FROM THE DAILY: JENA SN'T AN ANOMALY
OPINION, PAGE 4
I e JMidjigan 41aily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, September 25,2007
michigandailycom
AHMADINEJAD AT COLUMBIA
e Students
split over
speech
Iranian leader's visit
prompts debate over what's
appropriate on campuses
By KIMBERLY CHOU
Daily Staff Reporter
University of Michigan students and faculty
are split over whether or not Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should have been
allowed to speak at Columbia University yes-
terday.
Some on campus defended Columbia's deci-
sion to host Ahmadinejad. Others were out-
raged that it hosted a political leader who has
called the Holocaust a myth.
University of Michigan officials wouldn't say
whether they woulddet a similar figure speak
here.
University spokeswoman Kelly Cunning-
ham said she wouldn't speculate on whether
the University would allow Ahmadinejad to
speak, but pointed to a statement by E. Roys-
ter Harper, the University's vice president for
student affairs, that explained the University's
See COLUMBIA, Page 7
CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKERS IN
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HISTORY
* 1914: New York Gov. William Sulzer was denied
permission to speak about prohibition at Hill Audito-
rium because the University Board of Regents decided
that "the use of Hill Auditorium for free discussion of all
topics is not now necessary nor expedient."
" 1965: Arthur Waskow of the Institute for Policy
Studies spoke at a teach-in opposing the Vietnam War.
The third bomb threat of the day forced Waskow to
move his speech outside. More than 80 protestors of
the teach-in were present in an attempt to disrupt the
event.
. 2006: Raymond Tanter, a professor of political
science at Georgetown University, spoke about Ameri-
can policy in Iran. Three Ann Arbor residents disrupted
the event and were arrested.
ON STRIKE
STATE BUDGET CRISIS
Facing
cuts,'U'
already
savingf
Oct. 1 deadline for a
deal on budget looms
By EMILY BARTON
Daily StaffReporter
The University has already cut
spending in anticipation of a pos-
sible government shutdown next
week but will remain open if the
state cuts off funds, officials said
yesterday.
The University provost's office
has deferred some expenses like
facility improvementand computer
maintenance and postponed initia-
tives while waiting for the delayed
state payment, said Associate Pro-
vost Phil Hanlon.
If Michigan legislators don't
agree on a budget sometime this
week, the state government would
face a partial shutdown when the
new fiscal year starts on Oct. 1.
That means the University likely
wouldn't get funds during the
shutdown from the state or receive
the $29.6 million payment the state
withheld in August.
Cynthia Wilbanks, the Univer-
sity's vice president of government
relations, said the University is not
anticipating a shutdown and is still
planning to receive the delayed
August payment of $29.6 million.
"We expect state policymak-
ers to make good on that commit-
ment," she said.
Hanlon said the University bud-
get for this fiscal year was based
on the last year's appropriations,
so even if funding hikes passed by
the Democrat-controlled House of
Representatives aren't approved,
the Universityshouldn't experience
any severe spending cutbacks.
On Sunday night, the Senate
See BUDGET, Page 7
PETER SCHOTTENFELS/Daly
The UAW union went on strike against General Motors yesterday. At 11 a.m., thousands of workers, including those a the Willow Run plant in Ypsi-
lanti, walked off the job.See full story on page 8.
FIGHTING TUITION HIKES
Not everyone on board with MSA rally
Some say 'U' should
cut spending to avoid
tuition increase
By SCOTT MILLS
For the Daily
Buses rented by the Michigan Student
Assembly to take students to a rally in
Lansing for more higher education fund-
ing tomorrow will have some people on
board who don't agree with that goal.
Tomorrow afternoon, as many as 200
University students will board buses
rented by MSA and head to the state Cap-
itol, where many plan to ask legislators
not to cut funding and give the Universi-
ty the $29.6 million monthly payment the
state withheld in August. MSA members
say that if the University doesn't get the
money, it could be forced to raise tuition
Columnist Emmarie Huetteman
explains why tomorrow's rally
matters. Opinion, Page 4
in the middle of the year. University offi-
cials have refused to speculate on tuition
increases.
MSA. President Zack Yost urged stu-
dents to attend the rally in an e-mail mes-
sage sent to all University students on
Thursday. Additionally, MSA representa-
tives announced the rally before the start
of large lectures around campus and dis-
tributed pledge cards.
"We're aiming for 200 students, but
even getting that many people to come
to an event on campus is difficult," Yost
said.
Yost said he asked Faculty Senate Chair
Charles Smith and Jennifer Meyers, the
associate director of the Residential Col-
lege, to ask faculty members to be lenient
with students who are absent because of
the rally.
Neither Smith nor Meyers returned
calls for comment yesterday.
At least six students associated with
campus conservative groups plan to
attend the rally but hope to convince
attendees that cuts to the University's
budget - not an increase in state funding
- are the way to prevent mid-yeartuition
hikes.
"We believe that lower tuition can
be achieved through fiscal responsibil-
ity," said the counter-protest's organizer,
Justin Zatkoff, the head of the Michigan
Federation of College Republicans.
Yost welcomes anyone interested in
attending the rally, but said he is disap-
pointed that these students don't share
MSA's viewpoint on the issue.
"Anyone who wants to come help pre-
vent this tuition increase can come," Yost
See RALLY, Page 7
DEVELOPING DOWNTOWN
Plan for hotel, offices, bus stop
at old YMCA move forward
Biking across America
City Council gives
developer option to buy
vacant site
By DANIEL STRAUSS
Daily StaffReporter
A plan to build a hotel, office space, a new
Ann Arbor Transportation Authority bus
stop and a low-cost residential tower at the
corner of Fifth Avenue and William Street
advanced last night.
The Ann Arbor City Council unanimous-
ly approved a resolution that gives HDC,
a real estate developer, the option to buy
the former YMCA building and develop it
according to a site plan subihitted by the
company.
The developer will pay the city $1.1 mil-
lionfortheright tobuythebuilding- money
the city says it needs to cover the costs of
moving the old residents of the YMCA.
The company already has a lease with the
city that allows HDC to enter the building to
prepare development plans.
Developers have grappled with what to
put on the site. They had considered dif-
ferent mixes of housing, hotels and office
space.
4 "Initially we were going to build exactly
what we're building but for the hotel," said
Michael Jacobson, the project manager
employed by XY LLC, the firm set up by
development firm HDC to develop the site.
In late August, the developer submitted a
revised plan, which included the hotel, the
commercial space and the housing.
At last night's meeting, some council
members were hesitant about approving
the resolution because they said the city
has had trouble working with HDC in the
past. But others pushed for approval of the
plan, saying the project would benefit Ann
Arbor.
City Council member Stephen Kunselman
(D-Ward 3) was one of the most supportive
council members.
"The option doesn't cost much to the
taxpayers and it increases the number of
residential houses," he said. "We want more
residential housing for the city."
Jacobson also pointed out to council
members that the plan would benefit Ann
Arbor bus riders.
He said the new transit center would have
an indoor bus station that would allow for
more comfortable waiting and easier trans-
fer between buses.
Jacobson also stressed that one of the
core objectives of the project was affordable
housing.
"It's designed for the people with the
same needs," he said. "Predominately it is
for the people with the same income."
For charity,
sophomore
traveled alone
from Ore. to Va.
By JOE STAPLETON
Daily StaffReporter
This summer, Engineer-
ing sophomore Xiaoyu Shi
laid in front of Old Faith-
ful, looking up at the stars,
thinking he could spend all
night in that spot.
Then he remembered the
bears.
This was a common pat-
tern in Shi's cross-country
bike trip. Moments of bliss
brought onby beingalone on
the road then a sharp turn
back to the reality of pedal-
ing more than 4,600 miles.
On May 16, Shi took his
bike and some overnight
gear and set off on an odys-
sey that would take him
that helped," he said.
But Shi was looking for
something more. So when
he decided to embark on the
trip,.hewantedtoensurethat
climbing the Rockies and
enduring all sorts of weather
would not be in vain.
"I wanted to have a char-
ity sponsor my trip," he said.
He chose the Arc of the
United States, a charity
devoted to providing support
for people with intellectual
and developmental disabili-
ties. He's raising money for
the charity at www.firstgiv-
ing.com/Xiaoyu. So far Shi
has raised $1,927.
He rode on the Trans-
American Bike Trail, which
was built in 1976 for the U.S.
bicentennial celebration.
In Muddy Gap, Wyo., Shi
tried to convince a gas sta-
tion attendant to let him
GAYA/Daily sleep in the store overnight.
om Asto- Instead she gave him a
rity that
sandwich and some potato
chips and he slept on the
metal bench outside.
But Shi said most people he encoun-
tered were more hospitable. In Sebree,
Ky., Shi came across a Baptist church
pastor and his wife, who let him sleep
in the church. They hooked up a televi-
sion, cooked him dinner and breakfast
See CYCLIST, Page 7
Engineering sophomore Xiaoyu Shi spent 71 days bicycling f
ria, Ore. to Yorktown, Va. He sought to raise money for a cha
helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
from Astoria, Ore. to Yorktown, Va.. healthier and meet new people."
The saga would last 71 days, traverse Shihad always focused on academics
10 states and cover a total of over 4,600 during high school, at times neglecting
miles. . social activities and sports. When he
Shi said he first got the idea in sixth got to college, Shi said he wanted that
grade. to change. And it did - a little.
"It was a pretty random thought," "My roommate and I would get each
Shi said. "I thought of it as a way to get other up early to go to the gym, and
TODAY'S HI: 83
WEATHER LO:64
GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail
news@michigandaily.comand letus know.
ON THE DAILY BLOGS
One critic's thoughts on fall TV
MICHIGANDAILY.COM/THEFILTER
INDEX N EW S................................2 CLA SSIFIED S .........................6
Vol CXVIIl,No.16 OPINION ..............................4 S 000KU..................,.7
c2xx7TheMirhiganDailv ARTS............. .....5 SPORTS...............................9
michigandaily.com
p