Thursday, November 3, 2005 MARIJUANA USERS Go UP IN SMOKE ... T E STATEMENT News 3A Survivors of sexual assault speak out Opinion 4A Sports 8A Sowmya Krishnamurthy: Sometimes bigger is better Crable excels with new found playing time One-hunded-fifteenyears feditonalfreedom www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVI, No. 24 ©2005 The Michigan Daily City Council hopefuls sound off Most are undecided on ordinance that would buy students time when signing leases By Karl Stampfl Daily Staff Reporter Six of the eight candidates up for election to the Ann Arbor City Council are undecided on Mayor John Hieftje's proposed ordinance designed to push back the annual student housing rush. The mayor released a draft of the ordinance to the Michigan Student Assembly at its last meeting on Tuesday night. It proposes to prevent landlords from showing students' housing or leas- ing the properties until one-fourth of the current lease period is complete. Only two candidates - Stephen Rapundalo (D-Ward 2) and unopposed incumbent Robert Johnson (D-Ward 1) - answered the moderator's question about Hieftje's proposal with a simple . "yes" or "I'm in favor" at last night's debate at the Michigan League. The others said the ordinance is good in theory and worth considering. But they expressed concern over the word- ing of the proposal and over some of its technical aspects. "There are some good ideas, but we need to talk to the city's general counsel to tighten up the wording," said Wendy Woods (D-Ward 5), an unopposed incumbent. Only Rich Birkett (Independent- Ward 3), who is running against Democrat Leigh Greden, appeared to have serious reservations about the ordinance. He said he is opposed to prohibiting the signing of leases and showing of housing before the one- fourth point. But he said he would consider giving tenants the option to stop landlords from showing their properties until the one-fourth mark. Incumbent Marcia Higgins (D-Ward 4) and candidate Thomas Bourque (R-Ward 2) said landlords need to be brought into the discussion to make sure their interests are also represented. "I'm not opposed, but we should get landlords involved," Higgins said, adding that the ordinance would not only benefit students but other resi- dents as well. Candidate Jim Hood (R-Ward 4) was skeptical about the legislation. "Any time you mess with the free market, there are unintended conse- quences," he said. Part of the ordinance's purpose is to See CITY COUNCIL, Page 7A "TODAY, THE ECONOMIC GIANT OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION STANDS WITH ONE FOOT PLANTED IN A WANING INDUSTRIAL ERA AND ITS OTHER FOOT STRIDING TOWARD THE EMERGING GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY. JAMES DUDERSTADT Higher ed funding debated Duderstadt believes a highly skilled workforce can only be created through higher education By Anne VanderMey Daily Staff Reporter CHICAGO - States in the Great Lakes region that cut taxes rather than invest in higher education are "consuming the seed corn for (their) future," former University President James Dud- erstadt said yesterday. Duderstadt and other higher education leaders met yesterday at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to address the role of universities in what is widely seen as an economic crisis in the region. The conference, titled Higher Education at a Crossroad, delved into universities' role in saving the region - and perhaps the nation - from global competitors. As the world moves toward an information-based economy, Duderstadt said, traditional low-skill manufacturing jobs in Detroit are becoming obsolete. "Today, the economic giant of the great lakes region stands with one foot planted in a waning industrial era and its other foot striding toward the emerging global knowledge economy," Dud- erstadt said in his speech. The solution to the problem, he said, is higher education. According to Duderstadt, the task of building the high-skilled work- force of the future lies with universities, and their ability to take on that challenge will largely rely on the support they receive from state govern- ments. The state of Michigan has been hit particularly hard with university funding cuts and subsequent tuition increases, Duderstadt said. The See HIGHER ED, Page 7A PETER SCHOTTENFELS/Daily Former University President James Duderstadt speaks on the role of the Midwest and the importance of public research universities at the Higher Education at a Crossroad conference in the Federal Reserve Building in Chicago yesterday. Dearborn campus protests class cuts More than 30 sections will be eliminated because of a budget deficit of at least 300,000 dollars By Ryan Schreiber For the Daily DEARBORN - The University's Dearborn campus will cancel three dozen or more classes for the upcoming winter term because of budget shortfalls, with the bulk of the cancellations fall- ing in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, according to University officials. The revelation, which came after course sched- ule books were already printed and distributed, has sent teachers reeling and students panicking to make sure offerings they need for graduation are still available. At least 30 sections will be eliminated due to a deficit of at least $300,000, CASL Dean Katie Anderson-Levitt said. The CASL cancellations are in addition to cuts in other schools: The School of Management cut as many as 12 classes before its course guide was printed, and the School of Engineering cut online graduate courses. "This is not a minor issue," said Stanley Henderson, vice chancellor of enrollment and student life. But Henderson and other administrators were quick to add that the University must try its hard- est not to let the cuts affect students who are graduating soon. Henderson called the decision to make cuts a "student-centered decision." The University's Dearborn campus has seen its state funding slashed in recent years even more severely than that of the flagship Ann Arbor cam- pus. When adjusted for inflation, state appropria- tions per student for the Dearborn campus are 31.18 percent lower than they were five years ago, according to a Presidents Council, State Universi- ties of Michigan report. Daniel Little, chancellor of the Dearborn cam- pus, said the school can help recoup some of the losses by consolidating classes. Financial reports published at the end of June "The University is fine. There are adjustments the academic units need to make." Bob Gassel Assistant vice chancellor for finance University of Michigan - Dearborn show CASL with a deficit of $302,000, while the School of Management has incurred a deficit of $1,338,000. The schools of Engineering and Edu- cation both ended the fiscal year with surpluses. University spokesman Terry Gallagher said the cuts are ones that would normally be made due to low class enrollment. All the talk of canceling classes has many teachers - especially adjunct lecturers - furious over the impending loss of work. Bonnie Halloran, president of the Lectur- ers' Employee Organization, called the cuts irresponsible. "We think that there are other ways of doing this," she said. Sheryl Edwards, LEO's Dearborn chair, said all departments in CASL are being required to make cuts. "This means fewer classes for students to choose from," Edwards said. Nine sections in behavioral sciences and nine in social sciences are slated to be cut, at least for the winter term. The fall 2005 term included 664 offerings for Dearborn students, so reducing that number by 30 won't be a drastic change, said Anderson-Levitt, the CASL dean. But she did acknowledge that part-time instructors will be hit the hardest by the decision. "I don't know how many individuals will See DEARBORN, Page 5A Lecturers continue to be angry with'Ut Group has filed a number of grievences with the University for last-minute layoffs, among other By Victoria Edwards Daily Staff Reporter Tensions between the Lecturers' Employee Organiza- tion and the University administration further escalated yesterday when members of LEO marched in front of the Fleming Administration Building and into the provost's office to voice their grievances. The march was the latest of many steps LEO has taken to pressure the University to fully implement the contract it signed last June. Cedric De Leon, a lecturer in the Uni- versity's Sociology department, said the most immediate' grievance expressed at this rally was what LEO called the No one shows up to protest Bush's reelection Organizers blame poor attendance on last-minute planning By Amber Coivin Daily Staff Reporter On the one-year anniversary of President Bush's re-election, stu- dents walked out of class and onto the Diag with megaphones and signs in an attempt to get Bush out of the Oval Office. But what screamed loudest yesterday at the "World Can't Wait" walkout event was the lack of attendees. In what was supposed to be the kickoff to organizer Laura Parish's "massive historical movement," a few students and residents of surrounding towns gathered for about 30 minutes to rally against Bush. Parish, an LSA junior who said she skipped three class- es yesterday for the event, recited a poem called "Fire His Ass" and announced plans to assemble against Bush over the FOREST CASEY/Daily Cedric de Leon, Lecturer In Sociology, leads LEO members in classic union chants in front of the Fleming Administration building yesterday. in red T-shirts with the word "Labor" on the front, gath- "We want to reach out in good faith and put a human I i I