ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
POLICY ANALYSIS
‘U’ sexual misconduct policy takes step forward Changes include a more investigative approach to assault and harassment claims By AUSTEN HUFFORD ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
University President Mary Sue Coleman discusses the Gibbons case, #BBUM campaign and curriculum requirements during a fireside chat in the Union Monday.
Coleman hosts private talk In monthly fireside chat, President addresses array of questions, concerns
student life, sat with about 30 students in the Pond Room of the Michigan Union Monday for their monthly fireside chat, which serves as an opportunity to hear and respond to student concerns on campus. The pair answered questions about the Brendan Gibbons case, curriculum requirements, the Being Black at the University of Michigan campaign and the University’s participation with the civil unrest in Venezuela. One student started the chat by asking about the University’s recent handling of the
By CLAIRE BRYAN Daily Staff Reporter
As her tenure comes to a close, University President Mary Sue Coleman is still looking to reach out to students. Coleman and E. Royster Harper, vice president for
controversy surrounding former kicker Brendan Gibbons’ permanent seperation and the timeline of the response. The Michigan Daily reported in January that Gibbons was separated from the University in December after being found responsible for a violation of the University’s Student Sexual Misconduct Policy. Coleman said she could not discuss individual cases of student sexual misconduct, but stressed that the Athletic Department did not play a role in the process of reviewing
Gibbon’s case. “I am very comfortable with the process and what happened,” Coleman said. “We have pretty well-defined procedures that we use.” The fireside chat quickly changed subjects as many students asked about the University’s curriculum. LSA senior Zach Klausner was one of multiple students who voiced their concern with how strict the distribution requirements are at the University. “The only classes that I have truly had a negative experiSee COLEMAN, Page 3
Online Editor
The University’s sexual assault and harassment policies are not something frequently discussed during weekend parties or in Ann Arbor cafes. For those directly impacted by these procedures, their stories and experiences with the University’s process are infrequently told. When controversies do arise, the public outcry is loud even before any facts are made public. Since April 2011, the University has quickly created both an interim and a final Student Sexual Misconduct Policy that changed how the University deals with these allegations. During this time, the University has struggled to convey the significance of these changes to a student body, which seems most interested when bad news hits. The fast pace of these changes have also made it difficult to pur-
sue ongoing cases during the transitional period. More than four years after an alleged Nov. 2009 sexual assault, a Nov. 2013 letter was sent to former kicker Brendan Gibbons informing him he was found responsible by the University for violating the Student Sexual Misconduct Policy. Gibbons was permanently separated from the University in December for this violation. Documents, including the letter, were reviewed by The Michigan Daily and first reported on in January 2014, resulting in widespread media coverage and negative attention towards the University and the Athletic Department. Many questioned why it took more than four years to expel Gibbons and wondered if his position on the football team played a role. The University has not commented on Gibbons’ case specifically but has repeatedly stated the University Athletic Department has no influence in the sexual misconduct process and has pointed towards the changes in the Student Sexual Misconduct Policy. Both University President Mary Sue Coleman and Michigan coach Brady Hoke released similar stateSee POLICY, Page 3
CAMPUS LIFE
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Maize Rage discusses new line policies
CSG’s Make Michigan to campaign on experience
After controversy at Sunday basketball game, members brainstorm solution
Candidates confident in ability to connect with students and administrators
By BRIE WINNEGA Daily Staff Reporter
During their weekly meeting Monday, Maize Rage — the student-organized cheering section for a the University’s men’s basketball team — discussed the confusion that occurred before Sunday’s basketball game against Michigan State. Students arrived at the Crisler Center early Sunday morning and began to form a line for entry into the building in order to obtain the best seating. Later, students in the original line were told by authorities to relocate to a secondary line. While some complied, others remained in the original line for fear of losing the bleacher seats that they had been waiting for. Students from the second line, most of whom arrived later, were granted first access to desired seating locations. After some delay, authorities compromised by granting those remaining students access to a different section of seats. During the meeting, Maize Rage members and other
WEATHER TOMORROW
students discussed possible solutions that might ensure similar events could be avoided in the future. Some of the ideas offered included the elimination of a start-time for students to begin lining up before a game and the possibility of prioritybased seating for students who have attended the most games in the past. Some attendees also agreed that adding fences or barricades to guide the line-up process would be helpful. On Sunday, Rob Rademacher, associate director of facilities and operations, said the University’s Athletic Department consistently evaluates their attendance policies, including the use of barriers and increased security to improve attendees’ experience. “We haven’t made a decision on anything,” LSA senior Sasha Shaffer, Maize Rage president, said. “It’s an ongoing process that, obviously it’s only been a little over 24 hours since it happened, so we haven’t come down to a decision.” Although a representative from the University’s Athletic Department representative was expected to attend the meeting, no staff member was present. “I mean, they obviously have a lot going on, so it just couldn’t happen,” Shaffer said. “But they’re setting up a meeting.” Engineering freshman See MAIZE, Page 3
HI: 13 LO: 2
By KRISTEN FEDOR Daily Staff Reporter
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), the longest serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced his retirement Monday. Above, Dingell celebrates the election to his 30th term in Congress on November 6, 2012.
Dingell to retire after 58 years serving in Congress Longest serving member of congress will not run for re-election in fall By STEPHANIE SHENOUDA and ALLANA AKHTAR Daily News Editor and Daily Staff Reporter
U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D– Mich.) officially announced his decision to retire from the U.S. House of Representatives after
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not seeking re-election this fall. The announcement, released in a statement from his office, came Monday morning. At 87 years old, Dingell is the longest serving Congressman with 58 years under his belt, assuming the seat after his father, John Dingell, Sr. passed away in 1955. Some of his most notable accomplishments include passing legislation for the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Most recently, he contributed to the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law in
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March 2010. In his prepared remarks for the annual “State of the District” address to the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Dingell expressed sentimental feelings about leaving the position he held for so long. In his address, he thanked his staff, colleagues and wife for remaining loyal to him and supporting him throughout his career. He praised his constituents and the people of Michigan for letting him serve them. See DINGELL, Page 6
Vol. CXXIV, No. 75 ©2014 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
In the upcoming Central Student Government elections, Make Michigan candidates are hoping to set themselves apart from the rest of the pack. Public Policy junior Bobby Dishell and LSA sophomore Meagan Shokar, Make Michigan’s candidates for CSG president and vice president both already hold leadership roles in student government. Dishell is the current vice president of CSG, while Shokar serves as the speaker of the CSG assembly. “Our experience this year is unlike any other candidates experience, both in terms of what we’ve been able to accomplish on campus, as well as our experience in student government and working with administrators,” Dishell said. Dishell began his career in student government when he joined the Greek Relations Commission at the end of his freshman year. As a sophomore, he served as an LSA representative in the CSG assembly. Last winter, he was successful in his 2013 bid for vice See CSG, Page 6
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ARTS............................. 5 CL ASSIFIEDS.................6 SPORTS.........................7