4A - Friday, October 16, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com L74t AiC4igan 43at*[9 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu ROBERT SOAVE COURTNEY RATKOWIAK EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR, MANAGING EDITOR I was in the attic and he scared me because he yelled at mne: - Six-year-old Falcon Heene, explaining why he hid from his father, who thought the boy had escaped in an experimental balloon, as reported yesterday by MSNBC. 0 GARY GRACA EDITOR IN CHIEF Unsigned editorials reflect the official position ofthe Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views oftheir authors. A greener blue bus 'U'in serious need of more routes to North Campus t's regrettably true that North Campus can seem like a sep- arate college for those who live there. And the difficulty of traveling between North Campus and Central Campus is cer- tainly a major factor in that feeling of isolation, as anyone who has attempted the journey at peak hours can attest to. But with impor- tant developments happening on North Campus, the University is planning to look into ways of easing the strain on existing meth- ods of transportation. The University should consider all options to improve transportation between North Campus and Central Campus and should aim for a greener commute. ADRIAN CHOY I E-MAIL ADRIAN AT AWCHOY@UMICH.EDU The hassle ofhistoric housing. In her annual State of the University address on Oct. 5, University President Mary Sue Coleman announced the formation of a committee to explore transportation alter- natives to improve intercampus connectiv- ity. The committee, scheduled to meet in early 2010, would consist of transportation experts and local authorities. According to an Oct.18 AnnArbor.com article, the commit- tee will consider a wide array of options to expand the University's transportation sys- tem, including a new bus stop on Fuller Road across from the hospital, better bicycle lanes and a rail system. The committee wants to address current inequities in intercampus connectivity and insure that the transporta- tion needs of the University population are fully met. For many students, North Campus may seem like a far-off land, home only to Burs- ley and Baits Residence Halls, freshmen and a host of brainy engineers. But according to the University, around 10,000 students and faculty members live and work on North Campus. To prevent the creation of a divid- ed campus, it is essential to have a smooth transportation system connecting these two areas.Andthe currentsystem,with cramped buses and long rides, isn't cutting it. Improving transportation to North Cam- pus is especially important due to develop- ments in the last year. One of the catalysts behind the formation of the transportation committee was the University's purchase the 174-acre former Pfizer site, which has now been renamed the North Campus Research Complex. According to the Daily, about 2,000 employees are expected to inhabit the NCRC when it opens for regular business, definitely increasing traffic to North Cam- pus. To compensate, more avenues for trans- portation are clearly needed. As the Universitylooks for ways to expand transportation, it should keep in mind that a well-organized mass transit system should be environmentally friendly. For example, both the city and the University run buses on bio-diesel rather than conven- tional fuels. But the University has resisted following the city's example of switching to hybrid buses. Although initially costly, hybrid buses are cheaper in the long run and better for the environment. Now could be a prime opportunity for the University to make this investment. Greener transpor- tation methods are both dependable and conscientious. North Campus shouldn't feel like that dis- tant step cousin you only see at Christmas. The University needs to offer students and employees more options for bridgingthe gap between the two campuses, because with the NCRC opening, the buses are only going to get tighter. There is a lot of drama sur- rounding City Place, a pro- posed apartment complex on South Fifth Avenue, and it's all much ado about history. Residents had been trying to halt the complex's approval, by forming a his- toric district in the neighborhood. Now that the developer is working to pre- JAMIE serve the history BLOCK of the homes with a new design, the focus of the objec- tions has shifted to preserving a tree, - notably the tree on the Ann Arbor. city seal. The old bur seems to have found itself in the wrong place at the wrong time. As City Place developer Alex de Parry told AnnArbor.com on Oct. 12, "I hate to say a tree is driving alot of this, but this tree is driving alot of it." Well, sir, I hate to hear it, too. But then again, I've really disagreed with the residents' objections the whole time. I'm an appreciator of the arts (I'm a senior arts editor, after all), and I fully acknowledge that architec- ture is considered one of the original fine arts, but I simply do not support the idea of historic districts - here or anywhere else. To halt Ann Arbor development because we want to keep some old houses around is absolutely ridiculous. Population density needs to be a key focus of the city right now, and no amount of rustic porches is going to solve any problems. Low-income housing is needed now more than ever, and we ought to be building as many complexes as possible to support low-income fami- lies in Ann Arbor. To argue that the need to preserve historic architec- ture supersedes the need to provide shelter is preposterous. There is no building so beautiful or old that its value is greater than that of preserv- ing people's well-being. But there's a simple supply and demand counterargument to be made here, too. You don't need to be an econ major to know that people wouldn't want to build somethingthatwouldn't be profitable, that a service is only profitable if people buy it and, finally, that people usually don't buy things they don't want. Logically deduced from these simple points, we can gather that buildings are built to meet some form of popular demand. And while there may be some demand to have old buildings sitting around to remind us what cities looked like back when smallpox was still a big deal, this seems like a paralyzing outlook when it comes to modern expansion. There are plenty of reasons not to want a Wal-Mart in the middle of your small town, but the fact that old Jeremiah Jenkins once used to rock in that old rocking chair in your attic shouldn't be one of them. But there is one argument in favor of historic districts I have failed to address - the artistic argument. It's a prevalent but unfortunate trend that all the old buildings are pretty and all the new ones look like park- ing lots. We have museums and other forms of preservation for most every other kind of art, but a museum full of old buildings is hardly practical. The point here is that the only remaining viable defense for preserving these old homes would be to consider the phrase "historic district" as code for "outdoor museum full of old, pretty buildings." As I said, I'm all about the arts, but no amount of artistic value is worth taking up so much prime real estate for a giant museum that most non-residents don't even see. Call me a dystopian, sightless fool for point- ing this out - I'd be flattered if you did, actually - but there's no practical need to preserve every bit of art in this world, no matter how big or old it may be. If I had my way, we'd tear down all the old historic forts and monuments to put up homeless shelters. Expansion should trump old buildings every time. Historic districts, especially in a time of economic recession with a need for low-income housing, serve no pragmatic purpose. If you want to value aesthetics over advancement, be my guest. But now is not the time to get bogged down in buildings of bygone times. - Jamie Block is a senior arts editor. He can be reached at jamblock@umich.edu. 0 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Ben Caleca, Michelle DeWitt, Brian Flaherty, Emma Jeszke, Raghu Kainkaryam, Sutha K Kanagasingam, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee, Harsha Panduranga, Alex Schiff, Asa Smith, Brittany Smith, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Laura Veith WILL BUTLER I Making Detroit sustainable The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed, passionate writers to join the Editorial Board. Editorial Board members are responsible for discussing and writing the editorials that appear on the left side of the opinion page. E-MAIL ROBERT SOAVE AT RSOAVE@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION. Detroit used to be king. It was the Silicon Val- ley of its day - a city built on innovation and new technology. Its only rule was to keep advancing its industry. But Detroit broke that rule. It held on to the automotive market for too long and then was forced to watch as the city fell into economic despair. Detroit's auto manufactur- ers stopped adapting to a changing society and foreign competition, which caused its long fall from grace. But I know that this isn't the end, and it's because of Detroit's great automotive past that the city is uniquely poised for a manufacturing comeback. Detroit holds the needed infrastruc- ture, workforce and space to match green indus- try with profitability and becaame the world's green epicenter. Detroit can become the king of innovation and new technology once again. Detroit is a huge city. Only a small portion of its approximately 138 square miles is actu- ally densely developed, and so it contains a large amount of space. This is a trait that other large cities don't have. So why not use this space for something productive and economically benefi- cial to the Detroit? The vacant lots, instead of being ghosts of the city's past, could be turned into commercial farms and became products of the future. Small urban farms and community gardens already exist within the city, which provides examples of urban environmentalism, but this idea needs to be expanded to become profitable. Large commercial farms, with an emphasis on envi- ronmental sustainability, would grow Detroit businesses not only locally but also across state lines. These farms could encompass the not-so- dense areas of Detroit and provide much needed employment for the city. Along with open space, Detroit contains fac- tories; which makes the idea of bringing green businesses to the city seemingly contradictory. But the manufacturing infrastructure of the city only gives it advantages. It is the most fiscally responsible choice for green companies. Why build a new factory when you can use an existing one? The city not only has the infrastructure for large-scale green manufacturing but the work- force as well. Using the city's strong population of factory workers and engineers, companies can save time in the turnover from training to producing. Imagine that famous Detroit muscle and steel constructing massive numbers of solar panels on the assembly line instead of cars. The growth of a green Detroit doesn't just stop at the city limits. It would ripple through- out the entire state. Specifically, Ann Arbor would undoubtedly see enormous benefits since it's located so closely to Detroit. A green Detroit would not only encourage job growth here, but would present unique possibilities to the Uni- versity for partnerships with the private sec- tor. Such partnerships would not only aid the University's commitment to environmental sustainability and research, such as the goals highlighted by University President Mary Sue Coleman in her State of the University address, but would also educate generations of young, environmentally-conscious minds. A partner- ship would also further feed the workforce of green companies and provide close employment to graduates. Detroit was a city built on hard work and innovation. And although those ideas have partially been forgotten by the industry that thrived on them, they can still be used to rebuild. Detroit, because of its past, is ina prime position to become the world's green epicenter, which would benefit not only the city but also the entire state through increased employment and revenue. Michigan's economic success is dependent on a revitalized and profitable Detroit. Although it may be hard to see through the lens of today's economic recession, Detroit's green future is not too far off. It can once again lead in advanc- ing industry and innovation. Detroit was once king, and I say it's time for the city to reclaim its crown. Will Butler is an LSA freshman. Innovation domination A sk any person on the street, least. This imbalance in innovation and they'll probably tell you can be partly explained by U.S. leads that the U.S. has the larg- in another area: graduate schools and est economy of research universities. According to any nation in the the Academic Ranking of World Uni- world. But there is versities, more than 30 of the top 40 much more uncer- universities in the world are in the tainty about how U.S. With their prestige, research, the country actu- facilities and highly esteemed pro- ally got there. Some grams, American research universi- students probably ties are very successful in attracting had grandparents brainpower from within and outside who told them that BRIAN of the U.S. Americans just FLAHERTY The role of this knowledge is more work harder than important now than ever. The mod- people in other ern world of invention looks a lot countries. The different from the world of Edison preachers on the Diag might be more or Ford. In growing areas of the U.S. inclined to tell you that God did it. economy like medicine, energy and But I'm partial toward the explana- IT, it's increasingly difficult for a tion offered by President Franklin single person to create breakthrough Roosevelt, who credited America's technologies in his or her backyard. success to "that spark of creativity Research universities, corporations and ingenuity - which has always and startups that employ university been at the heart of who we are and graduates fill a void by pouring bil- how we succeed." And universities lions into laboratories, computers like this one are now at the center of and research projects. This results in the ingenuity my favorite president new technologies, new products, new was talking about. jobs and new value for beneficiaries. One of the most remarkable fea- Among other things, this research tures of the U.S. is, to me, the coun- contributes to genetic engineering try's preeminence in innovation. If of food to the drugs you take when innovation were a pie, Americans you're sick. would be eatingmuch more thantheir Although it's not always entirely fair shares. Of the roughly 800 Nobel obvious, innovation is taking place Prizes awarded since 1901, more than behind the scenes at universities 300 were awarded to Americans in across the country, including here. areas including physics, chemistry And these innovations have real eco- and medicine. (The United Kingdom nomic effects. A 2009 study of Michi- was the runner-up, with 114 at last gan's top three research universities count.) Although other nations have found that the institutions generated been gaining ground, the U.S. still a $16 economic benefit for every dol- holds a hefty lead in the number of lar invested by the state and produced patents it produces. an economic impact of $14.5 billion - That the U.S., which comprises less large enough to support more than than five percent of the world's popu- 48,000 full time employees. On top lation, has produced over 35 percent of that, they produced more than of the world's Nobel Prize Laureates 480 inventions, 120 patents and 130 is quite an achievement, to say the t licenses during the past five years. From the looks of it, at least some of these inventions are goingto result in startup companies right in our own backyard. Just recently, the Universi- ty announced the launch of the Mich- igan Venture Center, an organization that will pair faculty and research- ers with entrepreneurs and inves- tors to launch startups based around University research and inventions. In the past, the University has been involved in launching about nine startups per year, but the number is anticipated to increase to 12 with this new public-private partnership. Research colleges hold the key to a great economy. Research universities make good use of the limited money available for their research. But as a nation, the U.S. is tanking. The U.S. is now behind Europe and Asia in the num- ber of degrees it awards in science and engineering, in both undergradu- ate and graduate programs. Although the U.S. continues to spend more on research and development than the European Union and other nations, the percent of GDP the government spends on R&D is much lower. Politi- cians don't typically gain popularity by investing tax dollars in research, development and universities. But they ought to. Innovation matters, and it springs from research univer- sities - not from thin air. - Brian Flaherty is an associate editorial page editor. He can be reached at bflawumich.edu. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. Letters are edited for style, length, clarity and accuracy. All submissions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umich.edu. 0