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One-hundred-rfteen years ofed noriadfreedom
www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan m Vol. CXVI, No. 27 ©2005 The Michigan Daily
Election results
Dems sweep ityCouncil
in 2003 to 12,00O voters in yes-
terday's election.
* The Emerald Ash Borer millage N Disappointing student in an off-year in more than 18 years. Incum- lo said. Rapundalo canvassed heavily to reach out to
did not pass, with 6,248 votes bla d o bents Leigh Greden (D-Ward 3) and Marcia Greden echoed Rapundalo's sentiments students.
against to 5,173 in favor. turnoutbamedonlackluster Higgins (D-Ward 4) reclaimed their seats, and said the results were telling of the polit- "Of the 200 students I met in Markley,
voter registration efforts making the City Council composed entirely ical atmosphere in Ann Arbor. only about a dozen or so were even regis-
of Democrats. "I think this election is a show of support tered to vote," Rapundalo said.
Council members By Jeremy Davidson Greden won in a decisive victory, but Hig- for the direction this city is moving," Gre- The Michigan Union, which counted
Daily Staff Reporter gins only managed to beat Republican chal- den said. votes for precincts one and two of the first
* Stephen Rapundalo (Demo- lenger Jim Hood by 51 votes in what proved Voter turnout was down from 21,000 in ward, counted 49 ballots, up from 26 in
crat) Won in Ward 2 Yesterday's Ann Arbor City Council elec- to be the closest race for any seat. While November 2003 to 12,000, with several 2003. Sarah Packard and Steve Lyons, co-
i LghGrde (Democrat) won tions ended in a sweep for the Democratic Higgins has already served as a Council student precincts showing disappointing chairs of precincts one and two for the first
in W grdc Party and a disappointing voter turnout. member for the past six years, this will be numbers. Voter turnout at Mary Markley ward, said they were impressed by the turn-
Democrat Stephen Rapundalo beat the first term she serves as a Democrat. Residence Hall, one of the most concentrat- out. They estimated that students cast about
Marcia Higgins (Democrat) Republican Thomas Bourque by a count of "We have 11 Democrats with 11 different ed student polling locations, fell from 25 in 60 percent of the ballots at their polling sta-
won in Ward 4 1574 to 1436, claiming the seat in Ward 2 opinions. I'm here to represent the opinions 2003 to 15. tion. Voter turnout in East Quadrangle Resi-
for the Democratic Party for the first time of the people of the second ward," Rapunda- Markley falls in the second ward, where See CITY COUNCIL, Page 7
Dorm meals
cost more than
students realize
FURR
ORE YEARS
K BJuipatrick p ls ahead
By Julia F. Herring and Drew Philp Daily Staff Reporters
R When averaged, meal
plans cost at least $7 per
meal, and often more
By Karl Stampfl
Daily Staff Reporter
Before they know how much it costs,
most students are neither revolted by nor
enthusiastic about the food in the Univer-
sity's dining halls. "At least it's not that
disgusting," LSA freshman Kristin Steb-
bins said.
But when they're informed CAF
that each meal costs them an PR
average of about $7 - more
than at many popular on-cam- r
pus restaurants - students
become more frustrated.
"That's pathetic," LSA soph-
omore Leo Caion-Demaestri
said, growing visibly upset.
The mathg
Room and board for Univer-
sity students living on-campus Pwt 0
is $7,374 per year for a standard double in
most residence halls. Of that, $2,888 goes
toward a meal plan., which is mandatory
for dorm residents.
If students select the default meal plan,
which gives them 13 meals a week, the
cost averages out to $7 per meal.
When they change their meal plan to
one of the several other options, students
watch average meal prices skyrocket.
If students choose the 9-meal-per-
week plan, they get $2004n Entr6e Plus
points - which can be used at various
campus locations such as the basement
of the Union - per semester in exchange
for forfeiting four meals a week. But they
spend more on each residence hall meal:
about $8.64.
The 135-meal plan also gives students
$200 in Entree Plus points each semester.
Under this plan, if students don't use all
135 meals, each unused meal is credited
back to their University accounts at a rate
of $2.30 per meal. But even assuming
they use exactly 135 meals a semester,
each meal costs them roughly $9.21.
This raises the question of why meals
under this plan cost almost $7 more than
the amount students are credited - just
one of the incongruities in the Universi-
ty's meal plan that Dining Services offi-
cials are either unable or unwilling to
explain.
ETERIA
ICiNG
Unexplained
incongruities
Examining another of
the meal plan options - the
"Points Only" plan - also
unearths some fuzzy math.
The plan does not include
meals in the cafeterias,
allotting students $660 per
semester in Entree Plus
instead. Students who select
this option essentially spend
$1,444 per semester for the
DETROIT -
fter a suspenseful night that capped
a hard-fought Detroit mayoral cam-
paign, embattled incumbent Kwame
Kilpatrick was declared the winner
early this morning over challenger
Freman Hendrix.
"We're standing here today because the people of
Detroit made a decision based on who was best for
them," Kilpatrick told supporters
at the Renaissance Center
this morning.
After polls closed,
the race was a nail-
biter, with Hendrix
appearing to be in
the lead through-
out much of the
night. Volunteers
at Hendrix's rally
at the State The-
ater in Detroit last
night were in a tri-
umphant mood. With
live music and dancing,
Hendrix's supporters
began celebrating at
around 7 p.m., when
the election was still
too close to call.
While the streets around the State Theater
in downtown Detroit were quiet and desert-
ed, the red, white and blue balloons and
Motown music performers gave the event
a lively atmosphere. The guests were ener-
getic, rejoicing at the initial exit poll results,
which projected a Hendrix victory.
Leaving a polling site at Bagley Ele-
mentary School, some voters expressed
their support for Hendrix. Standing in
a sea of volunteers campaigning for both
candidates, Renee Collins said she voted for
Hendrix because she thinks the current
administration is ignoring the big-
gest issues for the city - taxes
and education.
"I've listened to Kilpatrick for
many years, and he hasn't done
half of what he said he was going
to do," Collins said.
Former state Rep. Nelson Saun-
ders was also present at the polling
site, encouraging voters to support
Hendrix. He pointed out the experi-
ence Hendrix gained as deputy mayor
under former Mayor Dennis Archer and said
Hendrix has a commitment to the city that voters
tne of Two
privilege of spending less than half of that
at on-campus cafes and restaurants.
So why don't students get the full $1,444
in Entree Plus each semester instead of
$660, a loss of $784 per semester or $1,568
per year?
University Housing spokesman Alan
Levy said he was unable to answer this
question early last month but would look
into it. Since then, he has not responded to
frequent e-mail messages and phone calls
requesting an explanation.
The University's only defense of the
fuzzy math: a sentence on its website that
calls the "Points Only" plan "the least eco-
nomical plan available ... recommended
only under special circumstances." The
website does not address why the plan is
not more economical.
See PRICES, Page 3
are drawn to.
See DETROIT, Page 3
i
TEETER TOTTER-A-THON
ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH MOONEY
Faculty group wants committee on Israel
Professors at Ann Arbor and
Dearborn campuses are calling for
an investigation into 'U' investments
By Carlssa Miller
Daily StaffReporter
As part of an ongoing effort to push the University to
Thomson, emeritus associate professor of psychology at
Dearborn.
"Many of us are very concerned with what is going on
in Israel and Palestine and the human rights abuses that
have been going on in occupied territories for decades,"
Thomson said. "My concern is to bring it to the Univer-
sity community to form a committee."
University policy dictates that it must investigate any
investments that raise "serious ethical or moral ques-
Although the University's 1978 policy outlines the
procedure for dealing with "serious ethical or moral
questions," it leaves the standard for divestment open to
interpretation.
University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the goal
of the University's investments is to maximize financial
returns to support University operations. As a result,
she said, investments should not be based on political or
philosophical concerns but on how much revenue they
- I