Chemistry ventilation
renovations fall short
The Michigan Daily-Saturday, October 6, 1979-Page 3
Center mediates
consumer complaints
By MARK PARRENT
Although the University is spending
$160,000 for improvements in the ven-
tilation system of the Chemistry
Building on the north side of the Diag,
the project may not completely solve
the long-standing air circulation
problems in the aging building.
The project, which involves elaborate
scaffoldiig up the side of the building
and the use of a large crane and
helicopter, has been underway for
several weeks.
"DESPITE THE engineering that
they do, you really can't tell until they
start to operate it," said Chemistry
Dept. Assoc. Chairman Robert Taylor.
He said the work planned on the system
is likely to "help but not solve" the ven-
tilation problem.
Taylor said the construction of a new
building is the only real solution to the
poor ventilation as well as problems
with outdated laboratories and office
space.-
The University administration ap-
preciates the problem with the old
building, Taylor said, but funds are not
currently available for construction of
a new building.
A PRIVATE contractor, the Henry
DeKoning Construction Co., is now
moving the intake ducts on the roof of
the building away from the exhaust
ducts so exhaust fumes will be less
likely to be drawn in the fresh air vent,
according to University Construction
Engineering Manager Robert
Pangburn.
Pangburn said the project should be
completed sometime before
Thanksgiving.
But Taylor said despite the work, the
system will still be incapable of
drawing enough fresh air into the
building.
Taylor said the renovations were
spurred by complaints from those who
work in the building, although safety
inspectors have expressed concern
over the situation.
By JOYCE FRIEDEN
Are you afraid you're geing ripped
off or getting less than you paid for? If
so, rleax.
Chances are, the Consumer Action
Center (CAC) can help you.
The center, located at 120 Catherine,
St., is a division of the County
Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Volun-
teers, both from the University and the
community, take complaints against
local merchants and try to arrive at
mutually agreeable settlements. Of the
900 cases received each year, over 720
are mediated successfully, and the rest
are settled to the partial satisfaction of
the consumer.
MAIL-ORDER forms and auto repair
services are the biggest categories for
complaint, according to John Knapp,
director of the center. Knapp added
that the CAC tries to -be very thorough
in its investigation. "We treat each case
individually, whereas other agencies
(such as the Better Business Bureau),
do it through a series of form letters. At
least here someone is saying, 'I'm
analyzing this for what it's worth'," he
said. When mediation proves unsuc-
cessful, the case is either referred to a
more powerful source or given to a
county attorney to take to Small Claims
Court, Knapp added.
The CAC's usual method of handling
a case involves getting a CAC volunteer
together with a consumer and mer-
chant to "iron out" a complaint. Knapp'
emphasized that the CAC volunteers try
to be as unbiased as possible. "I sup-
pose we are taking the consumer's side
of things because we are speaking for
him. ... But we certainly don't say that
he's right and the other guy's wrong,"
he said.
CAC volunteers said that they get
self-satisfaction as well as experience
while on the job. "It's better than I ex-
pected ... the people who work here.
make you feel like what you're doing is'
worthwhile," said Nancy Helfer, a
Project Outreach student. "I'm in-
terested in going into law and this is a
good field for me," she added.
"YOU GET GREAT satisfaction out
of taking the case of someone that was
nowhere else to turn," said Ann Snyder,
former volunteer and now secretary for
the CAC. "Sometimes you discover
vulnerabilities in the merchant that
weren't there before."
According to Mary Jacobs, super-
visor of the center's interns, many
cases are a result of misunderstan-
dings. "There is very rarely black and
white in this job. U'sually it's a matter
of an honest businessman and an honest
consumer looking at something fry,-
two different viewpoints."
Jacobs gave a hint for consumersto
follow. "Never sign anything the first
day you hear about it. A reputable
businessman will allow you to think it
over. Always check the business's
reputation first."
SCAFFOLDING CLINGS to Chemistry Building while engineers try to
solve ventilation problems.i
NEW DIRECTOR RECALLS HISTORIC BAM STRIKE OF 1970:
Trotter House goal: More
t By JULIE BROWN
cy v ~r n rt
Although most University students
are too young to remember the Black
Action Movement (BAM) strike of 1970,
one of the strikers' demands has
'become a fixture on campus, The
William Monroe Trotter House,'
-,stablished in a former fraternity house
et 1443 Washtenaw, in 1972, has become
'a center for minority student activities.
Reginald Armstrong, a University
graduate with a master's degree in
secondary educational administration,
took over as Trotter House director this
past Wednesday, replacing Belulah
Sanders. Armstrong was a University
student at the time of the BAM strike.
-ACCORDING TO Armstrong, the
creation of Trotter House "was a part
of the BAM demands in 1970. I was an
undergraduate here at the time, and
was activein the BAM strike."
The strike begain in January, 1970,
when the Student Government Council,
the Graduate Assembly, the Black
Student Union, and the Social Work
Student Union issued a joint statement
asking the Univesity to recruit minority
students, and to provide them with
financial aid.
Following discussion with University
administrators, BAM, a coalition of
black student organizations, was for-
med. The group demanded the hiring of
graduate and undergraduate minority
recruiters, minimal black enrollment
of ten per cent by 1973-74, recruitment
df black faculty, supportive services,
financial aid, an improved black
studies program, and a black student
center.
~ 'SUPPORT FOR BAM demands was
evident, as some students and faculty"
boycotted 'classes. On March 27, 1970,
'the LSA faculty voted to commit itself
to funding ten per cent black
enrollment by 1973. On April 1, the
University Regents agreed with the
BAM demands, and the strike was
called off.
"Reflecting back 'on it, I don't know
how realistic it was for us to expect ten
per cent (enrollment)," Armstrong
said. "I still believe the University can
do better with the recruiting effort. I
think there's somewhat of a commit-
ment, the question is one of the degree
of that commitment."
Current enrollment of black students
(undergraduate and graduate, Ann Ar-
bor campus) is 6.3 per cent, according
to the Fall 1979 Report to the University
Regents on Minority Recruitment,
Enrollment and Retention. Of that
number, 42.7 per cent of black students
leave the University without receiving
a degree. The attrition rate for white
students is 26 per cent.
"I DON'T THINK students know
exactly what the BAM strike was,"
Armstrong said. "Ten per cent
enrollment was the primary issue, but
what about maintaining that ten per
.cent? The whole object is to put more
blacks and minorities in the job
market."'
"It's (the attrition rate) not because
blacks can't do the work," he said.
"We're alienated to a large extent at
the University because it is a white, up-
per-class institution, but we compound
our alienation by not getting involved."
Trotter House was reviewed this
year by a committee of faculty, studen-
ts and staff, who looked,; at the
programming the House offered.
"WHAT WE TRIED to'do this' year
was set up an advisory grodp to look 'at
Trotter House, and to decide what
direction the House should take," said
Thomas Moorehead, director of Com-
munity Services, Office of Student Ser-
vices. The Trotter House Advisory
Committee, of which Armstrong is
chairman, was an outgrowth of the
earlier committee.
The House was first opened in Oc-
tober 1971 in a 15-room house at 1020 S.
University. The house waA destroyed by
a boiler explosion andwsubsequent fire
in May 1972. The present facility was
opened in late 1972.
The House (named for black activist
William Monroe Trotter, an 1895 Har-
vard graduate and publisher of the
Boston Guardian) is staffed by nine
people, two of them (Armstrong and a
secretary) full-time. It is also staffed
by three Work/Study students, and four
resident staff members. The resident
staff is responsible for maintaining the
house, arranging work' schedules,
keeping track of programming, and
gathering information on campus
minority organizations, Armstrong
said.
minority participation
THE HOUSE IS used by a number of said he intends to provide relavant
organizations, including fraternities programming through Trotter House.
and sororities, school and college "MY FOCUS IS to present program-
groups, community organizations, and ming to minority students that will
the Black Student Union, Armstrong permit them to get involved, but will
said. The facility receives requests also have something of substance to
from a number of organizations, but ew take with them for the rest of their
are rejected, Armstrong said. lives."..
"It's a multipurpose house, and is Armstrong cited seminars on
open for people to use," he said. He ad- minority women, political lobbying,
ded that he would have no objection to and the workings of the stock market,
the Spartacus Youth League meeting at as program ideas for this year. Accor-
the House, but would veto the American ding to Armstrong, the House has been
Nazi Party or the Ku Klux Klan. used in the past primarily for social and
Armstrong, who was a counselor for cultural activities. Armstrong said he
the Opportunity Program from Sep- would like to supplement these fun-
tember 1973 until a week ago yesterday, ctions.
SUCCESS, FINALLY
HATFIELD, England (AP)-There
was no doubt in the minds of Edith and
Leonard Parman the back door lof their
government-subsidized house was rot-
ten and needing replacement.
After two years-of complaining about
the leaking door, the council finally
agreed to send workmen to paint it.
The paint did not stop the leaking, so
a new door was installed-backwards.
Then it was found to be too small.
The Pearmans say workmen hadto'
make 26 visits before the door was fixed
properly.
J 1
,I
ll
iii "'it
_ 1
MICHIGAN UNION
SEVENTY-FIFTH
ANNIVERSARY
The architect of the Michigan Union, Irving K. Pond, also scored the first
touchdown in Michigan's first football game. The Union was built on the
site of his boyhood home.
FREE COKE & CIDER ON THE FRONT STEPS
AFTER THE MINNESOTA GAME
Don't miss tomorrow's
Sunday Magazine
A TRIP AND A MOVIE:
A Daily editor heads for the Big Apple to view the long-awaited
Apocalypse Now! directed by Francis Ford Coppola.. Find out
about his trip... and maybe a bit about the movie.
ON POLITICS AND SOCIETY:
A question and answer session with noted linguist and political
critic Noam Chomsky.
THEATER COLUMN:
A look at the trends in selecting plays for' University production.
French this year, Russian last, and never enoughO'Neill.
BOOKS:
Terry Gallagher raves about a book of verse by local poet Bob
Clifford. It's refreshing, he says, and filled with non-pretentious
honesty.
10iortion" and Apgplicafios
for National Science Foundation
Graduate Fellowships-
Graduate Minority Fellowships
1980-81
are available in
The Graduate School Fellowship Office
160 Rackham Building
764-2218
Deadline to NSF, Washington, D.C., November 29, 1979
abort"ion
Free Pregnancy Testing
Immediate Results
Confidential Counselin
Cmedicaid Birth-Control Clinic
. Medicaid " Blue Cross
(313)941.180Ann Arbor and
Downriver area
(313) 559-0590 Southfield area
'- -~Northland Family Planning Clinic, Inc.
FILMS
Alternative Action-Zorba the Greek, 8 p.m., MLB Aud. 4.
Ann Arbor Film Co-op-Tonight for Sure, 7 p.m., A History of the Blue
Movie, 9 p.m., MLB Aud. 3.
Arbor Alliance-More Nuclear Power Stations, 7, 8, 9 p.m., Ann Arbor
Public Library.
Cinema II-The American Friend, 7, 9 p.m., Angell Hall Aud. A.
Cinema Guild-Love and Death, 7,9:30 p.m., Old Arch. Aud.
Mediatrics Films-Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann, 8:30, 10, 11:30
p.m., Nat. Sci. Auditorium.
The University's research volume
reached an all-time high of $83 million
in 1977-78, an increase of $11 million
over the preceding year.
-1
PERFORMANCES
IN
Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein 1is
SHO
FEATURNG
DACE '4. IL "'A
Music School-Viola da Gamba Recital, 8 p.m., Stearns Bldg.
Professional Theater Program-"Showboat", 8 p.m., Power Center.
SPEAKERS
Washtenaw Community College-"Legislation Affecting the Handicapped
and Techniques to Access Mandated Services", 1 p.m., Rm. 1904 SCB, 4800
East Huron River Drive.
Dr. Rockne McCarthy, "American Political Lifde: Is it religious or, in line
with thei scfctahlighment claiuseof Artice 1 in the Rill or Rights. religinusly
I
s ,