The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, October 16, 2009 - 7A The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, October16, 2009 - 7A Down economy could improve people's health, study reports Baucus: Democrats will vote for health reform plan During the Great Depression, life 0 expectancy jumped from 57 to 63 years By OLIVIA CARRINO Daily StaffReporter A new University study shows that although the current eco- nomic downturn may be hurting your income, it may also be help- ing your health. According to a University study published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy ofScience, life expectan- cy increased by six or seven years duringtheGreatDepression,while deaths from disease, accidents and infant mortality decreased. Researchers JosTapiaGrana- dos and Ana Diez Roux from the University's Institute for Social Research used historical life expectancy and mortality data to analyze the relationship between economic growth and population health from 1920 to 1940. They found that the life expec- tancy of men and women, both white and non-white, increased from 57 to 63 years between 1929 and 1932. Mortality tended to peak dur- ing times of strong economic expansion, but declined dur- ing times of economic recession when there were even gains in life expectancy. Of course, suicide mortal- ity, which increased during the Great Depression, was the only exception. Tapia Granados said he believes that general health tends to evolve more during periods in which the economy is weakened, while peri- ,ds of economic expansion are not good for population health. 'I think that the study quite clearly shows that the ideas that economic recession are bad for society in all aspects are quite wrong," he said. "In this case it is quite clear that the Great Depres- NOTEBOOK From Page lA H1NI ON CAMPUS Also during the meeting yes- terday, the regents received an update on the state of the HINI flu at the University. According to a presentation by Dr. Robert Ernst, the medi- cal director of University Health Service clinic operations, told the regents that the extensive coordi- nation between University Health Service, the University's Health System, the office of the Provost and the Division ofStudent Affairs are key to controlling a possible outbreak on campus. Ernst said currently the Uni- versity Hospital sees between five and 10 patients with HIN1 each day, down from early September when as many as 50 cases were visiting the hospital each day. Ernst explained that while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have classified most states as having a widespread out- break of H1N1, Michigan is one of only a few states not to have been classified in that category. While Ernst explained this, University President Mary Sue Coleman - a biochemist who has served onthe board of the Institute of Medicine - said, "It's just a mat- ter of time," referring to the fact that most believe every state will be classified as having widespread cases of HINT in the near future. On a positive note, Ernst said the University of Michigan Health System received its first shipment of HiN1 vaccinations this week and that it would begin giving them to staff next week. Because ofthe limited availabil- ity of vaccinations, health workers and people at high risk will receive vaccinations first, Ernst said. In an interview after the meet- ing, Coleman said she was con- sion, in the aspect of population health, was not at all harmful." During the economic expan- sion period known as the Roar- ing Twenties, population health stagnated and there was no prog- ress in U.S. health as a whole, Tapia Granados said. However, during the economic recession of the 1930s, the general trend was an increase in longevity. Although the study did notana- lyze potential causes for the pat- tern, including possible advances in technology and health care, the researchers offer some explana- tions about the trend. Among other theories, during recessions, there is less work to do, more time to sleep and less money is spent on alcohol and tobacco because people do not have the means. Tapia Granados included that a wrong interpretation of this study is thatbeing unemployed is good for one's health. "The paper is looking at the whole population and cannot differentiate what was happen- ing to people who had jobs and those who did not have jobs," he explained. "To be jobless, to be unemployed, is not good for health. Even though in periods of recession more people are unem- ployed, at the population level, at the general level, the health of the people tend to improve." Tapia Granados said the study's findings may also be applicable to the current eco- nomic downturn. "Is this relevant for present conditions? Well I think so," he said. "Not because you can extrapo- late what happened 70 years ago or 80 years ago to the present, but because there have been other studies in which effects of reces- sions and expansions of health have been looked at," he contin- ued. "They have been looked at in quite more recent periods, in the 1980s and 1990s, and the results of these studies are quite con- sistent with results for the Great Depression." fident about the plan's ability to deal with HN at the University. "I feel really good about our preparation," Coleman said. "Who knows, we might get a big wave, but I think we're prepared for it." REGENTS APPROVE HONORARY DEGREES By a unanimous vote, the University's Board of Regents approved four honorary degrees to be awarded at winter com- mencement during its monthly meeting yesterday. Jeff Daniels, a well-known actor, songwriter and playwright, will deliver the keynote address at winter commencement. During the ceremony, University officials will honor him with an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts. Though not speaking at com- mencement, long-time White House Correspondent Helen Thomas will also attend win- ter commencement and will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Grace Lee Boggs, an advocate for civil rights, labor issues and justice, will also accept an hon- orary Doctor of Humane Letters while in attendance at the winter commencement ceremonies. Edward Wilson, who spoke at the opening of the University's Life Science Institute in 2004, will return to campus for winter commencement. While in atten- dance, Wilson - a widely-known entomologist - will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree. None of the four individuals are alumni of the University, but Uni- versity President Mary Sue Cole- man said they were selected to receive honorary degrees because of their ties to Michigan and lead- ership in their fields. - Daily News Editor Jillian Bermar contributed to this report. Senate Finance chair said lawmakers have a moral obligation to reach an agreement WASHINGTON (AP) - When it comes time to vote, every Demo- crat in the Senate - and perhaps more than one Republican - will support legislation overhauling the nation's health care system, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee predicted Thursday. That assertion by Sen. Max Bau- cus,D-Mont.,was anotable show of confidence coming in the midst of negotiations with Majority Leader Harry Reid and White House offi- cials to finalize legislation that can satisfy liberal Democrats without alienating moderates - and get the 60 votes needed to advance in the 100-seat Senate. Baucus told reporters that law- makers have a moral obligation to repair the health care system to rein in costs and extend coverage to millions of the uninsured. "And that is why we are goingto pass health care reform legislation this year, and it is why every Dem- ocrat will vote for it, and it is why there will be at least one Republi- can and maybe a couple more who also will vote for it," Baucus said. "Every Democrat will vote for national health care reform," Bau- cus emphasized. Democrats control 60 Senate votes, but that includes two inde- pendents, and leaders have been uncertain of support from a num- ber of moderates who've expressed concerns about the price tag of health care legislation and the gov- ernment's role in a remade system. Baucus' prediction followed approval by his committee ear- lier this week of a tO-year, $829 billion bill that makes numerous changes to the health care system alongthe lines sought by President Barack Obama, but taking a more centrist approach than the other four health care bills approved by House and Senate committees. Baucus and Reid met Thursday with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and other officials wrestlingto merge the Finance bill with a more liberal version passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Reid later held out hope of get- ting support from more Repub- licans than just Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, who was the lone GOP "yes" vote in the Finance Committee. Unanswered is whether Reid will include provisions in the bill to allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private industry. That so-called public plan is supported by liber- als, who spoke up in favor of it at a closed-door Senate Democratic caucus meeting Thursday. But because of opposition from moderate Senate Democrats, any public plan Reid does include likely would be some type of com- promise, such as leaving the deci- sion on a public plan to states or offering public coverage only as a backstop in areas where one insur- er has a lock on the market - the approach favored by Snowe. Reid said, "We're going to work very hard ... to see what, if any- thing, we're going to do" on a gov- ernment plan. "I favor a public option. Every- one knows that," Reid added. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., mounted a strong defense of a public plan at a news confer- ence, contending that recent attacks from the health insurance industry should dispel any doubts about the need for it. "Our House bill will have a pub- lic option," Pelosi declared. She referred to an industry- funded study that said insurance premiums would rise under the Senate Finance bill, and also ref- erenced an insurance industry ad campaign targeted at seniors. PEDICABS From Page1A tion in New York City that limited the number of pedicabs allowed on the streets, Schemanski and Lycka said they were able to purchase two cabs at a cheap price. Schemanski said this made the opportunity too good to pass up. They started the business last summer in their hometown of Peto- skey, Mich., giving tours of the city during the afternoons and running as a regular taxi service for the local bars during the night. In the fall, Schemanski brought the business to Ann Arbor, where the pedicabs were first used during welcome week. "At first there were a lot of double takes," he said. "We started talking to people about it and alot of people didn't know what it was. But once one person rode it, and people saw it, they joined in too." For rides under 10 minutes, the drivers only ask for a tip. But if the ride is longer than 10 minutes, they'll give you a quote, typically $3 to $5 per person, per mile. "Some people questionthe decision to go by tips," Schemanski said. "But it has proven itself to work very well. I would say that I get overpaid much more frequently than underpaid." Music School senior Fritz McGirr, who sometimes drives the pedicabs, was even tipped with a burrito once after he transported the co-owner of Burrito Jointtowork. "It made my day," he said. The pedicabs run from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., Friday through Sunday, and Schemanski said it is rare for a driver Calvin Schemanski poses for a photo with the pedicabs he recently purchased to start his transportation business. to go 10 minutes without giving a ride. "Most people walk because call- ing a (regular) taxi for a 10- or 15-minute walk seems silly;" he said: "But when a guy with a bike andcar- riage rolls by asking only for a tip to ride you to your destination, many people recognize the value and take advantage of our service." Engineering freshman Joe Beck, who is a regular pedicab customer, said the quality of the service is one reason he continues to come back. "Calvin told me he'd take me down the street for a dollar," Beck said. "After that, I kept seeing him and Ikept gettingrides." Beck is just one of the many regu- lar customers the new service has drawn, but once winter comes, they might have to resort to regular taxis to transport them around town. "We pride ourselves on doing our best to provide an enjoyable ride," Schemanski said. "When the tem- perature is so cold it is hard to offer that quality experience." Petoskey Pedicab, LLC will close for the winter but not permanently. Depending on the weather, the com- pany might open occasionally. Schemanski said the two plan to return to Petoskey next summer where they will continue to offer tours. And, because of their success in Ann Arbor, they plan to come back again next fall. "This was our experimental year. It didn't costus much.We found alot of demand for it," Schemanski said. "We didn't have any problems with the government or police so we're buying another pedicab or two and continuing it next year." Despite the positive feedback for the new company;there are some in Ann Arbor who aren't as excited. Kevin Tulppo, a dispatcher for Amazing Blue Taxi, LLC, voiced his skepticism of the new business. Tulppo said it was taking away some of his business, but he didn't see how the company could last in the winter months. "It's a nice novelty, but I don't see howpeoplecanmakealivingoffofit," Tulpposaid. "Theonlytime(pedicabs can) make moneyisthe first couple of months of autumn and then the few weeksbefore graduation." ENDOWMENT From Page 1A investment results underscore the importance of having a spending rule that smoothes out the impact of the volatility in financial markets and provides a steady and grow- ing level of distributions from the endowment to support University operations." The University calculates the overall value of the endowment by averaging the quarterly market value of the endowment over a sev- en-year timeframe. The seven-year average is by far one of the most CONVENTION From Page 1A ment more relevant to students by inviting them to take part in the revision process. Students can apply to be a part of the convention on MSA's website starting early next week. From those applications, MSA President Abhishek Mahanti, will select about 40 delegates to serve at the convention. MSA representatives will hold about a quarter of the spots at the convention. Mahanti said revising the stu- dent constitution has the potential to improve the way students inter- act with each other and with their student government. "The all-campus constitution governs the way that all the student entities on campus work, whether it's student government or student organizations," Mahanti said. "By re-writing that, we can get student orgs to work together in a new, pos- itive way." Michael Rorro, MSA vice presi- dent, will chair the constitutional convention. He said it will re-exam- ine how MSA serves student groups on campus. "The entire structure of how we conservative approaches among universities, since most schools use three- or five-year averaging sys- tems. In an interview after the meet- ing, University President Mary Sue Coleman said she's proud of the University's long-term investment strategy. "They arelong-term thinkers and that has served us extraordinarily well," Coleman said of Lundberg and the Investment Office. "None of us know what the markets are going to do, but I have great faith in (Lundberg's) team." Despite her confidence, Coleman said additional cuts to University function is really coming into light and coming into question," Rorro said. After the convention comes up with a revised document, they will vote to put the document on the bal- lot and then the student body will vote on it during the March MSA elections, Mahanti said. Three fifths of the voting student body needs to approve the docu- ment for it to be enacted. Rorro said he hopes the con- vention will be able to approve the document by the end of January to allow for two months of promotion on campus before the vote. In the process of rallying appli- cants, the leaders of this convention have the added burden of proving the relevance of the constitution to the studentbody. Rorro said the topics that are most important to students are funding for student groups, the Central Student Judiciary and the power that MSA has to amend the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities. "Every single funding source from student fees for student orgs is governed by this document," Rorro said. The students on the convention will have the power to change how spending would be needed to offset expected cuts in state funding. "We'll be tightening our belts," she said. "We've already said we've got to cut this year, but our goal is to protect the experience students have and always make that better." Regent Denise Ilitch (D-Bing- ham Farms) said in an interview after the meeting that she recog- nizes the University will likely face hardships in the coming years. "I think it's too early to tell but I am concerned that we're going to have a difficult year next year over- all," Ilitch said. "I think we will be impacted - to what degree, it's hard to say." money is distributed and even what percentage of the MSA's income will be given to student groups. In addition to amending the funding structure, delegates to the convention can also amend the organization of the student judicial court. CSJ has the power to solve disputes between student organi- zations, within student organiza- tions and students can file a CSJ suit against MSA. In the current constitution, there are no specifics as to who can serve as a justice on CSJ, which allows for the possibility of corruption. While this hasn't come up yet, the current constitution, for example, does not prevent the MSA president from sit- ting as a justice. "I mean there's not that many cases through CSJ, but if we clean up the process and let people know about it, there might be a couple hundred CSJ cases a year," Rorro said. "Which means that MSA is putting people on this body and that's actually a really important thing." The constitution also gives MSA the power to amend the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, which students agree to when they apply to the University, Rorro said. MSA - along with executive offi- I However, Ilitch said she is proud that the University has been able to outperform many other institu- tions. "I'm pleased with the perfor- mance," Ilitch said. "I think we've done much better than some of our peers." Despite the hit to the Universi- ty's financial backbone, University officials expect the overall invest- ment payout to increase in the com- ing year, because of the University's seven-year rolling average method of calculation. - Managing News Editor Jacob Smilovitz contributed to this report. cers of the University, and Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, the leading faculty govern- ing body - has the power to amend the statement. This year, MSA will consider pro- posing seven amendments to the Statement. There have been no pro- posals from University executives or SACUA, Rorro said. By taking the power out of the hands of the assembly, Rorro hopes that the politics involved in MSA that have made large-scale change difficult in the past will not get in the way at the convention. Rorro cited last year's effort to get rid of political parties, which failed because MSA representatives were each sponsored by a party. Along with the major changes that this convention could make to the constitution, Rorro said that this process has the potential to unite student organizations. "This could, as aside effect, could really bring campus together," Rorro said. He added that the creation of the convention shows MSA's commit- ment to change. "We languished control of our organization," Rorro said. "This assembly had ahuge amount of faith with the student body." BECOME A FAN OF THE DAILY ON FACEBOOK And get instant updates on our top stories.