Page Eight THE MICHIGAN DAILY Thursday, September 5, 1974 Page Eight THE MICHIGAN DAILY Thursday, September 5, 1974 -campus housing: Exorbitantly priced, poorly constructed By CHERYL PILATE Each spring, nearly half of the University's nomadic student population starts the annual scramble for 'the choicest water- ing holes and the most reasonably-priced tents. Although the denizens of the student ghetto don't really live Bedouin-style, off-campus housing is known for its flimsy qual- ity. Often the cheap plaster found in many apartments can no more withstand heavy rain than tent canvas. ANN ARBOR is also known for its exorbitant rents. Greedy management companies and avaricious landlords are largely responsible for giving the city one of the highest cost-of-living averages in the country. According to a survey conducted by the Public Interest Re- seach Gropp in Michigan, the median rent for one-bedroom dwellings in Ann Arbor is $185 and $290 for two bedroom dwelling. Off-campus 'housing generally falls in one of two categories: 'the slick, plastic-coated apartments or rambling, antiquated houses that often violate either health standards or the housing code. ALTHOUGH APARTMENT living is somewhat cheaper than dorm living, the headaches involved in dealing with an unco- operative management company or a profit-minded landlord often make the dorm's sterile cubicles appear attractive by com- parison. Because of the housing shortage in the central part of the city, students are often forced to live in sub-standard dwellings which often lack proper ventilation systems, adequate plumb- 'ing and sound construction.: In many cases, landlords and management companies totally neglect maintenance problems and even when basic repairs are taken care of, the wait is often int'erminable. THE OFF-CAMPUS housing picture is not totally bleak, how- ever. There are many apartment building and houses which See LANDLORDS, Page 10 Co-ops: A By PATRICIA HINSBERG dorm or ap For many people, the term cooperative quires men housing brings to mind the neo-utopian sibilities of communes popular on the west coast dur- gated to la ing the 1960's. Each co- However, co-ops are far from being a tribute 4-6. new or novel living arrangement. Since' tail cooking 1932, University students have established lawn, or m residences where each dweller shares in are fairly the building's ownership. even come come breal BECAUSE OF its long tradition of low- Since me ered costs and democratic government duces thee dozens of co-ops are flourishing on cam- ops, the re pus. IN ANN. The Inter-Cooperative Council (ICC), lapidated 1 with offices located in the Student Union, $140, thei is 'a non-profit organization composed of ranges fror 22 cooperative houses and 700 members. ing the Spr These houses are divided among three membersa subsidiary councils for the respective the costs a neighborhoods of south, central, and north Co-op foo campus. spite thei Because the co-ops are founded on cooks. Nort democratic principles of ownership, reso- enjoy such lution of problems and determination of lic bread,p policies take place at representative meet- Not the 1 ing held on a regular basis. ops are the laxed natur TECHNICALLY, each member owns an wide array equal share in the ICC: This allows mem- students to bers a breadth of freedom impossible in occasional cheaper deal artment housing. But it also re- mbers to shoulder the respon- maintenance ordinarily rele- ndlords. op member is expected to con hours per week, which may en- g, washing dishes, cutting the hopping floors. Working hours flexible, and some co-opers to view their jobs as a wel- k from academic monotony. mber maintenance greatly re- overhead costs of living in co- nt is remarkably inexpensive. ARBOR, where rent for a di- -bedroom apartment starts at room and board at a co-op m $90 to $110 per month. Dur- ing - Summer terms, when all are guaranteed single rooms, re even lower, od tastes amazingly good, de- inexperience of most of the h campus co-op members often delicacies as lasagna with gar- pepper steak, and rich kasha. least of the advantages of co- residents themselves. The re- re of co-op living appeals to a of individuals - from grad foreign students and even an street person. IF YOU delide to live in a co-op, you 11 b 'l? to _hoose among three dif- f nt c-O) coy nolTxes. Central and South m'ns co-ops tend to be more conven- ient because of their proximity to the Di'ig. On the other hand, living in the North Campus co-ops is desirable because of their location amidst pine trees and grass- co ered hills. Many of the houses on Central and South Campus are the original hoises with which the co-ops were first founded. Mich- igan House, for example, was organized in 1932. THE NORTH CAMPUS complex first opened in 1970. These residences were built with the help of a government loan and are copstructed in a much more mod- ern style. Many people who might consider living in the north campus are reluctant to sign a contract because they fear the hassles of riding a bus to class every morning. Bus service, however, proves to be far less of a problem than one might expect. D'iring the day, buses run at least every fifteen minutes, and, at night, the service ius!lly continies into the wee hours of the morning. Dorm dwellers find community spirit in crowded conditions By CHERYL PILATE can be invaluable in quelling the and coordinates social activities. The the uninitiated neophyte, first pangs of loneliness, as Hall parties, dances, picnics,I dormitory can time goes on you may find that and beer bashes occur frequent- be full of surprises. Living with your lifestyles are incompatible. ly enough to relieve the aca- hundreds of other people is a If this happens, it is usually ad- demic monotony. hundruedseoxterrpope whcninavisable to try and work things uniqueexerience which can i out. However, if you are going SNACK BARS, which serve in- voke y e iritherdeepsenfs ofto bed about the time your room- expensive sandwiches and var- mnnmuntr s iri nrf~ ings' of while the smaller residences of- fer atmospheres more conduc- ive to studious pursuits. IN RECENT YEARS, .the most popular dorJ aoncampus has been Mosher-Jordan. claustrophobic paranoia. Although the University's 14 residence halls vary greatly inI size and personality, none ofI them offer much variation on the standard ,cubicle-sized room and the institutional food. THESE barracks-like living' conditions are sometimes h a r d} to adjust to at first. Privacy is a rare commodity when you share a bathroom with 30 other people andeat in a dining hall that seats 200. If you happen to have a roommate, locking your- self in a closet is often the only I solution when you desire soli- tude. There are some advantages to community living, however. Un- less you are a determined re- cluse, it is almost impossible toI avoid making friends. On some freshperson halls, the residents become as closely knit as a family. Close ties develop that often sustain through the remaining three years at the University.. PERHAPS the most difficult aspect of adjusting to dorm life is learning to make compromis- es with your roommate. Although having a roommate I mate is waking up, and study- ious starchy delights are locat- Located on the "hill," MoJo ing when she is practicing her! ed in most of the larger resi- is a medium-sized, co-ed hall. clarinet, getting a transfer is dence halls along with pool tab- Because of its ivy-covred walls often the best solution. les and pinball machines. and pseudo-Gothic facade, it Because most of the larger Although dorms food has long, radiates a much warmer atmos- dorms are hotbeds of social ac- been the subject of merciless block-style dormitories. *.': ::.::"s. s :s.., s phere than the new er, cinder- South Quad, also known 8s "These barracks-like living conditions the "monkey house," is the largest dorm on campus. Hous- are sometimes hard to adjust to at first. ing 1,200 students, this hall re- -"- sembles as asylum more than Privacy is a rare commodity when you anythin else. The main advant- share a bathroom with 30 other people age to living here, is the dorm's strategic location near Angell ..> < and eat in a dining room that seats. 200." Hall. You can roll out of bed at 9 a.m. and be taking notes in '"°" " your philosophy lecture ten min- tivity, partying often continues barbs, it's not all that bad. Des- utes later. on into, the early hours of t h e pite the fact that the turkey 0 morning. patties resemble fish sticks, and WEST QUAD, located next the spaghetti tastes like Chef door to South Quad, is one of ALTHOUGH the noise level Boy-ar-dee, he meals can be the oldest dorms on campus. drops a few decibels at night, it at least tolerable if you use a Dubbed the "armpit of the Uni- is often impossible to get eight little imagination. versity," this residence hall fea- hours of uninterrupted s 1 e e p Ice cream toped with honey tures a labyrithine floor plan unless you wear earplugs. and wheat germ or peanut but- which makes it impossible to andwhet grm r panu bu- ,walk from one end of the build- Even if you are fortunate ter makes a great dessert and in to the other without go enough to fall asleep at a rea- Thousand Islands salad dressing gtoghethert othi sonable hour, you may be jolted can be used to cover up the basement awake by the false first alarms taste of just about anything. that periodically plague t h e The four all-women dorms - larger residence halls. MOST OF the dorms on cam- Stockwell, Martha Cook, Bar- All the dorms have some type pus are co-ed. Consequently bour and Newberry - reported- of governing council that deter- some of the bathroom facilities ly serve food a bit more palat- mines how dues will be spent are utilized by both sexes. Des- able than the usual dorm var- pite the shocked reactions of iety. These halls are popular many parents, the freshpeople among both undergraduate and seem to adjust easily to co-ed graduate women alike because - Johns.the zoo-like atmosphere which U t Four all-women dorms are pervades in the quads is totally still maintained on campus for peaceful residences. those females who do not wish Eastfuadre ndde lce to reside with the opposite sex. E Q n Alcer supposedly the most "radical" IWELL-LIKED 'by the m o r e dorms on. campus, also feature re a irss7 academic-minded because of educational programs for their their quiet atmospheres, t h e residences. The Residential Col- By BETH NISSEN women's halls tend to be more lege and the Pilot Program of- If at some point during the restrictive in their visitation fer small, unstructured classes semester, your third all-nighter policies and their house rules. on topics normally not covered in a week results in a chonic Because dorm living is such by the mammoth liberal arts croup, or all the wonder reme-' antegral part of the first year co'g~ dies offered by Pepto-Bismol!' at college, it is important to ALTHOUGH IT IS important and your grandmother won't choose a hall suited to your life- to make the right decision when help you keep breakfast down, style.the University's Health Service' choosing your dorm, you will stands ready to diagnose and ry The larger, co-ed dorms tend soon discover that your living treat your ills for a price. to sponsor more social activities experience is basically what you The Health Service is an odd A- make it. blend of nuclear medicine and. DAILY CLASS I F I EDS Dorm residents are free to 19th century methods. If a stu- Join the Daily Editorial Staff clinic FALL '74 4 university towe APARTMENTS South University at Forest Ave. ON CAMPUS walk to everything-no car or parking expenses necessar r 2 blocks from the ft * 8 month Lease " Air-Conditioned . Fully Carpeted " Piano and Recreatio * Laundry Facilities r " Study Room " HetedSwimmingP *24 Hour Maintenanc and Security * Luxurious.Lobby : Weekly Housekee it less than C average. Lest these myths frighten the novice sickie in Ann Arbor, it should be stated that the doctors at Health Service are usually technically excellent. Health Service does offer surprising range of special serv- ices, from the whirlpool baths of physical therapy to the alI lergy clinic. Health Service cap treat a student for athlete' foot, tennis elbow, a broken ar or pre-exam tension. Healt Service has a good practice o referral of patients toacounsel ing services. ag in Room Pool ce Ong BRING RESULTS 11 comecand go 24 hours a day. You can while away your free time in the Arb (the Univer- sity's large park), become ac- tive in one of the many campus organizations, seclude yourself in the Grad Library and medi- tate on ancient wisdom, or get stoned and party until dawnI dent is ableatoidrag hi fevered or aching body steps of the old brick on Fletcher Street, a 1 minute wait can bee before the student is . whitecoacted doctor. UPON ARRIVING, s or her up the building; every night. RENTALS STEREOS 1 AIR CONDITIOI ciuaranteed repai service done riht in our shop Hi Fi Stud 215 S. ASHLEY 668-7942 769- must get their medical ~ - from an overgrown rol and fill out a simple one" form regardingt Tvs cifics of their illness a doctor preferences. N E RS The forms are bothers pecially to an even mo r R sick student, but ared it to be as expedient as and ensure a match of to doctor that will theo i o be most beneficial and table for the patient. Y Most ailing studentsa 0342 ushered through the yel into a plastic furnished room where they canr Sports Illustrated fro I February or listen to t low students feverishly L0 or 70- ONE OF THEIR most-visitec expected and best organized services is facing a pregnanoy t e s t i n g, complete with a trained counseling staf to supplement the lab test re students sults. history Health Service does manag odex file to offer medicinal drugs "check swallowable prices. The costc the spe- prescription d r u g s in hig nd their enoigh on public market t cause the mortgage of two ome, es- more vital organs, but to e derately rolled U of M students, mo. designed nharmaceutical drugs can b possible inirchased at 10-30 per cent b patient low drug-store price. retically comfor- TNDTVIDUAL student evalu *ion of the over-all service pr are then' vxided at Health Service is low door m"ost alwavys based on individu waiting evorience. read the "T wis given the old take-tw am last and-go-to-bed routine," said o heir fel- student. "I should feel bett cough. soon .'nt I cain't heln wan1 UJSED , ' .. i