, to pay for twice the space they need hoping that they’ll grow into it,” he said. “Now we’ve grown the capacity of companies that we can house along their growth curve.” SPARK’s new space on the third floor of its East Liberty Street building adds 2,500 square feet. He added that having stage two helps solve a space problem, with the stage one space becoming overfilled with rapidly growing companies. Stage two currently has three residents, he said. Len Gauger, creator of Message Blocks, an event-planning service, is one of the stage-two residents. He said SPARK’s expansion has allowed him and his company to stay in Ann Arbor. “Being involved in the stage two allowed us to continue growing our company without really chilling our bank account,” Gauger said. While Gauger said an entrepreneur with a profitable idea is likely to be successful on his or her own, he said the SPARK program provided many cruSee BIZ, Page 3
HI: 73 LO: 55
approved Proposal 2 in 2006, which banned public colleges in the state from taking race into account as a factor in admissions, the University has made significant changes in the way it considers applicants. The Law School, especially, which survived the scrutiny of U.S. Supreme Court in its affirmative action admissions process in See DEBATE, Page 3
ADMINISTRATION
University ranks third in cost of attendance List compiled in response to Obama pledge to keep college a sound investment By JEN CALFAS Daily Staff Reporter
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Members of the Michigan Ice Hockey team celebrate after senior forward Luke Moffatt scored one of his two goals versus Boston College Thursday. Michigan defaeted the Eagles by a score of 3 to 1.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Ann Arbor bar managers mixed on proposed laws House, Senate to debate longer hours, rules on glass size By STEPHANIE SHENOUDA Daily Staff Reporter
College students across Michigan may feel more favor-
GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
ably toward state legislators when they learn they’re working to protect their interests in an unforeseen arena: the bar scene. A bill introduced in Lansing last week would amend the Liquor Control Act to ensure that a pint of beer is at least 16 ounces, after allegations surfaced that some bars and restaurants were distributing
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM The Podium: A guide to being cool MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS
less than their advertisements suggested. A second piece of legislation would allow bars the option to stay open until 4 a.m., as opposed to the current closing time of 2 a.m., provided they pay $10,000 fee each year. In an interview with NBC News, state Rep. David Knezek (D–Dearborn Heights), a sponsor of the legislation, said the See BAR, Page 3
INDEX
Vol. CXXIV, No. 10 ©2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
The University placed third in a set of rankings that reflects President Barack Obama’s criteria for affordability in higher education. The report, released by Affordable Colleges Online, serves as a response the Obama administrations’s proposed plan to make federal funding focus on “making college a smart long-term investment for everyone,” according to the website. The ranking’s methodology considered the net price of tuition and fees subtracted by scholarship money provided per capita, student loan default rate, graduation rate, the breadth and depth of student services and starting salaries for graduates. In August, Obama proposed the new set of criteria for determining federal funding for higher-education institutions. The plan is to reward institutions for offering the greatest See COST, Page 3
NEWS............................ 2 OPINION.......................4 ARTS............................. 5
SPORTS.........................6 SUDOKU........................ 2 CL ASSIFIEDS.................6