The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com r
Friday, September 18, 2009 - 7A
r REGENTS
From Page 1A
have never exceeded 4 percent. Last
year, Coleman accepted a pay raise
of 4 percent, a change from the year
before when she opted to donate a
3-percent increase back to University
graduate and professional programs.
In response to the performance
review,Colemanthankedtheregents
for their kind words and said that
many other people at the University
made the recent successes possible.
"I'm just grateful for their sup-
port," Coleman said of the regents
and executive officers. "Their sup-
port has meant everything to me."
NEW SAFETY SYSTEM
APPROVED
The regents approved $9 million
to replace manual locks in buildings
with electronic card readers. The
renovation is expected to increase
student and faculty safety by allow-
ing access to buildings during
potential lock-down emergencies.
The new electronic door locks are
also expected to cut down inefficien-
cies on campus. A central manage-
ment system will make it easier to
authorize users and to replace lost or
stolen keys, since keys will not need
to be redistributed to all key holders
when a building key is lost.
The upgrades to the buildings are
expectedtobecompleteinthespring
of 2011. University President Mary
Sue Coleman said she is enthusiastic
about the building access upgrades.
"I'm very excited about it," Cole-
man said. "I think it's a big step up
in safety."
Coleman said that as more
resources become available, addi-
tional upgrades will be made to
more buildings.
NCRC
From Page 1A
liscroft is leading the planning
process. Now that classes have
resumed, he said more faculty from
different departments are becom-
ing involved in the planning.
"It's a whole potpourri of things
that are being discussed by dif-
ferent committees," Woolliscroft
said.
Those committees have focused
on topics that range from perform-
ing research in the neurosciences,
drug discovery and health care
services to logistical needs like
food, transportation and informa-
tion technology services.
Woolliscroft said the com-
mittees are mostly determining
how to best organize the space to
strengthen collaboration between
faculty from different schools and
colleges.
"We really look at it as an oppor-
tunity to transform how we do
research - to really capitalize on
the tremendous breadth and depth
of expertise resident in the facul-
ty," he said.
Site planners are also exploring
ways of enhancing partnerships
with private companies, other uni-
versities and the government.
Additionally, the NCRC will
provide space for startup compa-
nies that evolve from University
research.
Throughout the last five years,
49 such businesses have emerged,
with more than 70 percent located
in Michigan.
"(The NCRC) gives us the
opportunity to experiment with
new models that we never had the
M luxury of doing before," Woollis-
croft said.
$34.7 MILLION IN
CONSTRUCTION APPROVED
At the University's Board of
Regents monthly meeting yester-
day, $34.7 million was approved
for renovations and construction
to the campus. The funding will
upgrade emergency power systems
and remodel existing space to cre-
ate an infusion suite at the Uni-
versity's Hospital, construct new
facilities at the Intercollegiate Soc-
cer Stadium and build new practice
facilities at Crisler Arena.
Regents approved $4 million
for renovations to the Hospital's
emergency power system. The
upgrade will include installa-
tion of electrical power trans-
fer switches and renovations to
approximately 3,400 gross square
feet. The construction project is
scheduled to be completed in the
fall of 2010.
A new infusion suite for the Hos-
pital was also approved and will
provide off-campus accommoda-
tions for adult, non-cancer patients.
The project will include 5,000 gross
square feet of renovations with 10
bays, a pharmacy, nursing stations
and office and support spaces. The
construction is scheduled to be
completed in the spring of 2010.
Regents also approved designs
for the Intercollegiate Soccer Sta-
dium. The 20,000-gross-square-
foot project includes construction
of restrooms, concessions, a press
area, locker rooms and grandstand
seating for 1, 800 spectators. The
construction is scheduled for com-
pletion in the fall of 2010.
The schematics for a two-story
basketball player development cen-
ter, to be built adjacent to Crisler
Arena, were also approved by the
regents. The addition will include
two basketball practice courts,
team locker rooms and areas for
athletic medicine and hydrother-
apy. It will cover approximately
57,000 gross square feet. Construc-
tion will be phased over two years
and will be completed in the fall of
2011. Approximately 150 parking
spaces will be displaced because of
the construction, however about 55
spaces will be available upon com-
pletion of the structure.
ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE
MADE AGAINST DPS
During the public comment por-
tion of the University's Board of
Regents meeting yesterday, one
individual shared concerns about
the lack of oversight of the Univer-
sity's Department of Public Safety.
Douglas Smith, an alumnus ofthe
University, told regents the story
of Dr. Andrei Borisov - a former
research professor at the Univer-
sity who was acquitted of criminal
charges brought against him after
an incident with campus police.
Smith told regents that University
administrators were attempting to
cover up the incident, in which he
claimed Borisov was forced to resign
and was injured by University Police
in retaliation to allegations Borisov
had made about scientific fraud and
misconduct at the University.
Stephen Hipkiss, a member of
the Department of Public Safety
Oversight Committee, also spoke
to the regents about DPS, though
he argued the organization has
sufficient oversight and that there
is no need for immediate alarm.
In an interview after the meet-
ing, University President Mary Sue
Coleman declined to comment on
the situation regardingBorisov.
- Laura Brunner
contributed to this report.
Forrest said the NCRC will
improve Michigan's economy
through the startups and part-
nerships with private businesses
working with the faculty at the
research complex.
"Many companies depend on
commercializing the most recent
and most interesting new tech-
nologies, so if we can help com-
panies achieve market readiness
with a particular innovation, that's
a business, and that business will
help the economy," Forrest said.
One of the goals is to have stu-
dents participate at the site through
educational programs that will
include assisting scientists with
their studies.
"We very much anticipate that
it will be a warm and welcom-
ing environment for students,"
Pescovitz said. "I think it will be
a wonderful place for innovative
education to take place."
Although it will provide more
opportunities for students to par-
ticipate in research, the purchase
of the NCRC will hurt the city
of Ann Arbor by lowering its tax
base by 5 percent. The city previ-
ously received tax revenue from
Pfizer, but because the University
is a tax-exempt institution, it will
not be required to pay taxes to the
city.
In an article last December, Ann
Arbor Mayor John Hieftje told The
Michigan Daily that the city will
feel the impact of losing the tax
revenue.
"It'll be a serious hit. It'll be a
long time before the serious ben-
efits kick in," Hieftje told the Daily.
"On top of what's going on in the
economy, and then you have this
happen, it's going to make things.
that much harder."
Additionally, 2,100 people lost
their jobs when Pfizer closed the
site in November 2008. But the
University hopes to recover at least
some of those jobs by hiring 2,000
to 3,000 employees during the next
decade to fill faculty and staff posi-
tions.
So far, only 14 people have been
hired for security, building mainte-
nance and facility operations.
Faculty will begin occupying
office spaces and using laborato-
ries within the next few months.
However, officials do not expect
the facility to be fully populated
until 2018.
At this point, Pescovitz said
crews are still investigatingwheth-
er additional renovations are nec-
essary.
"Some of (the buildings) are
pretty much in working condition,
and some are going to need to be
renovated to meet our individual
needs," she said.
Even though the University is
the fifth largest research univer-
sity in the country, administration
and faculty hope the NCRC will
elevate the University's research
standing.
In the future, Pescovitz said she
anticipates large numbers of fac-
ulty and students will work side by
side at the site, pursuing common
goals.
"I would love to see the day
when we would have thousands
of very active people there doing
innovative research," she said.
But according to Woolliscroft,
there is still much to be done before
that day is reached.
"This is a story that's unfolding
as more people are involved, and
as more ideas come forward and
as more discussion occurs around
how best to really take advantage
of this opportunity," he said.
TRANSPORTATION
From Page 1A
venient area where people can easily
switch modes of transportation and
gain access to all areas of Ann Arbor.
City Transportation Manager Eli
Cooper said he is hopeful that Phase
1of the project willbe complete and
will accept travelers by mid-2012.
"In a broad sense, the goal is
to help lead this community as it
moves forward in the 21st cen-
tury," he said. "To attract people
here or go from here without using
a private automobile."
Ann Arbor resident, Ethel Potts,
who was at the open house last
night to learn more about FITS,
expressed some doubt about the
project, especially the new facil-
ity's potential location.
"I've had concerns all along
because it's down in the valley -
we value the valley," said Potts,
who says he has been living in Ann
Arbor "forever."
Steve Bean, who has lived in
Ann Arbor for 27 years, said he was
worried about future funding for
the project.
"We might just have a Phase
1 that is a parking structure and
that's it - we won't have money to
do the rest," he said.
FINANCIAL AID
From Page 1A
to 34 that has attained a post-
secondary education, according
to the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development's
Education at a Glance 2008
report.
"No student in America should
have to mortgage their future to
get a good education," Miller wrote
in the release. "This legislation pro-
vides students and families with
the single largest investment in
federal student aid ever and makes
' landmark investments to improve
education for students of all ages -
and all without costing taxpayers a
dime."
The bill now goes to the Sen-
ate, where it faces a more difficult
battle, the bill's sponsors said on
a conference call ith reporters
Tuesday.
"Some people say it's going to
be more difficult in the Senate,"
Miller said on the call. "But I think
we're relying on students and oth-
ers to persuade the Senate that this
is the right thing to do."
He added: "And I think we're
going to be successful."
Miller said despite the struggle
in the Senate, he expects the leg-
islation to be on "the president's
desk before the holidays."
While the legislation is a histori-
cal overhaul of the higher educa-
tion aid system, it doesn't go as far
as some earlier proposals from the
president. Earlier this year, Obama
proposed making Pell Grants an
entitlement program similar to
Social Security or Medicare, which
would cost an estimated $117 bil-
lion.
But students shouldn't get too
excited, mostprobably won'tnotice
a large Iange in the aid they
receive.
Students generally go through
their schools to get aid, which use
subsidized loan programs more
often than direct government
loans. Last year private lenders
loaned $56 billion worth of aid to
6 million students, while only $14
billion came from direct govern-
ment loans.
The vote on the bill split largely
on party lines with only six Repub-
licans voting in favor and four
Democrats voting against.
Some Republicans expressed
concern that the measure will cost
the government more money than
it will save.
"Unfortunately, the numbers
just don't add up," Minnesota Rep.
John Kline, senior Republican on
the Education Committee told The
Associated Press.
- The Associated Press and
Daily News Editor Jillia Berman
contributed to this report.