2 - Tuesday, January 13, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam 4 2 - Tuesday, January13, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom 4 MONDAY: WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers Camps C -r Explained They call her'Mama Sue' As the house mom for the Chi up, and she said she spends two dents, and she has ma Omega sorority, Sue Volz has been a months every summer at a second about those with who second mother to hundreds of female house she owns in Kentucky. especially close. University students for the past eight And although she lives in the soror- '-"I think the greatE years. ity house, Mama Sue is married, with a ment I have felt here i Better known to the 74 members son and five grandchildren. she was very troubled of the sorority who live in the house "A married house mom, that's I hugged her. And she every year as "Mama Sue," Volz gov- kind of rare," she said, as if remark- and said, 'Don't you erns the 39-bedroom house with hugs ingon an unusual bird on the sorority again!'" Mama Sue s and a warm smile. And she seems to house's large front lawn. left (for the summer) be absolutely adored by her residents. Her husband, BillVolz -"PapaSue" in August, she cOmE "Oh, Mama Sue?" gushed one resi- to the girls of the house - lives at the door, flying, running dent, stopped as she was leaving the couple's home in Ypsilanti with their And I just saw the cha sorority house. "She's great, you'll antique Mercedes and six Studebak- in her life," Mama S love her." ers, a vintage automobile. And though wiped the corners ofl With a big smile, Mama Sue told retired, he still works two weeks of Mama Sue said she of the first meeting with this year's each month doing maintenance for leaving Chi Omega s pledge class. the sorority house. she does, she said shE "I came out of the kitchen, and they "So I do employ my husband, too," tinue to surround he started whispering," she said, her voice Mama Sue said with a laugh. lege students. dropping to a stage whisper. "'That's Her grandchildren, all between "I eventually woul Mama Sue! That's Mama Sue!"' the ages of three and 12, sometimes to Kentucky and go t Growing up in Kentucky with 14 stay on the weekends, too - but only of Kentucky," she sa brothers and sisters, Mama Sue is one at a time, she said. dream, to go back ho used to a big family. Most of her sib- Mama Sue said she takes a lot of be closer to family." lings still live near where they grew pride in being a mother to her resi- CHARLES THURSDAY: FRIDAY: Before You Were Here Photos of the Week ny stories to tell m she has been est accomplish- s I had one girl, ... and one day, whirled around ever touch me aid. "When we and came back es in the back up to hug me. ange that I made ue said, as she her eyes. doesn't plan on oon, but when e hopes to con- erself with col- ild like to move o the University aid. "That's my me. And I could GREGG-GEIST Sue Volz, house mother to the 74 sisters of Chi Omega sorority, has lived at the sorority house for the past eight years. MORE ONLINE For a video of this week's campuscharacter, check out michigondaily.com. T, he 1Thdp~gan Oat-ig 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com GARY GRACA ELAINA BUGLI Editor in Chief easiness Manager 734-647-33361 734-764-45un ga-ca@michigandaily.eom hagligmichigandailyecom CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom office hours:sun.-Thurs.11a.m.-2a.m. 734-763-2459 Dews Tips news@michigandaily.com Correctionssrarrectiosemiciadaiy.cem Letterstthe Editor t rhedailygmichigandaily.com Photography Department photo@michigandaily.com 734-764-0563 Arts Section artspage@michigandaily.com 734-763-0379 Editorial Page opinion@michigandaily.com 734-763-0379 Sports Section sports@michigandaily.com Display Sales display@michigandaily.com 734-764-0554 Classified Sales classied@michigandaily.com 734-764-0557 OnlineSales onlineads@michigandaily.com Finance finance@michigandaily.com 734-763-3246 EDITORIAL STAFF Courtney Ratkowiak ManagingEditor ratkowiak@michigandaily.com Jacob Smlovitz Managing News Editor smilovitz@michigandaily.com SE5NEWS E51T 00S. iliJnBern,Teo, Cr, uleo, LndySeen, ASSSANT EWSmEDIssOuS: Mat Aaons,Bejam i n S. 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One copy is available free of charge to allreaders. Additionacopiesmay bepickedupattheDaily'sofficefor$2.Subscriptionsforfalterm,startingin SeptemberviaeU.S.malere$1. Winterterm(anuarythrough April)is115,yearlng(September th'ough Aprilis$195.University affiliates are subect to a redn subscription rate.On-campus shtoe s rfll dhtermanen$35.Sbcipinsm benprepaid.TheMichiganDailyisamemberof Thn sociated Phnsand Thnsociated Cleiae ess.e 4 4 I CRIME NOTES CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Man hits friend, Vending machine Student group Admissions friend calls cops damaged recruitment essay talk WHERE: The Diag WHEN: Sunday at about 10:40 p.m. WHAT: A person unaffiliated with the University was hit by his friend, University Police reported. No one was injured. The cause of the altercation is under investigation. Offi- cers were unable to locate the suspect. WHERE: Mason Hall WHEN: Sunday at about 11:20 p.n. WHAT: The glass on the front of a vending machine was broken, University Police reported. Nothing was report- ed missing. Police haveno suspects. Vistor takes Squash player c wublado struck with ball auitrim -tar WHAT: Winterfest, a fair of hundreds of student organi- zations and University offic- es, departments and units to recruit new student members. WHO: Student Activities and Leadership WHEN: Today from 4p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Second Floor, Michigan Union Arts and crafts study break WHAT: Students can deco- rate totebags using free art supplies provided by Univer- sity Arts and Programs. WHO: University Arts and Programs WHEN: Today from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union Ground Floor WHAT: Assistant Prof. Ann Kirkland to speak about the University application's diver- sity question. The lecture will address the politics of the question. Kirkland is an expert on civil rights protec- tions for gender, race, sexual orientation and disability. WHO: University Unions Arts and Programs WHEN: Tonight from 6p.m. to8 p.n. WHERE: UClub, Michigan Union CORRECTIONS . A caption in Monday's edition of the Daily ('M' shoots for NCAAs?) misiden- tified gymnsst Evan Heiter. . Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com. A toy helicopter was spot- ted attempting to smuggle drugs into a British pris- on, the Daily Mail reported. Guards said they saw the remote control toy flying over the jail's wails carrying a small load, thought to contain drugs. The helicopter and its load, however, were not found. "Meh" will be an official word in the Collins Eng- lish Dictionary. The com- pany asked people to submit conversational, non-diction- ary words. Popular submis- sions included "frenemies" and "huggles." ">FOR MORE, SEEOPINION, PAGE 4 To mark Barack Obama's inauguration next Tues- day, Zingerman's Cream- ery has created "Baracky Road" gelato. The Sicilian- style gelato contains Michigan milk and cream, butter-roast- ed peanuts, chocolate chips, dulce de leche from Argentina and marshmallows. 4 I WHERE: Intramural Sports Building WHEN: Sunday at about 10:50 p.m. WHAT: A University student was injured playing squash, University Police reported. He was struck in the face with a ball. He was eacurced to Uni- versity Hospital. WHERE: Power Center for the Performing Arts WHEN: Sinday at about 2:50 p.m. WHAT: A visitor fell down the stairs at the auditorium, University Police reported. The person was taken to University Hospital. GM unveils plan to open new Detroit factory to build batteries 4 WANT TO WORK FOR THE DAILY? COME TO A MASS MEETING. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 14, 8 P.M. TUESDAY, JAN. 20, 8 P.M. 420 MAYNARD ST. Lithium-ion cell plant to have more than 100 employees DETROIT (AP) - General Motors Corp., a wounded company living on cash borrowed from the government, didn't behave like one Monday as it unveiled ambitious plans to research and assemble lithium-ion batteries in Michigan and picked a Korean company to supply the cells to power the Chev- rolet Volt electric car. But a top executive raised the prospect that GM will need more federal loans later in the year if the U.S. auto market doesn't improve, saying that the company present- ed a worst-case scenario to the government last year that would require $18 billion in loans, $4.6 billion more than the Bush admin- istration has granted. The battery factory, to be opened somewhere near Detroit, will employ more than 100 people and be highly automated as it takes cutting-edge lithium-ion cells imported from LG Chem Ltd. of South Korea and welds them into battery packs for the Volt and other next-generation vehicles from GM. GM also announced the creation of a 31,000-square-foot battery lab, the largest in the country run by an automaker, atnits Warren technical center. It also said it has joined with the University of Michigan to test batteries at the Ann Arbor campus and train future engineers to design components for electric cars. No one would say exactly how many jobs would be created, but the news was welcomed by Michi- gan officials who are trying to bring down the state's 9.6 percent unemploynent rate, the highest in the nation. Tony Posawatz, GM's vehicle, line director on the Volt, said he expects the battery factory and lab will bring in companies that supply parts for futuristic electric cars, creating another employment base for the troubled Detroit area. "We have enough critical mass that future growth will cluster," Posawatz said. Anexistingfacilitythatstraddles the borderbetween Detroit and the tiny enclave of Hamtramck will assemble the Volt, so southeastern Michigan is the likely front-runner to land the battery factory as well. Gary Cowger, GM's manufactur- ing chief, said it's important that the new factory be near the Volt assembly plant because each bat- tery pack is 6 feet long and weighs 400 pounds. The Volt is designed to plug into a standard wall outlet and travel 40 miles on battery power alone. After that, a small internal-combustion engine kicks in to generate power for the car. The car is set to go on sale late next year at a price expect- ed from $30,000 to $40,000. Monday's announcement at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit wasfresh evi- dence that GM expects to survive the recession and thrive, even as Chief Operating Officer Fritz Hen- derson raised the prospect of fed- eral loans beyond the $13.4 billion already granted to the company. Henderson wouldn't speculate on what would cause GM to seek more money, but he said the com- pany submitted a "downside sce- nario" in December that would require a total of $18 billion. "We had said at the time there could be financingbeyond whatwas just called for in the baseline plan," Henderson told reporters. "It's just speculation to say what would be required beyond the 13.4." GM is forecasting a U.S. auto market of anywhere from 10.5 million to 12 million vehicle sales this year. The market finished last year at 13.2 million, but the fourth- quarter sales rate averaged around the lower end of GM's estimates. Henderson said GM already is negotiating with the United Auto Workers in an effort to meet con- cessions required by the terms of its loans. Those include labor cost parity with foreign automakers with U.S. factories, something the UAW has said it would try to get the President-electBarackObama's administration to remove. But Henderson said GM is pro- ceeding with the talks based on the loan terms that it has in hand. The battery announcement was among the biggest news from the Detroit show Monday, where Toyota Motor Corp. ramped up the competition in hybrid gas-electric vehicles by showing off the next generation Prius, the top-selling hybrid inthe U.S. The 2010 Prius gets an average of 50 miles to the gallon, four more than the current model, which already is the most fuel-efficient vehicle ranked by the Environ- mental Protection Agency. The third generation ofthe hybrid has a more aerodynamic design, but its exterior is easily recognizable as a Prius. Toyota said pricing will be released before the midsize sedan goes on sale in late spring. Honda Motor Co. on Sunday unveiled a new version ofthe Insight to compete directly with the Prius, and Ford Motor Co. has a hybrid Fusion also due out this spring. Also Monday, California start- up Fisker Automotive debuted a production version of its $80,000 plug-in Fisker Karma and vowed to sell 15,000 of the sporty luxury hybrids annually. The company also unveiled a slick convertible version called the Karma S, which it expects to build in 2011. Volkswagen'AG said it plans to offer hybrid and diesel versions of four upcoming vehicles being developed for the U.S. market, including a future successor to the Jetta sedan. Amid all the attention on hybrid and fullyelectricvehicles, LGChem CEO Peter Kim said the company may eventually build battery cells in Michigan; and it anticipates that its U.S. subsidiary, Compact Power Inc., will add to its tOO-person work force in Troy, Mich. Posawatz said GM chose LG Chem because of its flat-cell design that dissipates heat better and stores more energy than competi- tors' cylinder-shaped cells. Hesaid the competition fromthe team of Frankfurt, Germany-based Continental Automotive Systems and A123 Systems Inc. of Water- town, Mass., was very capable, but "one has tobe the lead." LG Chem's Kim said the GM contract boosts his company's global presence. "We now are a global player. We have many plants sited worldwide. So it would be possible to produce it in the United States in the future," he said. The current LG Chem was established in 1947 and besides batteries, also produces petro- chemicals. LG Chem is a member of the LG Group, a major South Korean industrial conglomerate with interests in areas including electronics, flat panels, telecom- munications and logistics. Registration now open! 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