ABROAD IN ANN ARBOR Adjusting to life as an international student The Statement, 4B AUTO SHOW SUPERLATIVES The best, worst and prettiest cars at Cobo The Statement, 7B I e 1iigan Bath Ann Arbor, Michigan Wednesday, January 23, 2008 michigandailycom UNVERSITY CONTRA Under fire, 'U'Press changes guidelines Change in policy could affect relationship between 'U' Press, Pluto Press By ANDY KROLL Daily Staff Reporter After taking criticism for its lack of authority over the content of books it distributes for third- party publishers, the University of Michigan Press released guidelines on Friday outlining its policies for distribution deals. The new rules could impact its relationship with the controversial left-wing pub- lisher Pluto Press. The new guidelines say the University Press will only consider distribution deals with third-party publishers "whose mission is aligned with the mis- sion of the UM Press and whose academic standards and processes of peer review are reasonably similar to those of the UM Press." The University Press's relationship with Pluto first came under fire in August from pro-Israel groups for distributing Pluto's book "Overcoming Zionism," See PRESS, Page 3A BOOK FLAP In October, the University Press's executive committee announced plans to continue its distribution contract with Pluto Press. It has sincetfaced considerable pressurefrom both inside and outside the University. At the November meeting of the University Board oftRegents, regents Laurence Deitch (D-Bingham Farms), Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor) and Andrew Richner (R-Grosse Pointe Park) delivered a letter tothe other regents advocating for the University Pressto cuttieswith Pluto Press. The regentssaid their desire to cattiesmwith Platn had nothing to dowithtfree speech and censorship, but rather wastfocused on the Universi ty Press's lack ofreviewauthority over the books it distributes. The University Presswill decide whether to renew itscontract with Pluto Press when it comes up for renewal in May. ROB MIGRIN/Daily Though beer ingredients have increased in price, managers at Grizzly Peak Brewing Company, an Ann Arbor pub, have not resorted to raising prices for customers. By LISA HAIDOSTIAN Daily StaffReporter Unless it's a special occasion, LSA senior Andrew Bogaard won't order more than a pintortwo of beer when he's at a local pub. It's not because he doesn't want more - it's because buying more than a couple brews is getting too expensive. Thanks to hefty price hikes for key beer ingredients, many students have already started paying more for their favorite local beers. While fuel, aluminum and glass prices are rising too, brewers are more worried about a worldwide shortage of hops - a plant used in brewing to add bitterness, aroma and flavor to the final product. The cost of wheat and barley, also used to make beer, are also at near-record highs. Matt Greff, who owns Arbor Brewing Company and The Cor- ner Brewery along with his wife Rene, said he has seen an increase of between 25 and 40 percent in germi- nated barley prices in the past year, while the price of hops has jumped a staggering 300 percent over the same span. Jim Hilker, an agricultural eco- nomics professor at Michigan State University, said hops and wheat prices are increasing because the crops aren't as attractive to farmers as they once were. Because of a global push towards ethanol, a renewable energy source manufactured largely from corn, farmers are devoting more land to corn to rake in profits from the hot crop. Meanwhile, production of other grains has taken a hit. Hilker places most of the blame for wheat and hops price hikes on booming ethanol production, but said factors like volatile weather and a bustling world economy - which requires growing more food - have also contributed to the shortages. As a result, Arbor Brewing Com- pany has charged wholesalers about a dollar more per case of beer and about a dollar more per pint of beer served in the pub. Prices at The Cor- ner Brewery went up 25 cents a pint. Still, the microbrewery is taking a hit along with its customers, Rene Greff said. "We didn't increase our prices enough to cover the entire increase," she said. National breweries like Anheuser- Busch, Molson Coors and SABMiller have not been as affected by higher costs because theytend to brew their beers using fewer hops than craft brewers. They also have long-term contracts with set prices for their ingredients. Duncan Williams, the head brewer at Grizzly Peak, said the worldwide hops shortage is putting smaller breweries in a bind and forc- ing them to ask other breweries for extra supplies of hops. "If you don't have them right now, you're in trouble," said Larry Bell, the president and founder of Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo. Although Bell's is the largestbrew- eryinMichigan,ithasn'tbeenimmune to the price increases, Bell said. Effective Feb. 25, Bell's will increase its prices by between 50 cents and a dollar for each case of beer, depend- ing on the brand. "The increases in price of raw materials have just been so astro- See BEER, Page 7A Duderstadt: Model field after law or medicine By ELIZABETH LAI Daily StaffReporter Former University President James Duderstadt recently pub- lished a report calling for Ameri- can colleges to model an education in engineering after professional disciplines like medicine and law, which require a graduate degree. Duderstadt suggests in the report that students be required to attain a graduate degree in engi- neering before entering the field. The report, titled "The Millen- nium Project," says recent trends like the outsourcing of American engineering jobs, rapid technolog- ical advancements and decreasing enrollment in engineering pro- grams are key indicators that an academic overhaul is long over- due. Duderstadt said in an interview that in an increasingly global econ- omy, American engineers won't be able to compete with engineers from other countries unless their skill sets are bolstered. Duder- stadt said the current system can- not provide that extra edge. "We just do not believe that can be achieved just by an undergrad- uate degree in education," Duder- stadt said. Some students, like Engineer- ing sophomore Henry Kohring, said they worry that graduate school for engineers could dis- courage an already small pool of students from choosing engineer- ing as a career. "It just really would definitely make it more difficult to get an engineering degree, or at least make it seem more difficult," Kohring said. "That would defi- nitely decrease the number of undergraduates." Others disagree. Engineer- ing freshman John Sidhom, who plans to attend medical school, said engineering could become more attractive if a graduate READ DUDERSTADT'S REPORT Visit www.michigandaily.com degree were required because many would come to consider it more prestigious. Sidhom said he chose medicince over engineering partly because it provides a more secure future. "Engineering is not respected enough," said Sidhom, who said he's concerned with the outsourc- ing of engineering jobs. Ideally, Duderstadt said, engi- See REPORT, Page 3A The Ann Arbor City Council last night unanimously passed a proposal to change the leasing ordinance - a move that will affect both students and landlords. City Council passes change to lease law 'U' releases survey on ceremony to graduating students Officials hope to gauge students' priorities for graduation ceremony By ALEX KAZICKAS Daily StaffReporter The University sent an e-mail to graduating students last night inviting them to take a survey about their priorities for this year's Spring Commencement ceremony. The survey will be available until 9 a.m. tomorrow. The survey, which consists of 12 questions, comes weeks after Uni- versity officials announced that the ceremony would be held at Eastern Michigan University's Rynearson Stadium instead of Michigan Sta- dium because of the ongoing con- struction of new luxury boxes. The $226 million stadium renovation projectbegan Nov.18, the day after the final home game of the football season, against Ohio State. The survey was designed to inform University officials of students' preferences for com- mencement. One question asks, "How important is it for you to have the ceremony on campus?" Another asks, "What is the mini- mum number of tickets you need for guests?" Most questions let stu- dents give responses ranging from "Very Important" to "Not impor- tant at all". The survey's first two questions ask students what school they are graduating from and what level degree they'll be attaining. The survey comes in response to the uproar created by students READ THE SURVEY and a letterfrom the University, at www.michigandaily.com and alumni. Numerous students started Facebook groups opposing the change. One of them has gar- nered more than 3,700 members. Some alumni have written e-mails to University President Mary Sue Coleman protesting the decision. E. Royster Harper, the University's vice president for student affairs, originally said it would take an See SURVEY, Page 7A Waiting period shortened from 90 to 70 days, waiver loophole closed By KELLY FRASER Daily News Editor In a compromise between stu- dents and landlords, the Ann Arbor City Councilunanimously approved revisions to the city's lease-signing ordinance last night. The revisions shortened the period landlords must wait before showing properties to prospective renters and closed a loophole that allowed landlords to show a prop- erty before the wait period had expired with the tenant's permis- sion. The revised ordinance will first affect students next fall. The revisions reduce the period into the current lease landlords must wait to show a property from 90 days to 70 days. This means that if a lease starts in September, landlords can begin showing the property to other pro- spective renters in early November. The initial purpose of the wait- ing period was to alleviate pressure on students, who usually decide See ORDINANCE, Page 7A TODAY'S WEATHER HI: 20 GOT A NEWS TIP? LO: 8 Cal 734-763-2459 or e-mail newscyimichigandaily.com and let us know. ON T HE DAILY BLOGS Last night's men's hoops loss at Wisconsin MICHIGANDAILY.COM/THEGAME INDEX NEW S.........................2......2A CLA SSIFIEDS................ Vol. CXVIIIINo.8't OPINION...........................4A SPORTS. . ........ (2008The Michigan Daily ARTS.. . . ...S...A THE STATtMNT....... michigandoily.com .6A A..8A ..1B