Idlommobb - 4V 46F 46F tc4tgan 4,3at IV Ann Arbor, Michigan_ Wednesday, February 20,2008 michigandaily.com STATE FUNDING Coleman asks for boost in fuding un 1g Research university leaders make cases for fund increases despite state budget crunch By EMILY BARTON Daily News Editor EAST LANSING - The presidents of the state's three research universities reiterated their need for state funding before a state Senate appropriation subcommittee yesterday afternoon. The University of Michigan, Michigan State Uni- versity and Wayne State University make up the University Research Corridor, a coalition formed in 2006 by the three schools. The coalition pushed to have funding allocated to the three schools in a dif- ferent bill than the one used to allocate money to the state's 12 other public universities. On Feb. 7, Guy. Jennifer Granholm proposed-a3 percent increase for higher education in her budget for the 2009 fiscal year. State funding is 25 percent of the University's budget. Granholm originally proposed a similar higher education appropriations increase of 2.5 percent for the 2008 fiscal year. State legislators grappled with how to balance the 2008 budget, leading to tuition increases and a four-hour government shut down in October before a continuation budget was passed, extending the budget deadline to Nov. 1. Colleges and universities received at1 percent increase. Yesterday's meeting was likely the first of many negotiations that will determine how much funding colleges and universities will ultimately receive. The three presidents from the URC were the See FUNDING, Page 7A ROBMIGRIN/Daly Bruce Worden spoke out against the rezoning proposal prior to it passing at yesterday night's Ann Arbor City Council meeting. He said rezoning would limit neighborhood diversity. City Council passes rezoning plan Plan limits student housing in Burns Park neighborhood By SARA LYNNE THELEN Daily StaffReporter A portion of the Lower Burns Park neighborhood may have just become less appealing to student renters. The Ann Arbor City Council voted unanimously last night to change the zoning of Golden Avenue - about two blocks of the Lower Burns Park neigh- borhood about a mile south of campus - from multiple-family to single-family housing. Single-family housing allows a maxi- mum of four unrelated people per resi- dence, while multiple-family housing - typically ideal for students - allows up to six unrelated people per home. All preexisting rental units on Gold- en Avenue - 38 percent of the lots - will be grandfathered in and will remain unchanged by the rezoning. The plan will also affect nearby properties on Granger Avenue, Broadway and Rose streets. opponents of the rezoning suggested that the plans were designed to keep out students, because they were proposed before any major changes, like the destruction of homes to make room for an apartment building, occurred. The biggest advocate of the rezoning, the Lower Burns Park Neighborhood Association, wanted to eliminate this possibility and argued that more multi- family dwellings would threaten the character of the neighborhood. Prior to the vote, council member Margie Teall (D-Ward 4), who lives near Golden Avenue, said she hoped to preserve the family dynamic of her ward. Nancy Leff, whose Granger Avenue residence will be included in the rezon- ing, said her decision to begin pushing for the rezoning was a result of the house next to hers was converted into student units. She said she wants to eliminate the possibility of existing homes being torn down for larger commercial-style developments, which the current zon- ing allows. "We have dental offices, daycare ser- See COUNCIL, Page 3A FOOTBALL RECRUTING Top receiver Stonum enrolls early, learns his way around campus MSA to push'U' to require insurance for all students Ba aft Sto In th ing Brec finally phone. A sen School rraged by calls dozens of annoying, unwanted calls every day. But he wasn't being er Carr retired, hounded by telemarketers or over- bearing parents. num remained Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer and committed Nick Saban - some of the biggest coaches in college football - along with recruiting coordinators from By ANDY REID countless marquee programs across Daily Sports Writer the country flooded his inbox with messages after former Michigan e weeks after Thanksgiv- coach Lloyd Carr retired. ak last year, Darryl Stonum But unlike some Wolverine com- decided to turn off his cell mits, who rethought their decision to don maize and blue when Michi- ior at Dulles (Texas) High gan's coaching job was still vacant, atthe time, Stonum received Stonum never considered going anywhere else. "To tell you the truth, I came to Michigan for a lot of reasons other than coaching," Stonum said. "I mean, they played a big role, but I made a commitment - I told them I was coming here. Sure, I was a little nervous, but I'm happy I stayed." During his junior year, the Sugar Land, Texas, native sat down with his high school coach Jim Creech to discuss his future. Michigan was always high on Stonum's list of potential schools, because Ann Arbor was where he felt most com- fortable. See STONUM, Page 3A CA MPUS CR IM E Police find possible marijuana plants in campus botanical gardens Assembly President Dar says he'll send letter by week's end By SCOTT MILLS Daily StaffReporter The University has tossed around the idea of requiring all students to hold health insur- ance since 2005, but now the Michigan Student Assembly is trying to kickstart the process. At its meeting last night, MSA passed a resolution asking the University to explore the mer- its of a mandatory base level of health insurance for all students. MSA President Mohammad Dar said he will send a letter on the topic to University administra- tors by the end of the week. The University currently offers a health insurance plan to domestic students for $2,183 per year. In 1998, the same plan was offered for $621. When the premium hit $1,000 per year in 2002, the number of students enrolled in the plan dropped drastically. Last night's resolution said MSA believes a health insur- ance mandate - and thus an increase in the number of stu- dents enrolled in the University provided plan - will drive down the yearly premium of the plan. With more students paying into the program, the cost per stu- See INSURANCE, Page SA SAID ALSALAH/Daily Michigan Student Assembly President Mohammad Dar looks on during last night's MSA meeting. THE RISING COST OF INSURANCE Premiums for Universit-provided student health plans have increased. $2500 r Suspected cannabis found among student botany projects In greenhouse By LISA HAIDOSTIAN Daily NewsEditor A student in a Practical Botany class may have gotten a bit too practical in the greenhouse. A staff member at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, where the class meets, found 11 "very small plants that appear to be cannabis" in the greenhouse, Department of Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown said. The apparent cannabis was found on a table along with sev- eral other plants being grown by students. Police have no sus- pects. "We don't know at this point if it was a student i' the class or if it was someone else who put the plants there or started the plants or was growing the plants," Brown said. LSA sophomore Annie Bern- stein, who's enrolled in the class of about 80 students, said she didn't think anyone else used the room where students grow plants. Instructors give students seeds to plant, she said, but they also have the option of bringing their own. e See CANNABIS, Page 3A $2000 $1500 $1000 2003- 2004- 2005- 2006- 2007- 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 SCHOOL YEAR SOURCE: UNnERSITY H EALTH SERVICES TODAY'S HI: 20 WEATHER LO: 10 GOT A NEWS TIP? 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