LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 24, 2000 -- 3A
Bollinger plans
conmssion on
U'" technology
University President Lee Bollinger
announced in a written statement
Wednesday that a University commis-
sion is being formed to focus on the
information revolution.
Although the Internet will take up
"much of the focus of the commission,
he'hopes that the commission will tran-
scend that issue in its exploration of
information technology.
Bollinger said the exponential
increase in human communication
Obay have a profound impact on the
world.
Commission members will be
researching how to address the poten-
tial human behavior changes due to the
creation of technology and distance
learning.
Diseased trees to
se removed from
North Campus
Diseased trees will be removed from
North Campus in mid-February.
The patch of Scotch Pine trees that
stands in a small section of the wood lot
on Fuller Road northwest of the inter-
section with Bonisteel Drive, are dis-
eased by pine wilt.
The removal process will take three
days to complete.
* The wood will be chipped and trans-
ported for use as fuel in power plants.
A public meeting to describe the tree
removal process and the continuing
eiforts to combat soil erosion is sched-
,uled for Thursday at 7 p.m. in the
Pierpont Commons Boulevard Room.
Fiction author
Miller to give
.Hopwood reading
Fiction author Sue Miller is set to
make an appearance tomorrow at 3:30
p.m. at Rackham Auditorium.
Miller will be presenting a reading at
the Hopwood Underclassperson
Awards Ceremony.
Miller is most noted for her best-
selling novels including "While I
Was Gone," and "Inventing the
A'bbotts. "
O The contest is open to first and sec-
ond- ear aspiring writers as part of the
Hopwood program.
Business school to
hold forums about
elections, economy
University alum Avery Hopwood,
who went on to become a renowned
American dramatist, established the
'Hopwood Program. It offers nearly
$90,000 in prizes each year.
Beginning today, the University
Business School will host a series of
freepublic forums on the presiden-
tial election and the economy each
Monday for the next three weeks.
The presentations will he held in the
Business School's Hale Auditorium at
4:"15 p.m.
The series, named Y2E, will fea-
ture faculty discussions and cri-
tiques of the current candidates and
video clips from presidential
-..debates.
> The discussions will include such
:opics as the presidential election and
tealth care in the 21st Century, tax pol-
-icy and the stock market in relation to
elections this year.
The University Office of Tax Policy
Research is sponsoring the event.
University faculty
Smembers to
receive award
Two University faculty members,
Jeffrey Fessier who works in the
fields of electrical engineering,
,pomputer science, biomedical engi-
neering and internal medicine and
0 anthropology Prof. Webb Keane,
will receive the University's Henry
"Russe1 Award.
The award is presented annually to
two young professors for scholarly
3achievement and promise.
-aThis year's presentation will take
place March 14 followed by the Henry
Russel lecture to be given by psycholo-
gy. and women's studies Prof. Abigail
*,Stewart.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Jodie Kaufman.
Kresge replacement may be part of LSI
By Jeannie Baumann
Daily Staff Reporter
The Kresge Research Complex may be replaced
with a new facility in conjunction with the Life
Sciences Institute, pending approval from the
University Board of Regents.
University Chief Financial Office Robert Kasdin
said the costs of tearing down and replacing the
Kresge buildings, which are used primarily for bio-
medical research, have yet to be determined. But the
demolition and rebuilding would be part of the $700
million price tag for LSI construction, including sub-
sidiary components and Medical Campus construc-
tion.
Medical School Dean Allen Lichter said LSI and
the new medical research building will improve fac-
ulty recruitment.
"I believe that the whole new research complex
should be looked at in its totality. Brilliant investiga-
tors coming into the Life Sciences Institute will
attract faculty for the Medical Campus as well as the
other way around," he said, adding that all the build-
ings will be working "synergynistically."
Lichter said the current buildings -- Kresge
Research I, II and III - are not conducive to mod-
ern biomedical research.
"We have researchers that cannot work in this
building," he said.
Lichter said the small, individual workspaces of
the Kresge facilities catered to the work style. of
researchers during the 1950s when it was construct-
ed. But laboratories built in recent years have large,
open spaces built for modern research.
"Modern biomedical research is collaborative,"he
said. "This building is the antithesis of that."
Lichter also said certain biomedical equipment
requires more power than the buildings currently
allow. He also said modern buildings could reduce
problems associated with caring for the animals used
in University research.
The buildings now house research animals on var-
ious levels, Lichter said, the new structures would
place animals on lower levels to help reduce leakage
problems during cage washing.
Vice President for Medical Affairs Gil Omenn
led the University Board of Regents on a tour of
the facilities to familiarize them with the condi-
tions of the laboratories Thursday.
Omenn said the complex needs to be replaced for
the University to stay nationally competitive and
"make a difference in academic contributions."
After the tour, University President Lee Bollinger
said he supports the construction proposals.
"Never did we have an easier case to make than
with the facilities in this building," he said. "We can-
not run a major research university with the facilities
in this building."
Lichter said the new medical research site is
planned to be built at the corner of Fast Huron Street
and Zina Pitcher Place.
The LSI complex is to be built from Palmer Field
on Washtenaw Avenue, with a bridge over East
Huron Street connecting the LSI complex and
research facilities.
The bridge closes the gap between the Medical
Campus and Central Campus, Bollinger said
Thursday.
"It physically bridges two parts of the campus,
and it also creates and intellectual bridge between
the Medical School and LSA. This is an extremely
exciting chance for the University to create great sci-
ence, great teaching and add to the aesthetic charac-
ter of the place," he said.
Omenn said a formal presentation is scheduled
be made to the regents during their February meet-
ing.
Looking closer
Albion College seeks
to hold GOP debate
By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
With the announcement last week that Albion
College plans to become the second college in the
state to host a presidential debate, many have been
left asking themselves why the University of
Michigan has never been host to such a prestigious
event.
Vice President for Government Relations
Cynthia Wilbanks said the University did in fact
look into holding a debate last year, but decided
against it.
"We did a lot of investigation into whether we
had suitable facilities to hold a debate," Wilbanks
said. "But we discovered we did not have the types
of facilities in close proximity to each other:"
Unlike the primary debate sponsored by the
Michigan Republican Party at Calvin College ear-
lier this month, the University wanted to host a
post-convention debate with the nominated candi-
dates participating. Debates that occur after the
primary season fall under the jurisdiction of the
Presidential Debate Commission.
Because debates sponsored by the commission
are much larger events that only include the par-
ties' nominees, the facilities needed to accommo-
date them must be of immense size.
Wilbanks said the University considered Hill
Auditorium and Crisler Arena as possible sites to
hold a debate, but they soon found neither venue
had enough space and a nearby area to house the
press corps for the event.
"Because we could not adequately meet (the
commission's) needs, we decided not to submit an
application," Wilbanks said.
Wilbanks said railroad tracks cutting across the
Athletic Campus rule out Crisler Arena as a possi-
ble site.
While the University will not host a presidential
debate this year, Albion may suffer a similar fate.
"I wouldn't expect it
to happen at Albion,,
- John Truscott
Spokesperson for Gov. John Engler
Although the college has invited all six
Republican candidates, none have announced
plans to attend.
"We have not yet received any responses, but we
still think the timing for our debate is very advan-
tageous;' Albion spokesperson Sarah Briggs said.
The college has scheduled its debate for Feb. 20,
two days before the Michigan Republican primary.
Dealing Albion yet another blow, Gov. John
Engler has said he does not support the debate.
Engler spokesperson John Truscott said the pri-
mary reason the governor is not supporting the
Albion debate is because of the school's location
in the sparsely populated south-central region of
the state.
"We have the priority that if a debate is going to
happen, it will be in Southeastern Michigan,"
Truscott said.
Trscott added that he is currently in communi-
cation with Texas Gov. George W. Bush's cam-
paign about a possible debate in Southeastern
Michigan before the Feb. 22 primary.
"I wouldn't expect it to happen at Albion,"
Truscott said.
The Michigan Republican Party is also appre-
hensive about a debate at Albion.
"We are not endorsing the debate, and we are
not planning to get behind the effort," Republican
Party spokesperson Ed Patru said. "We're certain-
ly not going to thwart any efforts by Albion, but as
a party, we have chosen to give deference to the
governor's point of view."
SARA SCHENCK/Daily
Ann Arbor Resident Bruce Benny examines a painting at the University Museum of Art yesterday
afternoon.
Unedergrad issues
tobecome ''focu1-s
By Jeannie Baumann
Daily Staff Reporter
University President Lee Bollinger
announced plans last week to create a
commission focusing on the
University's undergraduate program.
"Over the past decade, much has
been done to improve what we offer to
undergraduates," he said in a written
statement. "But there is still much to be
thought about, and we have justifiably
high aspirations"
Bollinger posed a series of ques-
tions about undergraduate education,
including recruitment methods,
financial aid, the appeal of the cur-
rent course curriculum and the bal-
ance of enrollment numbers among
resident, non-resident and interna-
tional students.
Although the commission will
focus on the academic aspects of the
undergraduate experience, Bollinger
also cited plans to address non-acade-
mic issues, including the number of
residence halls, especially for juniors
and seniors and "public goods" such
as the museums.
Gary Krenz, special counsel to the
president, said the commission pro-
vides an opportunity to examine a
"very important" area of activity.
"We want to look at what we ought
to be doing in these institutions to
improve what's already grea," Krenz
said.
Bollinger said the commission
should examine these issues with long-
term goals in mind. "Knowing what we
think about such questions is undoubt-
edly important.
"Part of what we need, however, is a
better sense of priority among the
issues and a general understanding of
how to deal with them over a period of
time," he said.
Student leaders reacted positively
to the announcement of the commis-
sion.
"I think it's great. It shows a real
commitment tq the needs of undergrad-
uate students," said Residence Halls
Association President Jason Taylor, an
Engineering senior.
Michigan Student Assembly
President Brain Elias, an LSA senior,
expressed similar thoughts. "It's always
exciting when the University refocuses
on its primary mission, which is under-
graduate students."
But Elias said many administrative
ideas never develop beyond their con-
ceptual stage, and he hopes the same
fate does not await the commission.
"If the philosophy behind the
committee can be translated into
tangible, positive change for under-
graduates on campus, then it's great.
I have a feeling if there's anybody
who can pull it off, it's Bollinger and
his administration - but that's a big
if," he said.
Bollinger plans to announce com-
mission memberships in the next few
weeks. But, Krenz said it is premature
to indicate the composition of the com-
mission.
"I would expect that we should have
interim reports by late spring and final
reports and recommendations by early
in the fall semester of the next academ-
ic year;' he said.
:<,
r-A
>
1 .r