P iC t Htt '3alll
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
michigandaily.com
SHARING YOUR STORY
STAYING FOR THE SUMMER
Enrollment
in summer
classes soars
MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily
Recent Eastern Michigan University graduate Brandon Doman (left) sets up shop outside Espresso Royal on State Street to collect personal stories from passersby for his web-
site ehdom.com. Doman goes from town to town around Michigan urging people to share a story with him, like Public Policy junior Hannah Holmberg who shared hers last night.
FREE SP E ECH OR HAT E SPEECH?
Bl indPig: Controversialacstilln
Increased course
offerings, tough
economy contribute
to 26 percent rise
By ANNIE THOMAS
Daily StaffReporter
According to data provided by
the University, a lot more students
stayed in Ann Arbor last summer
to take classes compared to previ-
ous years. But exactly the reason
for the boost is less clear.
JoAnn Peraino, curriculum
and enrollment manager for the
College of Literature, Science,
and the Arts, wrote in an e-mail
to the Daily that enrollment in
summer courses was up 26 per-
cent compared to last year. But,
there was a 5 percent decline in
spring enrollment.
The cause of the increase in
summer enrollment can be con-
tributed to a variety of measures,
including the addition of more
summer courses, the tough sum-
mer job market and the pressure
many students feel to get required
courses out of the way before
increasingly tight fall and winter
schedules.
This past summer, Peraino
wrote that there was a 38 percent
increase in the number of courses
available and a 2 percent increase
in courses offered for spring
term.
In an interview earlier this
month, University Provost Tere-
sa Sullivan said that last spring
and summer terms, the Univer-
sity offered more classes - all
of them in LSA - in an effort to
keep enrollment up during the
summer months, a strategy that
will be modified in the coming
years.
Sullivan said the new strategy
was successful, creating about
1,400 more credit hours. Howev-
er, she cited a need to re-examine
the effort to ensure its success in
the future.
"It's a good start, but this was
the first year of that plan and we
probably need to make it more
robust," Sullivan said.
Many of the new courses
offered were core course require-
ments that are necessary for stu-
dents to graduate with certain
majors. Sullivan said this may
have been more attractive to stu-
dents interested in graduating
early or getting core classes out of
the way.
"Lots of people aren't going to
hang around in spring and sum-
mer just to (take) electives," Sul-
livan said. "Theywanttogetsome
of their requirements taken care
of."
Business sophomore Thomas
Masotta took Economics 102
during summer term because, he
said, he heard that the class was
easier during the summer and he
also needed to fulfill the require-
ment.
Masotta said if the class
hadn't been offered at the Uni-
versity, he might have taken the
course at a community college
in the area.
See SUMMER CLASSES, Page 7
Reggae artist's shows
have been cancelled
across the country
for anti-gay rhetoric
By TREVOR CALERO
Daily News Editor
Despite outcry from both state
and campus gay advocacy groups,
the Blind Pig has refused to cancel
a controversial concert set to hit its
stage tonight.
Buju Banton, a reggae musician
known for lyrics that promote
violence against gay men, has had
numerous shows canceled across
the country, most recently in
Detroit, where he was originally
scheduled to play tonight at the
Majestic Theatre.
The Michigan-based gay advo-
cacy group Triangle Foundation,
which played a role in the cancel-
lation of the Detroit show, issued
a statement yesterday about Ban-
ton's performance in Ann Arbor.
"While the Triangle Foundation
is an ardent supporter of artistic
expression and free speech, we do
not condone speech in any form
that promotes violence against
LGBT people," the statement read.
Faith Wood, general manager of
the Blind Pig, said those who are
opposed to Banton's shows have
"information that is very old," and
that those people "haven't looked
beyond that."
"We love and support the gay
community," Wood said. "But to
dictate and not allow somebody
to perform for something they've
said 20 years ago" is wrong.
Wood said that though some
of Banton's earlier songs refer-
ence violence against gay people,
she believes that he has since
denounced those lyrics and is try-
ing to "change that image."
Wood referenced the Reggae
Compassionate Act of 2007, which
Banton signed along with a num-
ber of other reggae performers.
The act reads: "We pledge that
our music will continue to con-
tribute positively to the world dia-
logue on peace, respect and justice
for all.
"To this end, we agree to not
make statements or perform songs
that incite hatred or violence
against anyone from any commu-
nity."
Banton's most controversial
song "Boom Bye-Bye," which was
recorded in 1992, references shoot-
ing "batty bwoys" - a derogatory
phrase for gay men - with Uzis
and, as many claim the lyrics sug-
gest, bu.rning their skin with acid.
"World is in trouble / anytime
See BLIND PIG, Page 7
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
Construction of new parking
structure upsets nearby shops
Building project
would hurt business,
claim Herb David,
Jerusalem Garden
By GRACELIN BASKARAN
For the Daily
The two-year construction of an
underground parking deck is set to
begin downtown tomorrow, but the
owners of Jerusalem Garden and
Herb David Guitar Studio say they
have been overlooked in the process.
On Feb. 17, the Ann Arbor
Downtown Development Author-
ity approved the construction of a
new underground parking deck on
South Fifth Avenue. The construc-
tion will also include water mains,
pedestrian walkways and electric
transformers to encourage new
businesses to build on the location,
according to the DDA's website.
Despite the apparent benefits
of the underground deck, two
local businesses are fighting back
against the project.
The owners of Jerusalem Gar-
den and Herb David Guitar Stu-
dio filed a complaint with the city
attorney last month claiming the
vibrations from the construction
would damage their buildings.
CONSTRUCTION COMPLAINTS
Underground parking structure causes uproar from local businesses
E. LIBERTY ST.
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The Michigan Student Assembly's executive board at its meeting last night.
MSA officials finalize trimmed
down budget for this semester
E. WILLIAM ST.
The owners of Herb David Guitar Studio and Jerusalem Garden (top and bottom
black boxes, respectively) have complained that vibrations and noise from the
construction site (bottom brown box) will damage their businesses.
The 300 block of South Fifth
Avenue, where both businesses are
located, will also be closed for six
months starting December 2010
due to construction.
Ali Ramlawi, owner of Jerusa-
lem Garden, said closure would
deter customers from his business.
However, Adrian Iraola, senior
project manager from Park Avenue
Consultants, the company hired
for the job, said some of the nega-
tive feedback has been caused by
misinformation about the project.
"I don't think this project will
affect the businesses any more
than any other construction proj-
ects," Iraola said. "There will be
the noise and vibration, but there
are measures we take to reduce it."
Iraola said his company has
See PARKING, Page 7
Assembly also hears
about new ride-share
program at 'U
By MALLORY JONES
Daily StaffReporter
At last night's meeting, the
Michigan Student Assembly ap-
proved a resolution to enact its
fall 2009 budget, officially start-
ing all MSA activities for the se-
mester.
Expenditures and reserves
for the coming period total
$333,274.50. That figure reduces
the budget by $13,437.50 from
Winter 2009 and $34,530.60 from
Fall 2008.
MSA Treasurer Vishal Bajaj
said student organizations fund-
ed by MSA will not be affected
by the funding changes. The Bud-
get Priority Committee and the
Community Service Commission,
which allocate money to student
groups, have the same budget
they had last year.
However, cuts were made in
other commissions and commit-
tees because in the past MSA
had gone beyond the spending its
code allowed.
"We were bringing everything
back to the levels that they were
supposed to be at cause it just
wasn't lawful to our code any-
more," Bajaj said.
A handful of MSA committees
and commissions were not allo-
cated any money in this budget.
In the past two budgets, each
committee and commission was
allocated at least a small amount.
"The committees or commis-
sions that have zero funding
didn't apply for a budget," Bajaj
said.
These groups will be inactive
this semester, Bajaj said.
Among the most notable
of the unfunded groups is the
North Campus Affairs Commis-
sion, which received $5,775 last
winter and the Disability Issues
Committee, which received $475
last winter.
See MSA, Page 7
WEATHER HI: 60
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