Archive for May, 2008
Eastern Michigan University chooses its next president
By Julie Rowe, written on May. 12, 2008
By Charles Gregg-Geist
Daily News Editor
The next President of Eastern Michigan University will be current University of Michigan at Dearborn Provost Susan Martin, The Ann Arbor News reported Sunday. The EMU Board of Regents will officially offer Martin the job Wednesday, Chairman Tom Sidlik told The News.
Before arriving at the University’s Dearborn campus, Martin was the associate vice president for academic affairs at Grand Valley State University. She has also served as the Michigan commissioner of revenue, deputy state treasurer and assistant auditor general.
Each of the four finalists for the position made appearances at public forums last week. The EMU board of regents made the decision to offer Martin the position after meeting privately over the weekend.
The other candidates were Kenneth Burnley, director of the Education Leadership Center at the University’s School of Education, Michael Flanagan, superintendent of public instruction for the state, and 22nd Circuit Court Judge Donald E. Shelton.
EMU’s first female president would take over from John Fallon, who was fired last summer because the school’s administration violated federal regulations by not releasing information when EMU student Laura Dickinson was found dead in her dorm room.
Public Policy prof in the running for Wayne State presidency
By Julie Rowe, written on May. 8, 2008
By Charles Gregg-Geist, Daily News Editor
University Alum and Prof. Joe Schwarz may soon add a new title to an already impressive resume. The former surgeon, Michigan Senator and U.S. Representative is now on the short list of candidates for president of Wayne State University.
Schwarz, who graduated from the Wayne State medical school, confirmed Tuesday that he is one of the three finalists for the position, Capitol Chronicles reports. Schwarz has maintained close ties with his alma mater, in recent years serving as an intermediary in a multi-million dollar dispute between Wayne State Medical School and the Detroit Medical Center. Former Senate colleagues told the Chronicles that Schwarz’s legislative experience would also benefit WSU because the school receives so much of its funding from the State.
Schwarz is currently a professor in the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy.
On election day, voter mobilization groups complains about Ind. voter ID law
By Chris Herring, written on May. 6, 2008
A group promoting student voting rights today voiced concerns about a recently upheld Supreme Court decision that requires Indiana residents to present identification before being allowed to vote.
The voter mobilization group, New Voters Project, recently sent out an e-mail message to the media arguing that the voter ID law kept students from being able to vote in today’s election.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that an Indiana mandate for voters to provide photo ID was not unconstitutional, and that in many ways the requirement would limit voter fraud and “ballot-box stuffing.” Democrats, who brought the case before the Supreme Court, were largely disappointed with the ruling.
Observing the divided Democrats
By Chris Herring, written on May. 6, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS — Though the unofficial theme for Sunday night’s Democratic Party fundraising dinner was party unity, those who attended the event often showed discord.
Even those who didn’t attend the actual dinner took part in the clash that took place beforehand. As about 75 people supporting Sen. Barack Obama stood outside the Indiana Convention Center where the event took place, another 50 or so yelled from the other side of Maryland Street for their candidate, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Both groups were fully decked out in their Clinton and Obama T-shirts. On the Obama side, one woman stood out from the rest, holding up a large blue sign that read “Hope.” Seven women on the opposite sidewalk held up a gold-colored balloon each, spelling out “Hillary.” The groups chanted at each other for about a half hour leading up to the beginning of the dinner, with the Obama side screaming, “Yes we can!” and the Clinton side shouting, “Yes she will!” Many of the people driving down Maryland Street during the demonstration honked, rolling down their windows so that they could indicate which candidate they were supporting by yelling his or her name out loud.
Once the event itself began, things became less raucous, but were still nearly as noticeable.
Because the room was largely divided to separate Clinton and Obama supporters — who in some cases paid $5,000 per table — certain parts of the room fell awkwardly silent at times.
When Clinton took the stage, and her image appeared on the two large projection screens on either side of the room, her supporters roared with applause. Meanwhile, more than a few Obama supporters sneered, pointing out that the New York senator still had gum in her mouth as she began her speech.
“Who chews gum during a speech when they’re trying to become the president?” one Obama supporter asked, talking to the person sitting next to him at his table.
Possibly sensing the divisions in the room, Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, who spoke between the two Democratic presidential candidates, urged the crowd to back whoever represents the party in November, only to receive a tepid applause from a minority of the audience.
“I understand that there are people who are deeply committed to their candidate and go out to campaign and support. But the truth is, the only thing that can stop us from winning the presidency is ourselves,” he said, drawing blank stares from some attendees. “It’s hard if your candidate isn’t the one who wins. But it’s important to remember that in the long run, this is not about Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. This is about our country.”
And when Obama first came up, things seemed just as divided. Though the entire crowd of about 2,600 Indiana Democrats rose when Obama approached the podium to catch a glimpse of the Illinois senator, many Clinton supporters didn’t clap for him. Instead, they only wanted to see the candidate who in a few short months has reached almost rock-star status.
During his talk, one Clinton supporter drew ugly stares from a few of her tablemates when she clapped in agreement with Obama’s criticism of businesses who file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to avoid having to pay workers’ benefits.
Numerous Clinton supporters left the convention center prior to Obama finishing his speech at 9:45 p.m.
For what it’s worth, though, almost all of those who stayed — the Clinton side included — gave the Illinois senator a standing ovation as he concluded his speech.
Clinton, Obama talk hoops in Hoosier State
By Chris Herring, written on May. 4, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS — Though polls suggest that Indiana residents are pretty much split when it comes to choosing between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, it is relatively safe to say that Hoosiers have one thing they can agree on one thing: Basketball.
Because of that, both candidates have invoked the sport in their stump speeches while campaigning throughout the state, which votes Tuesday.
Speaking Wednesday night before about 15,000 students at Indiana University, Obama said one of his first duties as president would be to replace the White House’s bowling alley with something that fit his style better.
“I’m going to take out the bowling alley and put in a basketball court and play some Hoosier basketball,” he said, drawing thunderous ovation from a crowd that views basketball similar to the way Michigan fans think of football.
Talking about the economy here last night, Clinton said she’d allow the nation to “play both defense and offense” as president “which is particularly appropriate for people in such a great basketball state as this.”
“We’re going to play defense by going after single benefit that remains in the tax code that gives one penny of your tax dollars to any business that moves a job out of Indiana to a foreign country,” she said.
Clinton then said that America would go back on offense with her as commander in chief. “We’re going to get back offense to create jobs and create wealth and get more people a shot at the American dream,” said Clinton, adding that she would invest more in the manufacturing industry if elected.
She then said she’d call a “timeout” on NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, so the plan could be renegotiated for the future. Clinton said the agreement, viewed negatively in some areas that were once heavily industrial areas, has cost Indiana many of the 45,000 manufacturing jobs it has lost since 2000 because of outsourcing.