I

LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 9,1997-3

Man robbed near
east Quad
Two males approached a pedestrian
(king on Church Street behind East
ad on Sunday and demanded money,
according to DPS reports. When the
man refused to hand over cash, one of
the suspects stood in front of him and
made a threat. The victim then offered
the suspects an amount of money,
which one of the suspects grabbed.
OPS reports that no weapons were
involved and the mn who was robbed
escaped unharmed. DPS is currently
iivestigating the case.
Man struck by
U car door
A man reported to the Department of
Public Safety on Friday that he was
struck by the door of a University vehi-
'ce in the parking lot of the Bendix
,}ilding on Plymouth Road.
he door of the '92 Plymouth
acclaim was damaged in the incident,
DPS reports state.
The man said that the door of the car
was open, and he did not know that the
car was in gear.
Resident falls
from bed in West
Suad room
:.A student fell out of bed early yes-
terday morning in West Quad and pos-
Ssiby broke his finger, DPS reports
state.
'The man also reported that his lip
was cut in the incident. A housing secu-
-ty officer escorted the man to the
6mergency room of University
hospitals.
raffiti found
on MLB
K caller notified DPS about ii p.m.
Friday that a suspect was writing
"Coma" or "Goma" all over the walls
of the Modern Languages Building.
The suspect vandalized both the side
faking the Frieze Building and the side
ing Hill auditorium.
_DPS officers also found graffiti on
tie handrail of a stairwell and on the
al1 near another stairwell.
frhe words were scrawled in red
marker.
Unknown man
asleep near Diag
man smelling of alcohol was
ound sleeping outside of East Hall
early Sunday morning, according to
bPS reports.
The suspect was found to be wanted
for a misdemeanor in Detroit, accord-
ing o DPS reports.
t.PS officers notified the suspect of
'his warrant and escorted him to anoth-
er location.
rse stolen from
A building
A woman called DPS during the
weekend to report that her purse was
stolen from the fourth floor of the LSA

i6ng.
,"4I e purse was stolen from a class-
last Thursday, according to DPS
_ ts. Currently there are no suspects
V tcase.
Argument brews
in Union
A manager at the Michigan Union
roppted to DPS that she got into an
:aguient with a customer and asked
him to leave Saturday night.
The suspect did not leave the build-
Aing, instead telling the manager to
him leave.
ore a DPS officer could arrive, the
'situation was resolved, DPS reports stated.
--Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Alice Robinson.

Students say new system
limits residence hall choices

By Peter Romer-Friedman
For the Daily
When LSA sophomore Elena
Clelend received a Housing application
last year, she felt that her choice of res-
idence halls had already been limited.
"The dorm I lived in last year wasn't
my first choice," said Cleland, who
lived in West Quad. "But I was still
happy being in the area of my choice."
Cleland was among the many stu-
dents who, under the new Housing lot-
tery, did not receive her preferred resi-
dence hall. Beginning last year, incom-
ing students no longer could choose the
specific dorm in which they wanted to
live. Instead; incoming students picked
from three areas on campus: Central
campus, the Hill area or North Campus.
Students also could request to live on
co-ed or single-sex halls.
Now in its second year, Housing offi-
cials are saying the system creates more
equality for the Class of 2001. But the
system is frustrating some students,
who feel their choices are limited, and is
causing an increase in applications for
living-learning programs.
"It's important for freshmen to pick
where they live," said LSA senior
Tiffany Bloom, who said that without a

Top Ten list of preferences from each
student, the Housing department has
found an easier way to deal with the
thousands of applications. "It doesn't
want to do as much paperwork."
Until two years ago, the University
asked first-year students to indicate
their top residence hall choices.
Housing would then attempt to accom-
modate the desires of the 5,000 first-
year students.
Alan Levy, director of Housing pub-
lic affairs, said the new system levels
the playing field for all incoming stu-
dents.
"The lottery is designed to make the
housing equal;" Levy said. "Before, it
was on a first-come, first-serve basis,
favoring the in-state students." Because
the majority of Housing applications
are sent out at the same time, in-state
students had a greater possibility of
returning them faster.
But Levy said that no application
process will be without flaws.
"The housing application stresses
that we are unable to guarantee all stu-
dents' preferences," Levy said. "We
believe that all our residence halls are
good for first-year students."
For LSA sophomore Morgan Bowen,

who did not get his first choice, his
first-year experience left much to be
desired.
"I hated where I was put. I didn't
have any friends where I lived,"
Bowen said. "It made my first year
harder than if I would have lived
somewhere else."
Some students said the new system
has had other effects
For students who want a certain resi-
dence hall, for example, there's more
incentive to apply to one of the living-
learning programs housed in a specific
hall. Students who are accepted to pro-
grams like the Residential College in
East Quad or the 21st Century Program
in Markley are guaranteed housing in
those residence halls.
"The emphasis is getting students to
apply to residence academic programs,
which are very important to the under-
graduate program at Michigan,' said
Levy, who hopes that more students
begin to choose these programs in the
future.
LSA first-year student Natalie Royal
speculated that "many students choose
(the) 21st Century (Program) just to get
into Markley."
LSA junior Darren Jackson said stu-

JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily
LSA first-year student Natalie Royal sits outside Mary Markley residence hall She
is part of the 21st Century Program.

dents should not be too upset about the
new system for determining student
housing, noting that it weakens appli-
cants' feelings of disappointment.
"When I came in (as a first-year stu-
dent), you got a choice of one of 10,"
Jackson said. "In my experience, the
chance of getting the dorm you wanted
was so slim that this system might elim-
inate disappointment. I had been put in
Bursley, which was my 10th choice.
You're more likely to get the area you
want, but in some ways- it does restricts
students' independence."
Other students said that besides
attracting more students to living-


Students
advised
to lock,
bicycles
By Jenni Yachnin
Daily Staff Reporter
Department of Public Safety offi-
cials may sound a lot like mom when
they repeatedly warn students to lock
their bikes, but it could save students
hundreds of dollars.
"We see an increase in bike theft in
the fall," said DPS spokesperson Beth
Hall. "We encourage students to lock
their bikes and register (bikes) with the
city."
Despite warnings by police and
DPS, many students do not worry
about their bikes being stolen.
LSA first-year student Scott
Elsworth said he does not worry about
his new bike because it is inexpensive.
"I just lock it every time;" he said. "I
only worry that maybe I won't be able
to find it when I get back from class."
However, some students who have
had their bikes tampered with said
they do not feel as safe about their
bikes.
LSA senior Diana Grossman had one
of her front wheels taken two years ago.
"The wheel was stolen from my
house when the bike was locked up,"
she said.
Grossman is now adamant about
locking her bike.
"If you have quick release, lock
your front and back tires and get a seat
leash," Grossman said. "It takes a lot
of time, but theft is bad around here."
DPS officials held a bike registra-
tion session last Friday during
Festifall. Students paid $2.50 to have
their names, local addresses, phone

learning programs, the new lottery
system also is increasing diversity in
the halls.
In the past, many students said they
believed the long-held reputations of
many of the residence halls attracted
people to certain halls on campus.
"We are aware of the stereotypes,'
Levy said.
LSA first-year student Natalie Royal
said she believed the new system is
beginning to erase some of the stereo-
types.
"In theory, the lottery was started to
kill stereotypes and make the dorms a
little more diverse' Royal said.
Students'..
. .
invited to
,MSAl
By Susan T. Port
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly
will open its doors to about 40,000stu:
dents today in the Michigan Union.
MSA President Michael Nagrant
said the student government's mass
meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. will give stu^
dents the opportunity to get acquaint.
ed with MSA.
"I think it will be a great opportunity
for new students as well as the admin-
istration to see the future of MSA,'said
Nagrant, an LSA senior.
MSA Vice President Olga Savic
described today's open house as the
kickoff of an eventful year for the stu-
dent government.
"This for anyone who might not have
been aware of services we provide," she
said.
Savic said she expects a good
turnout for-the event. MSA members
have tried to get the word out for ti
event via e-mail and posters located n
the residence halls.
"We want to show the students that
this is not just empty-blind faith," Savic
said. "We have a positive attitude of
what it is we do, and what we can do.'
LSA first-year student Roopa Bansal
said she was unaware of the existenceO6f
the student governing body on campus
"I have never heard of MSA," Bansa1
said. "I should have heard of it if it plays
such an important role on campus."
Nagrant said the year ahead will 'e
full of beneficial changes for MSA.,
"In the past, there has been more PO
itics, Nagrant said, adding that the early
date for the open house will introdue'
MSA to the student body early in the
year. MSA's responsibilities inclid
serving as a student voice with the
administration and funding studeit
groups on campus.

AJA DEKLEVA COHEN/Daily
First-year Engineering student Chelsea Gorkiewicz locks up her bike on Zina Pitcher Place. In an effort to prevent bike
thefts, DPS is encouraging students to register their bikes with the city.

numbers and their bike's serial number
registered with the city.
In cases of theft, the registration
helps to identify the bike. DPS collect-
ed about 310 registrations Friday, up
from the number of registrations last
year, Hall said.
"I think the biggest thing is to lock
your bike" Hall said. "Take the seat or
wheel with you if you can."
Ann Arbor Cyclery manager Jon
Kieft said each school year his store
makes about 20 sales to people who
say they've had their bikes stolen.
"I think they know the reason their
bike was stolen is that they didn't
lock it," Kieft said. "Most of the time
it was just a stupid mistake. The first
time they didn't lock their bike, it was
gone."
Kieft also said he advises bike own-
ers to keep their bikes in a well-liplace

near lots of people and to use a U-lock.
However, attempted thefts on locked
bikes can still cause expensive damage.
"The back wheel was bent;" LSA
sophomore Caryn Burtt said about the
damage to her bike that occurred last
October. "I think someone tried to use
a crowbar to get the lock off."
Burtt said she was surprised by the
vandalism.
"I did everything I was supposed to.
I had it registered and I had a U-lock;
she said.
Burtt said she would advise others to
park their bike in an area with many
other bikes, something she hadn't done.
DPS officials are planning another
bike registration, but have not yet set a
date, Hall said.
Students can register their bikes
with the city on the second floor of
City Hall on Fifth Street.

Bike safety tips:
Use a U-lock.
Leave your bike in well-lit,
designated areas.
Know where your bike is at
all times; avoid parking your
bike for days without check-
ing on it.
Keep information, such as
color, brand, frame size,
wheel size and serial number,
in case the bike is stolen.
Secure both the frame and
the wheels with the lock;
detach the seat and take it
with you if possible.
Report immediately to DP
if your bike is stolen or if you
see suspicious activity
around or near bike racks on
campus. Any questions, call
DPS at 763-3434.


Judge rejects attempt to
block tax on gasoline

_
---

LANSING (AP) - An Ingham
County circuit judge yesterday
rejected an attempt to immediately
block the recent increase in gasoline
taxes in Michigan, although the dis-
pute remains in court for further
argument.
Circuit Judge Lawrence Glazier
denied a motion by tax opponents to
block the levy because they contend
the tax increase was approved

improperly by the Michigan
Legislature.
He said the bill did receive proper
"immediate effect," meaning it
would take effect upon the gover-
nor's signature.
But while opponents lost this
round, they still could argue later
that the gas tax violates the Headlee
Amendment to the state constitu-
tion.

Correction
*here are approximately 300 first-year students and a total of 498 residents in Mosher Jordan residence hall and members
bf the Women in Science and Engineering program are housed in Mosher Jordan. This was incorrectly reported in the Daily
on-Sept. 3.

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