Five years ago…
After a week of controversy over the election vote, Bram Elias
and Andy Coulouris were officially named Michigan Student Assembly
president and vice president, respectively.
Due to 71 fraudulent votes cast in the election, the election
board held a partial revote that reaffirmed Elias’and
Coulouris’s victory.
“I’ve never been so proud to be a part of something
in my whole life,” Couloris said, after hearing about his
victory.
10 years ago…
Although James Duderstadt was named president of the University,
he was not the first choice for the position, according to a
recently released court files. After reviewing five finalists for
the position, the Board of Regents was prepared to offer the
position to Vartan Gregorian, president of the New York Public
Library in 1988.
Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor), however, made it clear he did
not support Gregorian.
After Baker made a phone call to Gregorian expressing his
disapproval, Gregorian withdrew his name from consideration,
leaving Duderstadt as the lone candidate.
“When Regent Paul Brown called to ask if I had made a
decision, I told him I did not want to go to a place where someone
was pledging guerilla warfare,” Gregorian said.
March 30, 1984
A simple and lighthearted game led to several incidents
involving the police at the University. “The Assasination
Game,” or “Killer” — a game in which each
player was assigned to “kill” another player with a toy
gun while being stalked by a third — was popular on
campus.
The game, however, had serious consequences when police were
called on several occasions because observers thought the threat
was real. Students maintained the game was an innocent release of
tension, but University Housing Security Supervisor Fran Foster
said it was disruptive and promoted real violence.
Yet despite their objections, University officials said they
will still allow the game to be played. “It’s hard to
ban a game,” Vice President for Student Services Henry
Johnson said.
March 30, 1954
University President Harlan Hatcher postponed a decision on the
construction of the Student Activities Building on other pending
projects and finance restrictions. The proposed cost of the center
was $200,000 to $350,000.
March 31, 1953
A proposal to eliminate listings with racial or national origin
qualifications in the Office of Student Affairs off-campus housing
file was placed before the Student Legislature. According to the
proposal, only landlords who were willing to rent their housing
without any race or nationality qualifications would be listed with
the University.
April 2, 1946
Law student John Wilson described his involvement in the atomic
bomb mission over Japan. Wilson piloted the lead ship when the
atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.
“By the time the bomb was dropped, our plane was 150 miles
from the target, but we could see the thick cloud of smoke that
rose from the explosion,” Wilson said.
April 2, 1983
A committee collected nearly 2,000 student signatures in a day
and a half to protest against The Michigan Daily. The petition
charged that the new editors were publishing articles that were
sensational with increased racial, gender and religious
tensions.
The petition accused the Daily of misquoting sources and
misrepresenting the news.
Brian Sher, head of the Committee for a Responsible Michigan
Daily, said the committee’s goal was to make the Daily
publicly admit to practicing irresponsible journalism.
“If a group this size comes to the Daily, they will have
to respond,” Sher said.
March 30, 1970
The Black Action Movement organized a class strike after the
University refused to adopt to any demands regarding improving the
climate for minorities on campus.
Among other things, BAM asked that the University establish a
Black Student Center in the community. BAM refused to acknowledge
any further negotiations until the University apologized for
releasing a media statement concerning previous meetings.
— Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Melissa
Benton