6B - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 3, 1997
A felong Ann Arbor resident
recognizes the town's special nature
COMMENTARY
alking down a hallway of
any University of Michigan
dorm, the diversity is almost
staggering.
Fewother places, it seems, could
boast -epresentatives from cities as dif-
fereht as Midland or Miami, states as
unieUe as Ohio or California, or coun-
tries as singular as Canada or
Colu bia.
College dorms are a cosmopolitan's
paradise.
And then there are the exceptions.
lnsele t halls, along with every New
Yrker; every Hawaiian and every
Rdssian, there is the inevitable non-
cosmopolitan. The native of Ann
*Abr.-
I myself have the honor of being
one such student
- whose place of
persianent resi-
dehtis boring
and uninteresting
enough to be t
pradoxically
freakih in a place
as iverse as a
Michigan dorm. CHRIS
As a freshman' FARAH
I had to put up
with the distine- FARAH'S
tion afforded such FAUCET
a rare specimen.
As newcomers
introduced themselves, followed usual-
ly by gasps of amazement at the exoti-
cism of their places of origin, my
annduncement that I was from Ann
AYbbt was most often met by a dull
stare Perhaps if I got lucky, the disin-
terested soul would mutter "Oh," or
even; on a good day, "Really, you're
from Ann Arbor?"
It got to the point where I was actu-
ally embarrassed to say I was from
Ann Arbor. I tried to avoid the topic of
my background as much as possible.
When I was somehow forced to
admit to my roots, I would stare at the
gr 6nd and lower my voice so the
wdr dthat slipped out were barely per-
ceptible. Quite possibly, there are peo-
piel met my freshman year who still
think4 am from some strange, unknown
city called something like "Anberber."
A'iA-hile ago, however, all this
changed drastically.
,1'l didn't alter my birth certificate
re0brds or create a phony identity.
Instead; I began realizing that there are
certain advantages to being from Ann
Arbor;
Tffemore I got to know the people I
met at the University - people from as
far away as New York and as close as the
suburbs of Detroit - the more I under-
stood that they really knew nothing
about4he city they called home for at
least two-thirds of the year. And because
they knew very little, at the same time
they weren't really able to appreciate
eve hing Ann Arbor has to offer.
The average University of Michigan
student knows approximately this
much about living in Ann Arbor:
Where classes are held; where good
parties are held; where the bars are;
where decent restaurants are; where
the closest Meijer or Kroger is located
(though this last one applies only if
they are very knowledgeable and have
a car).
Some lucky out-of-towners manage
to find their way to the Arb for a
peaceful afternoon stroll, or some may
wind up at the Fleetwood Diner for a
snack at two o'clock in the morning.
But for most, Ann Arbor functionally
consists of just that section bordered
by State, Washington, South
University and Hill.
I'm not saying that, in four years
here, it should be the goal of every stu-
dent to know every business, every
restaurant and every nook and cranny
of the entire city of Ann Arbor.
Obviously that's impossible.
But the wrung approach to take is
one that thinks of Ann Arbor as just a
stop along the path of life -just a
temporary watering hole - as opposed
to a place that should hold all the full-
ness characteristic of one's true home.
Think about what makes your home
special to you. It's family and friends,
but it's also places. It's having those
little parts of town that hold some kind
of significance to you - and only
you. Maybe somewhere you could go
when you feel like thinking or being
alone, or maybe someplace you shared
with someone you were close to.
For me, these places consist of parts
of Ann Arbor - parts which often are
never even noticed by many students.
A rope swing on Barton Pond - only
a 10-minute bike ride from downtown
- or the bench in front of a pattern of
rocks crisscrossing the Huron River as
it snakes through the Arb ... The list
could go on and on.
There's nothing really unusual about
these places, they just mean something
to me. They aren't really hidden or
magic in any way - in fact, they can be
found by any U of M student who
decides to live - actually live - in
Ann Arbor. They are parts of Ann Arbor
that are unique to the city but can easily
be discovered and appreciated if one
chooses to search beyond the shops of
South University and State, or explore
beyond frat houses and Hill Auditorium.
Finding your own niche in the city
- something you can call your own -
will allow you to truly call Ann Arbor
your own. And then when out-of-town-
ers, friends or family, visit you from
your old home, you can say that you're
from Ann Arbor now - and you won't
have to stare at the ground and mumble
imperceptibly when you say it.
-Chris Farah is a Daily sports writer
You canreach him over e-mail at
cjfarah@umich.edu.
Angeli Hall could well be the computing capital of campus. But rising fees Imposed by the information Technology Division
continue to afflict students looking to do things as simple as printing term papers or dialing In with their modems.
IT s Od serve students
better, lower costly Charges
By Partha Mukhodaphyay station across Angell Hall and racing over only to find an "out
Daily Editorial Page Writer of order" sign hanging on the monitor. At remote sites, some
The University's Information Technology Division boasts computers sit, broken and unused, for more than two years.
of the second-largest concentration of Macintosh computers Even finding a working station does not guarantee success.
in the world - behind only the Apple Corporation head- Every month, money is allocated from tuition dollars to pay
quarters. When prospective students come to visit the for computer accounts. Some is deducted for e-mail costs and
University, a major selling point - right after the academics services students choose to subscribe to. The rest remains for
and athletics - is the technological wonders available to printing costs, which total eight cents per printed page. Just
them, if only they enroll. Marched through the Fishbowl, they two years ago, printing costs were free.
stop near the auditorium hallway, and behind them As annoying, and far more frightening than the
stretches the vast panorama of the Angell Hall non-working computer is the last-minute print job
Computing Center. canceled for lack of ITD funds at the end of a
It's an impressive sight, and if they enroll, it's one -* month. While it is possible to avoid this possibility
students come to know all too well, with papers to by opening a self-funded account, most students
write, the inevitable all-nighters and e-mail. To many, V decline due to the $25 minimum deposit required to
computer use becomes a dependency, and more. As open one.
professors catch on to the technology now available, Unfortunately, some students are forced to resort
some bold teachers have begun using computers - from online to this option, due to exorbitant dial-in costs charged by ITD.
conferencing to Web pages - as integral parts of their courses. Students fortunate enough to own their own computers and
Whether the need arises from personal use or class neces- printers may avoid the high printing charges at ITD sites, but
sity, many students absolutely depend on computers to get they must pay dearly to connect to the University network
them through the day. And that's where the problems begin. during daytime and evening hours.
When ITD brags about the sheer number of machines ITD can be an important ally in students' ever-increasing
available, they forget to mention one small detail: At any computer usage. However, right now it is a liability, due to its
given time, many of those computers do not work. At peak substandard service. Instead of misusing the funds allocated
computer use times - near midterms and finals - there are to it, ITD must become more efficient and responsive to stu-
few things more frustrating than spotting an open computer dents' needs.
Student
regent
should be?.-
istalled .
By Jack Schillaci
Daily Editorial Page Writer
The University Board of Regeits
guides the University's policies ahd
administrative decisions. They $et
tuition, establish the annual budgiand
levy student fees along with countless
other tasks.
But students have no official voice'in
the decisions that effect them so.great-
ly. The student body does have a repre-
sentative to the board - the Michi n
Student Assembly president - but t
position does not have any influence
over administrative decisions.
Individual students can also address he
regents but there have no input into he
board's decisions.
Presently, such a student position is
considered a conflict of interest under
state law as it would enable students to
grant themselves degrees. The only
way to rectify the conflict is wiyr
amendment to the state's constitutiM.
As head of the MSA Student Regent
Task Force, Andy Schor came clope tc
the first step in getting an officia stu-
dent voice in the administration He
drafted a bill to be sponsored by state
Rep. John Schwartz (R-Battle C ek),
chair of the state House subcommit ee
on Higher Education. However
Schwartz changed his mind before it
was to be introduced - negsting
months of the task force's work. 4i
As a result, the task force t e o-
cused its efforts into getting an atex-
officio student regent. The officee
would be able to make motions,.anler
into discussion and do everything
other regents can except their' :anst
important power: the ability to vote.
While an ex-officio position is at
easier goal to achieve - it .otily
requires the passage of a regents'rs-
olution - itis not adequate to 41
students' needs of representation: w
An ex-officio officer would he a
step in the right direction but ie inot
the answer to students' probleris
Only a student with the full V6tijtg
power afforded to other regentrvill
allow campus concerns to be brou ht
to the regents' table by their -nos
important constituents: the student
body.
U' should not mandate living learnrngT
Michigan Theater, Thursday, September 4
Blues & Jazz Movies
Michigan Theater, Frtday, September 5
BUDDY GUY
Johnne Bassett & The Blues Insurgents, 8pm
Bird of Paradise, Friday & Saturday, September 5-6
KURT ELLING with
The Laurence Hobgood Trio, 9pm & 11pm
Gallup Park, Saturday, September 6
MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD
Don Byron Quartet, Big Jack Johnson & The Oilers,
Miss Lavelle White, Mudpuppy,
Lady Sunshine & The X Band, noon-8pm
Gallup Park, Sunday, September 7
MARCIA BALL, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco
Hi-Rollers, Honeyboy Edwards, Paul Keller Sextet,
Transmission, 2:00 Jazz Band, noon-8pm
Tickets available at all TICKETMASTER outlets, Schoolkids
Records, and I'J's Used Records. Charge by calling 248-645-6666.
For more information call 313-747-9955, or log on to
www.schoolkids.comla2.blues-jazz/
Gallup Park Gates Open At 11:00am. Program subject to change.
.gM'9 aMediaOne ANARBNEWS
JIFFYmixes
89.1 FMHR
By Jack Schillaci
Daily Editorial Pake Writer
Residence halls play an integral role i
students' lives. In late August, students
their earthly belongings into tiny room
share with someone they've never met.
Part of the residence hall life equatiot
ing-learning programs. There are alread
programs on campus, offering students ti
nity to live with people who have simila
The programs are also presently volunta
who apply to the Residential College1
they are getting into.
But Vice President for Student Affai
Hartford wants to make the programs m-
at least the norm - possibly limiting
University experience.
Hartford wants to make sure that fir
dents spend lots of time with the peopl
with. In 1996, she assembled a task for
options for expanding living-learning
Her goal is a campus where every stude
ticipate in a living-learning program.
newly acquainted neighbors will live ti
together, go to class together - they w
<tIjnglisli A. A
C Serond Laing 16
~JCoirversatioiiiClasses
English Language Center
WHERE
Ann Arbor community center
625 North Main street,
(diaytime classes)
38toling Meairlows Drive,
(evening classes)
REGISTRATION
call 313-669-6017
or inforraion
class size rniedtis 5 students
iegisner, iniers'd ie,
Adlvansedt Levels
each other's shadows.
The idea is that the University learning environ-
n first-year ment will extend from the classroom into the resi-
pack all of dence halls and everyone will become one big
s that they happy maize-and-blue family.
And 15 years later, after afflicted students finish
n is the liv- extensive psychotherapy, the living-learners will
y numerous realize that Hartford did not mean to drive them
he opportu- insane by surrounding them with the same people
r interests. constantly and stifling their opportunities to escape
ry. Students their pre-defined niche.
know what She was just woefully misguided in determining
what was best for students - forgetting that they
rs Maureen are probably the ones to determine their own best
andatory or interests.
g students' Hartford and the 17-member task force's ideas
were inappropriate. By limiting students' access to
st-year stu- the wealth of unique and educational opportunities
le they live that exist on campus, living-learning programs do
ce to study them a disservice. First-year students limited to
programs. people that have nearly identical interests may not
nt will par- have the chance to experience the many different
Just think, backgrounds, beliefs and ideas that exist among
ogether, eat University students. The University is more than
vill become going to class and living in the dorms - a fact the
living-learning programs could prevent stud nts
from learning.
Another problem the living-learning programs
forget to take into account is the likelihood thatstu-
dents will change both the academic and personal
focuses of their lives. College is about leark
what matters to individual students.
Most first-year students are not positive about
concentration decisions when they apply to'the
University. Just because a student enters -he
University as an English concentrator do*'t
mean he or she won't be graduating with a busi ss
degree.
If students are trapped in a science-oriente 'v-
ing-learning program and halfway through the ar
decide to study the history of art, they ma be
trapped in the program unable to explore their w
interest.
Granted, college is a sheltered environment. ut
the living-learning programs can turn that sh r-
ing into asphyxiation.
The University should stop expanding the li g-
learning programs and allow students to de op
without needless and unwanted administrative r-
bearance. S
Feed your
mind.
Read the
Daily.
U~be Itdligau~mU
Bollinger hopes to
unite, personalize' -
By Erin Marsh
Daily Editorial Page Editor
As is the national trend in education,
community outreach, and seemingly all
levels of government, President Lee
Bollinger would like to build a bridge.
It's not specifically a bridge to
improved technology or development.
for the future - although those ele-
ments are certainly included in his
vision.
Quite simply,
Bollinger wants to k
build a bridge that
will help Bursley
residents feel as
much a part of .
University life as
South Quad resi-
dents. He wants to
facilitate relations
between student
groups, depart- Bollinger
ments and colleges
- and he wants all of them to feel more
a part of the University's central admin-
istration. "More than a bridge to the
21st century," Bollinger said in his first
major public address last spring, "we
need a bridge to Palmer Field."
During the same address, Bollinger
announced his intention to move the
University president's office out of the
Fleming Administration Building to a
"more centralized" location on campus.
Bollinger proposed that the administra-
tion's present operations center is off-
putting to students, in the sense that
Fleming is an architecturally foreod
ing figure and is remote from mosfstu
dents' everyday paths.
Moving into the students' real
both physically and philosophical
is an interesting concept. Early i t
presidency - which, at a Feb y
1997 inception, is still young
Bollinger declared his intentio t
make the University more accessip i
many ways.
Supporting his pledge, in ;ul
Bollinger led the University Boa o
Regents to pass a 2.9-percent t io
increase - the lowest in eight s
Passing a tuition increase in line'
the average rate of inflation - L1ik
increases of recent years, which av
reached as high as 13:5 perce .-
should go a long way in maki a
University education more feasib fo
thousands of students. Aided by er
ous state appropriations, Bolli er'
determination to cut administtive
costs and pass the savings on ttu-
dents appears to have scored a si ifi-
cant success with the budget fo-the
'97-'98 school year.
Bollinger continues his que foi
unity with support for diversity- ild-
ing programs like former Univmiy
President James Duderstadt's Micgat
Mandate and the Michigan Ageno fot
Women. Encouraging increased ntnor-
ity representation among the std ent
and faculty population will lai the
founding stones from which to 1uil
Bollinger's bridge to a better Univ -
/