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