Minority faculty numbers climb
The University's faculty is more diverse than ever with minorities now making up 15.4 percent of the total instructional faculty, according to figures released yesterday.
Up from 15.1 percent last year, the 1.9-percent increase in minority faculty members in 1996-97 is part of a 31.3-percent increase during the past five years.
Court rules 'U' not bound to pay papers'
The University Board of Regents kicked off the semester yesterday by once again defending its actions in court - and this time securing a ruling in its favor.
In an ongoing series of presidential search-related lawsuits between local newspapers and the Board of Regents, the newspapers yesterday asked for about $27,495 in attorney fees and court costs related to the court's November decision in their favor.
Board seeks inquiry into papers' lawyers
After a lawsuit pushed the University's presidential search into further public view, the Board of Regents has requested an investigation into the lawyers who represented the newspapers' claims.
The board voted 8-0 at its December meeting to ask the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate the conduct of the law firm of Dykema Gossett, whose attorney, Jonathan Rowe, represented The Detroit News, the Detroit Free Press and The Ann Arbor News in the lawsuit.
Gingrich re-elected as House speaker
WASHINGTON - An apologetic Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) was re-elected House speaker yesterday after a frantic lobbying campaign that convinced all but nine House Republicans that his ethical violations should not deprive him of another term.
O'Connor speaks to 1,300 'U' graduates
O'Connor was the keynote speaker at winter commencement, held Dec. 15 at Crisler Arena. Only about 1,300 of 2,000 graduates participated.
Honorary degrees were awarded to O'Connor, filmmaker Robert Altman, lawyer John Pickering and astronomer Vera Rubin.
State pols sign new OMA law: Two bills allow largely closed searches, regent participation
New legislation spurred by the University's legal battles now allows Michigan universities to conduct largely closed presidential searches with significant regent involvement.
'U' student mugged near local ATM
A male University student was mugged close to campus early Monday morning after withdrawing money from an ATM.
LSA senior Bryan Freeman said he had withdrawn $20 from the NBD automatic teller machine near Cava Java on South University Avenue when two men attacked and robbed him. He said he was assaulted at 1 a.m. on the corner of Church Street and South University Avenue.
Flooding ravages West Coast
At Lake Tahoe, which swelled with Sierra runoff to its highest level in 80 years, Nevada casinos became the latest flood casualties. With the major highway into the city of Stateline blocked by mudslides and washouts, and likely to remain closed for weeks, tourism has dropped off sharply.
ITD cracking down on overdrawn users
The University's Information Technology Division began cracking down on overdrawn accounts Monday.
Although students, staff and faculty are given a $10 allocation at the beginning of each month, $1.95 is charged immediately for e-mail, login and storage services in the University of Michigan Computing Environment.
Baker, Varner, Womack leave 'U'
A combined 48 years of service to the University came to an end last month as three of the most powerful and longest-serving officials stepped out of the spotlight.
The Dec. 19 regents meeting was the swan song for Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor), Regent Nellie Varner (D-Detroit) and Chief Financial Officer Farris Womack. The other regents thanked the three for their work and reminisced about their time together at the regents' table.
NWROC, homeless people storm City Council meeting
Protests about the future of a potential homeless shelter forced councilmembers to run for shelter and halted the first meeting of the year for the Ann Arbor City Council on Monday night.
Stabenow, Kilpatrick sworn in
And Republican Rep. Peter Hoekstra - the last undecided Republican among the six in the Michigan delegation - voted for Newt Gingrich as House speaker despite reservations about his unresolved ethics case.
Graduates walk out on UNC commencement
Prof. Michael Eric Dyson's speech, titled "Is America Still a Dream?," quoted "gangsta rap" and alternative-rock songs. The lyrics included the words "nigga" and "hos."
Dyson said his point was to exhort people to stop ignoring or censoring the language of the youth.
Government to spend $1M to study marijuana
Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey said the White House drug policy office committed the funds last month for a comprehensive review by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences.=
Oil slick hits Japan shore
Thick brown sludge covered the rocky beach at Mikuni, about 110 miles west of Tokyo.
Coast guard helicopters buzzed overhead dropping chemicals to clear up the 962,000-gallon slick.
01-08-97