THE MICHIGAN REviEW THE JOUR NAL OF CAMPUS AF FAirS AT THE UNivERSitY OF MICHIGAN 03.20.07 VOLUME XXV, ISSUE 10 Task Force Holds Features Final Meeting on Examining substance abuse at Day Before Michigan Spring Break P. 3 BY ADAM PAUL, ‘08 HE DIVERSITY BluEPRINTS Task A look at campus TForce, whose creation was announced the bars: why some fail day before winter break, held its final public fo- while others flourish rum the day before spring break. “This is not the ideal day as many have al- ready left for spring break,” said Provost and P. 12 Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Sullivan to kick off the event. She ran the event with fellow Diversity Blueprints co- chair, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Af- News fairs Lester Monts. “Even though the last forum was on Feb- While Michigan ruary 23, the day before the break, we had a Barricades close off Washington Street for the Arena’s annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration. full list of speakers and a substantial audience,” bans preferences in The local bar faced opposition from the Ann Arbor City Council while planning for this said Sullivan, stressing that each of the four fo- admissions, year’s event. rums was held in an attempt to accommodate Wisconsin goes the greatest number of participants. holisitc with “I don’t see a lot of students here. It’s kind Councilmember, of disappointing; I guess they all left for Spring applications Break,” stated engineering student Darshan Karwat. Karwat explained that he had attended P. 8 several of the events hosted by the Task Force Community Group and had found all of them to be conveniently located for the administration. The growing trend “Past Diversity Blueprints discussions of all-out smoking Aim to Curb were panels. I thought it would be interesting to see, in a controlled environment, in front of bans on college administrators, student reactions,” Karwat said. campuses Excessive Drinking “I also wanted to see if anything has changed BY MICHAEL O’BRIEN, ‘08 and no other bars have to go through such rig- before they release their final report.” P. 7 orous requirements by the city. Speakers expressed a range of views. OCAL BAR THE Arena is known for “We’re the only events who have to have “I would ask the committee to also con- Lits annual St. Patrick’s Day and March ‘storm troopers’ at our event,” said Flore. sider the effects of previous Proposal 2, which Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament cel- Lowenstein is a member of a new Ann excluded all state organizations from recogniz- Opinion ebrations. Students and Ann Arbor denizens Arbor group, “Ann Arbor Campus-Commu- ing same sex relationships” explained Alexi alike crowd into the off-campus bar, dressed nity Conversations” (A2C3). The Department Smith, a graduate student in Archeology. “Hav- in green garb while anxiously comparing final of Education gave the group a grant to build ing same sex-benefits [either] sends a message When feminists scores to brackets. a bridge between the University and the wid- about the University’s commitment on actually attack, and MSA’s It was a different group of students and er city of Ann Arbor in curbing “excessive” following through on anti-discrimination policy irrelevance community members, though, who recently drinking by students. or…it’s just empty words,” said Smith. sought to shut down the event. While her group did discuss The Arena’s While most speakers focused on changes Councilwoman Joan Lowenstein recently permit request, she said in an interview that no they would like to see made, graduate student Editorials, P. 4 attempted to deny The Arena a permit to set decision had been made by the group to come Steve Schrader spoke about existing policies up a tent and out- out against the per- such as minority lounges which he character- door toilets and mit request. ized as “proactive racism.” shut down a block “We’ll be looking at all sorts of The main focus “The task force received so much input Praise for Kwame in downtown Ann events where we can influence of A2C3, said Low- that the final report will necessarily focus on from an unlikely Arbor for its yearly enstein, “will be edu- larger themes,” said Sullivan, explaining that behavior. I think that’s the job source, and celebration. The cating people as to each member of the Task Force has a unique City Council even- of city government. We have a whether they should background, and has learned different things Christian complaints tually approved the responsibility to look after the use alcohol, rather from community input. “I learned some new permit, citing the than proscriptive things about the University’s current outreach Columns P. 5 lack of an official health, welfare and safety fo means or ordinanc- to K-12 students and some additional ideas for policy on events in- the people.” es.” future outreach.” volving alcohol. Mayor John A preliminary report was presented to Mike Flore, -Councilwoman Joan Lowenstein Hieftje was a mem- President Coleman in February. Arts & The Arena’s owner, ber of A2C3 in its “The preliminary report was intended to said in an interview beginning stages, be preliminary and advisory and not released to Culture that his bar was being discriminated against. but he said he has not been involved with the the public,” said Sullivan. “I can look across the street and see Ann group on a regular basis since. Although he The final, public report was released on Students line up Arbor Brewery and having their yearly Okto- voted in favor of The Arena’s permit request, March 15th. The report outlines goals includ- behind candidates berfest,” he said. “They use volunteers every he indicated his support for a more permanent ing a focus on admissions and outreach pro- year.” standard by which applications for drinking-re- grams. Specific recommendations include ex- Flore said that instead of the usual private lated events could be judged. tending the 2007 Day of Change to all students P. 10 security The Arena hires, the City is forcing “There are events where people have a run and holding a 2007 Fall Diversity Summit to his bar to hire two off-duty police officers to or children’s bicycle event. Those are in a dif- review the success of the recommendations. Hip Hop for justice man their tent, at a cost of $1500. Addition- ferent category than drinking-related events, The report emphasized Michigan’s leadership ally, Councilman Christopher Easthope is ru- namely because of what we hear from the po- role, concluding that, “Across campus and the mored to have suggested that there should be country, there is strong interest in how U-M P. 11 a breathalyzer placed at the St. Patrick’s Day will respond to the challenge of this moment.” event. See “Drinking” MR Flore claims that his bar has been targeted, Page 9 MR WWW.MICHIGANREVIEW.COM First two copies free, additional copies $3 each. Stealing is illegal and a sin. (Exodus 20:15) P. 2 Page Two 03.20.07 THE MICHIGAN REVIEW www.michiganreview.com page two. Editorial Board: the michigan review Nick Cheolas ■ March Madness Meets Diversity Blueprints Editor-in-Chief How did the Diversity Michael O’Brien Blueprints Task Force come Executive Editor to their final conclusions? Your guess is as good as ours Adam Paul - we were on break for most Managing Editor of their meetings. But in the spirit of March Madness, Amanda Nichols here is our best guess. Content Editor Brian Biglin Assistant Managing Editor Business Staff: Karen Boore Publisher Danny Harris Jonny Slemrod Associate Publishers Staff Writers: Michael Balkin, Steven Bengal, David Brait, Erin Buchko, Kelly Cavanaugh, Jenni Chelenyak, Rebecca Christy, Jane Coaston, Marie Cour, Lindsey Dodge, Blake Emerson, Christine Hwang, Eun Lee, Anna Malecke, Brian McNally, Miquelle Mi- lavec, John O’Brien, Katie O’Connor, Adam Pascarella, Eddie Perry, Danielle Putnam, Shanda Shooter, Chris Stieber, Evan Wladis, Christina Zajicek, Zack Zucker Letters and Viewpoints: ■ From the Editor N THIS ISSUE of the Review, we take a look at an is- responsibility. To what extent are Universities and govern- The Michigan Review accepts and encourages letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters to the Isue facing many of today’s college students – substance ments responsible for the decision made by their (adult) stu- editor should be under 300 words. Viewpoints abuse. dents? Should local bars be liable for the actions of their can be arranged by contacting the editorial board. Our cover article, Councilmember, Community Group patrons? Councilwoman Lowenstein and Arena owner Mike We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Aim to Curb Excessive Drinking, examines Ann Arbor Flore take decidedly different stances on the issue. City Councilwoman Joan Lowenstein’s attempts to combat On campus, we look at the return of Students for a Send all correspondence to [email protected]. excessive and underage drinking on campus. Lowenstein is a Democratic Society (Page 6), as well as the renovations member of the newly formed “Ann Arbor Campus-Commu- to the University’s Museum of Art (Page 6) – renovations About Us: nity Conversations” group, which seeks to “educate people that may alter the Southwest entrance to the Diag (which is as to whether they should use alcohol.” Recently, the Ann fine, since I never really walk through the Diag anyway. Too The Michigan Review provides a broad range of in-depth coverage of campus affairs and serves as Arbor City Council sparred with local bar The Arena, whose many weird folks out there). the literary voice of conservatism and libertarian- annual St.