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. U QI W z 0! cenis DZOMtAt/Daiy 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. 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