The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - Tuesday, September 3, 2002 - 3C
Changing the face of campus
of LSI IIHill receives $2
Next phase i
constructioni
By Maria Sprow
Daily Staff Reporter
The shovel hit the dirt on the construction site
of the new Biomedical Science Research Build-
ing for the first time in a groundbreaking cere-
mony April 16.
The BSRB is part of the Life Sciences Initia-
tive started under former University President
Lee Bollinger.
"It was a wonderful day. The sun was shining
and we take that as a wonderful sign of a bright
future for the Medical School and for biomedical
science on our campus," Medical School Dean
Allen Lichter said.
Though the building is not scheduled to be
completed until Dec. 5, 2005, those involved
with the project are already boasting its beauty
and significance to the University.
Gil Omenn, executive vice president for med-
ical affairs, said the building's architecture alone
- a futuristic glass mecca thought up by the
Polshek and Partners Architects LLP located in
New York - will be enough to make it stand out
among the rest of campus.
"There is a great visual. It's going to be a
spectacular view as you come up Washtenaw
(Avenue) up to the bend on to Huron (Street).
begins-
There will be an undulatinga
glass ribbon of offices with a
very attractive research labora-
tory building to the north of the
office ribbon," Omenn said.:
"It'll be a landmark for the
University, a signature building. ,
Design is not all the building
will be known for, Lichter said,
adding that the BSRB should"
also serve as a unifying struc-
ture for the University.a
"It forms the bridge between
the Medical School and the Life
Sciences Institute and the
bridge between the Medical
Campus and the Central Cam-
pus," Lichter said. "It's a very Work on the Bion
exciting project and we are the tUfe Sciences
proud to be a part of this initia- What the buildin
tive."
At 470,000 gross square feet, the building,
which will cost more than $22 million and hold
240 labs and 130 offices, will be twice the size
of the LSI complex located across the street.
The new complex will primarily be used by
Medical School faculty and students working in
fields, including neuroscience, stem cell, geron-
million donation
By Sarah Scott
Daily Staff Reporter
BRANDON SEDLOFF/Daily
medical Science Research Building, located across from
s institute, began April 15. Insert: A computer rendition of
g will look like when construction is completed.
tology, aging and cardiovascular research.
The BSRB is the next-to-last element of the
Life Sciences Initiative to be launched.
Though many aspects of the Initiative have
been underway for years, construction for a
North Campus biomedical engineering building
has not begun and its groundbreaking date has
not been set.
A $2 million donation from the
Elizabeth E. Kennedy Fund will
allow the University to construct a
lower lobby in Hill Auditorium,
which began renovations in May.
The money will go toward the
construction and furnishing of the
lobby, which does not presently
exist in Hill. The lobby will be
named for Kennedy and built
beneath the current one.
"The lobby will be a gathering
place for people before and after
concerts and during intermission,"
said Ken Fischer, president of the
University Musical Society. "The
creation of a lobby in her name
will enhance the patrons' experi-
ence."
The Kennedys have always been
supportive of UMS, said John Dob-
son, secretary of the Elizabeth E.
Kennedy fund.
"Elizabeth had her own great
interest in the musical society and
music at Michigan," Dobson said.
"What Elizabeth Kennedy is
essentially saying is 'I grew up in
this town, I love this town, and as
I'm in the twilight of my life, I
want people to be able to enjoy that
place more,"' Fischer said.
For the School of Music, the new
lobby will mean a place to have
special events related to its con-
certs, as well as to provide a green
room for performers, said Karen
Wolff, dean of the School of Music.
"In addition, we hope we will be
able to place items from the Stearns
Collection of musical instruments
in cases in the lobby," Wolff said.
Hill Auditorium is one of the
only performance halls of its kind
where patrons cannot even get a
cup of coffee, Fischer said.
"She's adding some patron
amenities that have been grossly
inadequate at Hill for years," said
Fisher.
"The University is just deeply
grateful because this is a project
that we didn't know if it would
happen and this gift truly make the
space possible," said Mathwon
Howard, associate regional director
of major and planned gifts and the
development officer working with
the Kennedy Fund. "It's just going
to be an awesome experience for
the patrons."
Regents plan for undergraduate science
center, increase residence hall rates
By Tyler Boersen
and Shannon Pettypiece
Daily Staff Reporters
Plans for the Undergraduate Science Instruction Center were unveiled and
unanimously approved by the University Board of Regents at their monthly
meeting on April 18.
The estimated cost of the USIC is $61 million, and part of the funding will
come from the sale of University land to Pfizer for $17 million.
The USIC will be located between the Power Center for the Performing Arts
and the Life Sciences Institute on the corner of Palmer Drive and Zina Pitcher
Place.
The building will include offices for free programs, laboratories, a life sci-
ences library, wet life laboratories, a small animal facility and computer labs.
One of the main goals of the project is to develop an interdisciplinary and
community atmosphere.
"In the spirit of the Life Sciences building, this brings multiple disciplines
together," building architect Victor Cardona said.
The plans include a four-story, L-shaped "generic loft"-style brick building
with outdoor areas for students and faculty to interact, architect Bob Venturi told
the regents at the meeting.
The building is meant to reflect the architectural style of Albert Khan, who
designed several other University buildings, including Angell Hall, Hill Auditori-
um and the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library.
In order to make the environment more conducive for student interaction, the
architects designed a series of incidental seating places, including lounges and
subtle outdoor meeting spots, similar to the raised patches of grass in front of the
David Dennison Building.
The regents also approved a 4.95 percent increase in residence hall fees for next
year and changes to the University's policy for granting in-state tuition status.
Residence hall fees for a double room will increase by nearly $300 to $6,366.
Single rooms will increase to $7,580. The increased costs will be used to upgrade
fire protection systems in several residence halls and to pay for a significant
increase in internet access and use by students living in residence halls.
New rules for in-state status hope to clarify the existing policy and make it
easier for students to claim in-state tuition who move with parents due to
employment reasons.
Another main focus of the regents' attention was hospital finance, which the
regents expressed much concern over at last month's meeting.
Vice President for Medical Affairs Gill Omenn discussed the hospital's finan-
cial health compared to other universities, but the discussion soon turned to how
to keep the system strong in the future.
"We need to make plans so five years from now we aren't sitting here with
huge debts," Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor) said. "We want to
see the future as well as the past."
Chief Financial Officer Robert Kasdin warned that discussion over the finan-
cial shape of the health system should not indicate that the system is in danger.
"We are having this discussion not because the sky is falling but because we
want to be ahead of the curve," Regent Larry Deitch (D-Bingham Farms) said. "We
just want to move forward from this position of strength to maintain this edge."
Regents questioned the further development of medical services, which did
not earn the hospital's additional revenue and urged Omenn to look at services
such as the cardiovascular and cancer centers as ways to maintain the gap
between income and expenditures.
Several of the vacant seats in the administration were also filled yesterday.
Daniel Sharphorn and Gloria Hage, both attorneys in the General Counsel's
Office, were appointed to the position of Deputy General Counsel. The position
was previously held by Liz Barry, who is now the managing director of the Life
Sciences Institute.
The position of interim Chief Financial Officer will be filled by Timothy Slot-
tow, who has been involved in University finance since 1998. He is taking over
the position currently held by Kasdin, who will be starting a new job at Columbia
University this spring.
Hill Auditorium closed in May in order to begin a $38.6 million renovation project
scheduled to last until Fall 2003.
SHOSHANA HURAND/Daily
Students expecting to live in residence halls like Alice Lloyd Residence Hall
should expect an increase in room rates.
------------- j
North Campus facilities
could receive face-lift
Offic
Division of St
By Annie Gleason
Daily Staff Reporter
North Campus seems to provide
little entertainment for the students
who find themselves stranded there,
miles from the bustling atmosphere
provided by the central campus
area.
"There's not a whole lot to do,"
LSA sophomore Jonathon Thorndy-
craft said. "Most of the social activ-
ities are down on central."
But conditions are expected to
change for the better. In addition to
the numerous arts programs that are
already offered on a daily basis, stu-
dents can expect improvements to
Pierpont Commons and residence
halls as well.
Former interim University Presi-
dent B. Joseph White had shown
interest in improving the availability
of activities for students on North
Campus.
In a statement, White said, "Over
the past several years we have
worked to make the North Campus a
more attractive and interesting
human environment. The students,
faculty and staff who live and work
"We're continuing
to explore the
possibilities for
enriching this
aspect of the North
campus,"
- B. Joseph White
Former Interim University President
desire for improvements at Pierpont.
While the current state of Pierpont
is not very accommodating to stu-
dents living on North Campus,
major renovations are under way.
Brian Tubbs, interim Arts and
Program coordinator for Pierpont,
said both a convenience store and a
recreation room are expected to be
added to the commons in the near
future.
He said the renovations will likely
begin during the summer but first
need the approval of the University
made to the first floor, there are also
plans to redesign the ground level of
the commons.
Currently, Leonardo's, the restau-
rant area in the lower level or Pier-
pont, is used by various musical
groups for performances, including
jazz, open mic, improvisational and
local bands.
"Espresso Royale Cafe will be
moved back to create a larger open
area for bands to perform," said
Tubbs.
Improvements are also being
made by the residence halls on
North Campus. Bursley Residence
Hall recently redesigned its North-
bar convenience store to create The
Blue Apple.
The grand opening took place
with a live band, food and a raffle.
The renovations have created a more
lounge-like atmosphere outside the
store, and more items have been
added to the store.
Bursley and Baits activities are
also offered once a month to all
residents.
"Bursley has one of the strongest
communities for a residence hall,"
said Timothy Winslow, president of
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