The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 - 7

The Michigart Daily - michigandailycom Tuesday, September15, 2009 - 7

SACUA
From Page 1

'U' researcher links air
pollution, heart problems

"If a student is intoxicated and
underage and calls for aid for
another student, he won't receive a
minor in possession simply because
he called in," Rorro said of the pro-
posed changes.
Currently, underage students
who have been drinking and call
for help while in a residence hall
receive a minor in possession - a
citation for minors who have had
any alcohol in their body. Rorro said
this deters students from helping
others in need of medical attention.
"If you do (call) and the cops
do come, then they will give you a
minor in possession as well," Rorro
said. "So in fact, instead of imme-
diately calling to save this person's
life, you would hesitate."
The goal of the new policywould
be to eliminate the fear of getting
an MIP and being punished for
helping a friend, Rorro said.
MSA will send its revisions for
the Student Code of Conduct to
SACUA by the end of the month.
The board will then make changes
to the document before sending it
to University President Mary Sue
Coleman for approval.
TRASH CITATIONS
DISTRACT FROM OTHER
CRIMES
According to Mahanti, there has
been an increase in the number of
fines students have received for lit-
tered lawns during football games,
at least in those reported to MSA.
"We've heard lots of complaints
from students that say literally 20
minutes after the big shift has gone
from the houses to the stadium, the
city officials come through and give
fines," Mahanti said.
Mahanti said students have been
receiving fines that range from
$500 to $700 - reporting that fines
increase with each violation and
messy renters who have received
tickets in prior years cause the hike
in fines, even if the current tenants
didn't live there before.
While MSA is working with the
Ann Arbor City Council on the issue,
SACUA members agreed that police
services could be used more effi-
ciently to improve campus safety.
Mahanti said students are con-
cerned about the recent break-ins
at fraternities, sororities and other
houses near campus where laptops,
iPods and football tickets have been
stolen. In yesterday's paper, the
Daily reported on a string of crimes
that occurred this past weekend,
some of which occurred during the
football game.
In an attempt to reduce break-ins
and robberies, MSA is looking to set
up neighborhood watch committees.
Rorro said the committees
would require students to keep an
eye out for suspicious activity in
their neighborhoods, as opposed to
relying on the police.
"We know it's much easier for
fellow students to recognize their
neighbors and fellow students than
it is for the police to recognize
a person who is breaking into a
house," Rorro said.
Statistics Prof. Ed Rothman,
who is a SACUA member, empa-
REGENTS
From Page 1
Center. The renovation will accom-
modate the projected number of
individuals needing access to non-
cancer infusion centers. Approxi-

mately 5,000 gross square feet of
space will be renovated to include 10
bays, a pharmacy, nursing stations
and office and support spaces.
The estimated cost is $1.5 mil-
lion and is scheduled for comple-
tion in spring 2010.
Additionally, regents will con-
sider approval for an improve-
ment of the emergency electrical
power system at the University
Hospital. The 3,400-square-foot
renovation, which is estimated to
cost $4 million, will provide a new
EXHIBIT
From Page 1
Harris added that University
officials are not the only ones deal-
ing with this issue.
"This change is part of a global
trend: Museums around the world
are wrestling with questions about
how to represent indigenous peo-
ple in museum exhibits," Harris
wrote in the e-mail. "The current
best practice is to collaborate with
communities and give them a voice
in determining how their culture is
portrayed."
Meg Noori, who teaches Ojibwe
language classes at the University,
said taking down the dioramas was
the right decision.
"What (Harris) has done is a
great way to work with educators
in the community," she said.
Noori added that while she
believes the 'exhibit wasn't

Even brief exposure
shown to increase
blood pressure
By ESHWAR
THIRUNAVUKKARASU
Daily StaffReporter
Researchers at the University's
Cardiovascular Center recently
uncovered the short-term effects
of air pollutant exposure on heart
health.
Led by Dr. Robert Brook, an
assistant professor of internal
medicine, the study documented
cardiovascular responses in sub-
jects who were exposed for two
hours to environmental levels of
ozone and fine particulate matter.
The results, they report, were
not promising.
Brief exposure was shown to
cause an increase in diastolic blood
pressure - the lower number in
general blood pressure readings
representing the pressure between
heart contractions. Brook said the
increase in blood pressure was
associated with vasoconstriction,
a narrowing of blood vessels.
The study also concluded that,
23 hours after the initial exposure,
subjects' blood vessels did not
function properly which could be
attributed, in part, to inflamma-
tion throughout the body.
"The bottom line evidence was
that the very rapid increase in
the diastolic blood pressure that
occurred within minutes of expo-
sure and lasted for up to two hours
was caused by a disruption in the
body's sympathetic nervous sys-

tem," Brook said.
Conducted in downtown Toron-
to and Ann Arbor, the study placed
subjects in a controlled experi-
mental chamber that drew in air
from outside, maintaining envi-
ronmentally relevant levels of air
pollutants.
"Even though we are living in an
area and time that is cleaner than
ever before, the levels we have
seen within Washtenaw County
still pose a discernible health risk
to people," Brook said.
As it turns out, the most seri-
ous offender in pollution-linked
heart disease is not ozone, as many
believe, but rather fine particulate
matter measuring a miniscule 2.5
micrometers in diameter or small-
er.
Over time, persistent exposure
to fine particulate matter could
lead to premature heart disease
or similar cardiac issues in peo-
ple with susceptibilities such as
underlying high blood pressure,
heart disease and heart failure,
Brook said.
Brook said the study aimed to
"see how it's possible that a tenth
of what you would encounter in
a smoky bar can trigger heart
attacks, stroke, heart failure,
arrhythmia or death in 24 hours."
Moreover, he said the findings
were intended to provide addition-
al support and plausibility to the
epidemiologic studies that have
shown a correlation between air
pollutants and heart disease.
Between 25,000 and 60,000
people in the United States die pre-
maturely each year from air pollu-
tion exposure, and, worldwide, air
pollution is the 13th leading cause

of mortality.
"Over the last few years, there
has been increasing levels of evi-
dence that air pollutants, even if
they're at lower levels here in the
United States and North America,
still pose a significant health risk,"
Brook said.
Brook cited epidemiologic stud-
ies showing that exposure over a
five-year period to ten micrograms
per cubic meter in fine particulate
matter increases the risk of dying
from heart disease by up to 75 per-
cent.
He said studies have already
shown that long-term effects of air
pollution can lead to atherosclero-
sis - a condition defined by hard-
ening of the arteries.
"Although the responses were
small and didn't cause problems in
healthy people, the thought pro-
cess is that this is something that
could be harmful if distributed to
tens of millions of people through-
out the United States," he said.
But Brook said he was confident
that the healthy student popula-
tion was unlikely to contract pre-
mature cardiovascular disease
as a result of air pollutants, but
susceptible people with underly-
ing conditions should consider
minimizing exposure whenever
possible. Avoiding long commutes,
second-hand smoke and major
roadways when outside are among
the best precautions, he said.
"I'm not asking people to wear
masks, and I'm not asking them
to move to completely pristine
areas," Brook said. "But there's a
lot of personal responsibility you
can take for the level of pollutants
that you're exposed to."

WILL MOELLER/Daily
Student leaders from the Michigan Student Assembly meet with SACUA, the leading
faculty governing body, in the Fleming Administration Building yesterday.

thized with the students who were
victims of the recent crimes.
Rothman said that he too was a
victim of a similar scenario during
Hash Bash one year, when someone
stole his computer from his office
while police were preoccupied
patrolling the Diag.
"This allocation of resources
between giving out tickets and
enforcing policy, potentially pro-
filing students and others is an
issue because that's a resource
that could be used to protect (stu-
dents)," Rothman said. "It would be
nice to see there be abetter balance
between those two."
AIRING COMPLAINTS WITH
SMOKE-FREE INITIATIVE
At the meeting, the two groups
touched on the smoke-free initia-
tive that will be enacted on campus
July 1, 2011. The policy - meant
to reduce secondhand smoke and
related health costs - will ban stu-
dents and faculty from smoking on
University property.
Both MSA and SACUA members
expressed frustration with the Uni-
versity's decision that was made
last April without their input.
"Wegottold aboutitthedaybefore
it was announced," said Michael
Thouless, SACUA chair and profes-
sor of Materials Science and Engi-
neering. "We weren't consulted."
Gina Poe, SACUA member and
associate professorofAnesthesiology
and Molecular and Integrative Physi-
ology, said the University pitched the
policy as something that will benefit
both faculty and students.

"When we were presented with
it, we were basically told it's a fan-
tastic thing the campus is doing,"
she said. "It's great for health and
welfare for everyone."
Regardless of whether or not
the initiative will positively affect
the University community, Robert
Frost, SACUA member and associ-
ate professor of Information Stud-
ies, said the decision will impact
faculty and students.
"It really does put everybody on
the campus community on notice
as to what proper behavior is,"
Frost said.
Rorro said he's worried that the
initiative is "just for show," because
he doesn't understand how officials
will enforce the policy.
"The fact is, if someone is smok-
ing on the Diag is someone really
going to go up to them and ask them
to please stop smoking?" Rorro said.
Rorro added that he's worried
students will not be motivated
to take action against the policy
because the majority of students
will have graduated by the year the
policy becomes enforced.
After the meeting, Mahanti said
that he was confident that the fac-
ulty would stay true to their word
and help solve these very impor-
tant issues for students.
"Faculty with their research and
with their efforts in teaching have
a pretty big presence on this cam-
pus," Mahanti said. "Having them
on the students' side with various
issues will help because these are
the people who work closely with
administrators, who set a lot of
policy at the University."

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uninterruptible power supply in
the event of an emergency.
Construction is expected to be
completed in the fall of 2010.
The Board of Regents will also
consider taking the next steps in
two athletic facility construction
projects that were approved ear-
lier this year.
Regents will consider the over-
all schematic design for a new
basketball practice facility. The
57,000-square-foot addition to
Crisler Arena will include two
practice basketball courts, team
locker areas, strength and condi-
tioning areas, space for medical
treatment and new coaching and
staff offices.
The addition is scheduled to be
completed in the fall of 2011 and is
expected to cost $23.2 million.

Approximately 150 parking
spots at Crisler will be temporarily
displaced due to the construction
and about 95 spots are expected to
be lost permanently.
Regents will also consider
authorizing the issuance of bids
and awarding of construction
contracts for the Intercollegiate
Soccer Stadium - a project the
regents approved in June.
The new field will include the
construction of restrooms, conces-
sion stands, press areas, team locker
rooms and grandstand seating for
approximately 1,800 spectators.
The project is expected to cost
$6 million and is scheduled for
completion in the fall of 2010.
- Fides Araneta
contributed to this report.

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intended to stereotype, the diora-
mas were created nearly 50 years
ago and are a product of the era's
attitude toward Native Ameri-
cans, which many may view as
racist.
"I don't think what (the muse-
um) did originally was disrespect-
ful, but to change and update
exhibits makes sense," Noori said.
LSA senior Joshua Voss, co-
chair of the Native American Stu-
dent Association, said despite the
dioramas' age, their representation
of Native Americans is inappropri-
ate.
"I support (the dioramas')
removal as not just a Native Ameri-
can matter, but a human rights
matter," Voss said. "Depicting
indigenous people as a backwards
race has greatly hurt various
groups throughout the course of
this nation's history."
The closing of the almost
S0-ye#-old exhibit is one of sev-

eral contentious issues between
the University and the Native
American community. In April, the
Native American Student Asso-
ciation decided to move its pow-
wow from Crisler Arena to Saline
Middle School in March, citing
University over-management of
the annual event. The move also
follows more than a year of contro-
versy surrounding the University's
possession of what is estimated to
be more than 1,900 remains and
artifacts in the Museum of Anthro-
pology. Several Native American
tribes have claimed ownership of
the artifacts and asked that they be
returned.
University officials claim they
can't return the artifacts because
they are not "culturally identifi-
able." Still, at a University Board
of Regents meeting last March, the
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe asked
officials to return artifacts that
they believe belong to terem.

There's something you can do.
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