0 0 0 0 4B - The Michigan Daily - Perspectives - Thursday, March 6, 2003 Searching for a more 'equitable relationship' The Michigan Daily - Perspectives - Ghettlounlahulous:A glance at student By Charles Paradis Daily Staff Writer An Ann Arbor native, Mayor John Hieftje walked in the shadow of University buildings as a child and now runs City Hall. The Michigan Daily caught up with the mayor over break and asked him about the relationship between the campus and the community. From fire protection to Hash Bash, Mayor Hieftje shared his views about Ann Arbor. One prevailing theme perme- ated the entire interview. Overall Hieftje wants to see a fair relationship between the city and the University. The Michigan Daily: How do you see the campus and the community interacting? John Hieftje: We have a symbiotic relation- ship what works for the University, works for the city, and it goes back and forth. We share the same space. I think we have a wonderful partnership and I hope it continues as we go down the road. But like any partner- ship it is like a mar- riage except that we can't get a divorce. So it is really good if we can continue to getY along well. But from the city's point of view we need to make that relationship with the Univer a little more equitable. TMD: What. needs to happen to make the relation- ship more equitable? JAI: One of the things that has hap- pened recently is that the state govern- ment's budget is real- ly a mess. The new governor (Jennifer Granholm) was left with a real mess, and so. there's been some cuts that have come down to both the cities and the universities. For instance, one of the biggest problems is the city is mandated by the state to provide fire protection for the University, but we're not fully reimbursed for that. We are only reimbursed for about a quarter of it. So that's one of the issues between us right now. TMD: What are your goals for the students and the community? JH: Making Ann Arbor a welcoming envi- ronment for everybody - people come here from all over the world - is really important to me. We need to continue to do that. I love hav- ing the University in town, I love the interac- tion. I grew up in Ann Arbor, so in some ways I feel like I've been a student my whole life, because I'm walking around campus and walk- ing around the same places as I did as a kid. In some ways it has changed a lot and in other ways it hasn't changed a bit. I think that the students who are here, sometimes getting in the trap of thinking that they are going to be here just for few years, but you also represent the students that will be here after you. I think that there is also a responsibility, because this is a community. It is not just some place you go and go to school and go to a party. It is a place where people live and live year around, and a lot of people who live here came here as stu- dents. From the stu- dent's side of it there needs to be a greater recognition that this is a community and we all live together and they are part of the community. }? Being part of the community has ben- efits and responsibil- x ities and those go hand in hand. TMD: Do you want students to get more active in the community? JH: Definitely, I have tried to appoint students to appropri- ate places in the city board and commis- sions, but one of the problems is that because of a student's schedule - and I understand com- pletely - things come up and there is summer and these boards that go on year round. So it is a little more difficult to get students to work. When I get a call for people to come in I get a few replies and then people tend to find out that this meets year round. TMD: How do events like Hash Bash and the Arts Fair effect the campus and the community? JH: Well, the Art Fair happens when a lot of the student population is gone but is a long Ann Arbor tradition. Hash Bash is something that I think that the citizens of Ann Arbor has tolerated pretty well. While certainly many of us aren't going to celebrate the name of Hash Bash or what it originally started as, it is impor- tant for us to allow room for expression. If that's the expression a particular group wants to make, then that's the expression they want to make. That's a political move now. By Sravya Chirumamilla and Neil Patel Daily Staff Writers T he most important location for students is undoubtedly their homes. The high den- sity of living areas provides ample opportunities to make new friends. Students must carefully consider their housing options in order to enjoy a fruitful year. University Housing: Incoming freshmen have very few choices for their first-year col- lege residences and are usually stuck on the Hill, a decent distance from anywhere worth visiting. These students, however, are about two miles closer than those stuck on North Campus. While the sereni- ty and famed dining halls of the Burlodge are worth a visit, the rape trail and engineers are best when avoided. Besides the location of the dor- mitories, University Housing also dishes out other problems. While most universities pair students up according to numerous preferences, University Housing assigns stu- dents based on very few factors, which can, and often does, lead to tensions and unnecessary angst between roommates. The limited space in a dorm room also creates issues as roommates bicker over that extra square foot of space in the corner. A loft proves to be a worthwhile investment as it aids in dealing with the limited space and adds to one's content- ment when the roommate sidesteps and falls off the six-foot ladder. If a student were to choose to weather out another year in a dor- mitory, the sophomore status can help land them a better home. Some gain access to the creme de la creme of University housing that are sure to present a large bill: either the "graduate student hous- ing" - in reality, those lucky juniors or seniors - such as the Cambridge House attached to the Michigan Union or the exclusive female resi- dence hall legendary for its tea time, Martha Cook. Those eager to join co-ed floors reserved to the top floors of Bursley and Squad will be sorely disappointed, since the illu- sion of hot, eager, soon-to-be- sorostitute freshmen in skimpy towels is simply that, a myth. Co-ops: Most students are unaware of the benefits of living in a co-op since there are very few. Beside being allowed to have caged pets and the lower rent, a co-op environment can easily be acquired by throwing 20 random people into a single house. And yes, people do start getting real and kick people out of the homes if the deviant resident fails to do the 4 hours of chores. The initial excitement for the vegetarian and vegan dining options soon fade when residents realize they have kitchen duty (read: clean- ing the puke), yet another Saturday night. Co-ops offer students a rela- tively liberal environment and boast the beer vending machines and numerous parties. Since most stu- dents suffer from social loafing, they tend not to complete their chores, leaving the residences com- pletely filthy. Apartments: Probably the most liberating of all college residences is the apartment, since it tends to be relatively small so as to limit the chores necessary for their upkeep. For those students that are culinarily challenged, how- ever, the apartment lifestyle may leave a hole in the wallet due to fre- quent NYPD carry-out. An option for apartment inhabitants who miss the dorm buffets is buying a meal plan or entree plus in order to purchase meals. Not only are meal options unappetizing and expensive at an apartment, but the rent for these dwellings appear to be exorbitant; however, the rent tends to include the water and electricity bills that can add up at other residences. Houses: If students are able to gather a group that is willing to live in a house, many aspects must be consid- ered. While houses tend to be slight- ly cheaper than apartments, most utilities are not included in the rent. Since houses are older and less equipped, they might not be properly insulated, causing very high gas and heating bills. They do offer larger living areas and more storage areas in the attic and basement, which are known as "Michigan basements" and are musty and uninhabitable. Most Ann Arbor area student houses are in the student ghettos, which are neighborhoods the land- lords andsresidents seem to disre- gard. These dilapidated homes are known for the littered front yards and grimy living spaces that should not be treaded on by bear feet. The Hunt: The search for a residence usual- ly starts in September of the previ- ous year as students decide with whom and where they would like to board. Primarily, students should choose people who will best adapt to their lifestyles. Studentsshould proceed with caution as many land- lords may be deceiving you into renting a less-than-homely abode. The Ann Arbor Tenants Union offers students information ranging from cleaning tips to deceptive land- lord's tricks. A greatly beneficial tool in the house hunt, the AATU will examine a lease to ensure that tenants rights are met. The most nec- essary booklet, the Tenants' Rights Booklet, must be presented to all signing tenants, even those that are subletting. Landlords withholding these rights should be immediately reported to the AATU, while homes suspect of violation of city codes, such as a lack of proper heating and electrical systems, and security fea- tures, should be brought to the atten- tion of the Housing Inspection Department of Ann Arbor. Vehicle ownership in Ann Arbor is very expensive because of high parking fees and the rarity of free residential parking. If none of the roommates have a car on campus, students should bargain for lower rent in lieu of a parking spot; demands which are most likely to be met by private landlords rather than leasing companies. The rich are able to segregate them- selves in the overpriced condomini- ums equipped with doormen and closed circuit cameras, while those unable to afford the high rent associat- ed with the close proximity of classes are forced to live farther from campus. Most students end up in the run-down ghettos that breed diminished upkeep. The cyclical process that leaves more areas dirty and unkempt affects a neg- ative friction between the students and the community. Students often get stuck living in houses with Students living in these ghettos also face security issues for the streets are dimly lit and hazardous. University Housing offers the secu- rity of resident advisors and the Department of Public Safety guards frequently patrolling the halls. This same protection is not available for most tenants in houses, which usu- ally have faulty front doors that can either be pulled open without much effort or are left propped open by the residents. With the increased crime in the city over the past few years, safety measures should be followed in order to protect students and their property. 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