be 1Midig lan L ~
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Friday, January 8,2010
michigandaily.com
NEW TEACHING PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
Fellowship
to train 'new
generations'
of teachers
AARON AUGSBURGER/Dcily
Ann Arbor Public Schools Superintendant Todd Roberts speaks to the citizens at Ann Arbor's Huron High School about proposed cuts to the school district's budget last
night. The meeting was the first of four public forums about the budget cuts scheduled for this month.
Superintendent: APSPwi
keep cuts out of classroom
'U,' state join forces
to improve science,
math education in
high-need areas
By TORREY ARMSTRONG
Daily StaffReporter
LANSING - Governor Jennifer
Granholm, alongwith officialsfrom
the University and five other col-
leges across the state, announced
yesterday at the State Capitol the
creation of a fellowship program
that they hope will train Michi-
gan's next generation of math and
science teachers. After their stud-
ies, the 240 graduates will be sent
to some of the state's highest-need
secondary school districts for a
three-year teaching commitment.
The program, called the W.K.
Kellogg Foundation Woodrow Wil-
son Michigan Teaching Fellow-
ship, will send students to Grand
Valley State University, Western
Michigan University, Michigan
State University, Eastern Michigan
University, Wayne State University
and the University of Michigan to
get a master's degree in education
focusing on a science, technology,
engineering or math (STEM) field.
After completing their studies,
fellows will be sent to teach in the
Grand ERapids, Ealamazoo, Benton
Harbor, Detroit, and Battle Creek
public school districts.
At yesterday's press conference,
Granholm said the program will
help to bring talented and driven
graduates to Michigan and into the
field of education.
"The immediate beneficiaries
are the six universities and the
school districts, but also the 240
peoplenany of whomwill be com-
ing back to Michigan, into edu-
cation," she said. "They may be
displaced engineers who want to
return and get a master's degree to
bring their applied knowledge into
the classroom."
University President Mary Sue
Coleman, who was also at the press
conference, agreed with Granholm,
adding that the dwindling interest
from students in STEM subjects is
a national crisis.
"We're accepting more and more
international students in computer
science, engineering and math
because U.S. students are not inter-
ested," Coleman said. "We've got
to get better teachers to interest
them."
See FELLOWSHIP, Page 3
Rob
w
co
$21
lerts says district $21 million in cuts over the next two
years, largely resulting from state
ill reduce other funding reductions.
In November, county voters
sts to cope with rejected a property tax increase -
the Regional Enhancement Millage
million shortfall - that would have provided AAPS
with approximately $11 million in
By DYLAN CINTI additional revenue per year. The
DailyStaffReporter millage passed in Ann Arbor, but
was defeated countywide.
Id Roberts, superintendent Yesterday's public meeting-held
n Arbor Public Schools, told at Ann Arbor's Huron High School
han 100 people at a meeting - was the first of four scheduled
ght that the district facesup to for this month. The meetings offer
a forum for the public to respond to
cuts proposed by the district, Rob-
erts said.
Robert Allen, AAPS deputy
superintendent for operations,
began the meeting by outlining the
district's operating budget.
Allen pointed out that the district
spends 85 percent of its total budget
on employee salaries and benefits,
making layoffs an unavoidable part
of the cuts.
But Roberts said that the district
will do its best to keep cuts away
from the classroom.
"Our goal has been to not disrupt
classrooms for students," Roberts
said.
Reductions will mainly center on
employees outside of the classroom,
like administrators and other staff-
ers, Roberts said.
One proposed cut would reduce
custodial and maintenance costs by
$2.5 million, accordingto anAnnar-
bor.com article published yesterday.
The district's proposal currently
includes cutting 34 staffers, the
Annarbor.com article reports.
See AAPS, Page 3
Tod
of An
more t
lastni
ELECTIONS
House speaker to explore
entering race for governor
RIDING THROUGH THE SNOW
Announcement
comes two days
after Lt. Gov. said
he won't run
EgI LH TERMAN
DailySta#Reporter
Andy Dillon, the speaker
of Michigan's House of Rep-
resentatives, announced yes-
terday he was forming an
exploratory committee for a
potential gubernatorial run.
The announcement came two
days after Democratic front-
runner, Lt. Gov. John Cherry
announced he wouldn't be run-
ning for governor because of
fundraising problems.
Dillon (D-Redford) posted a
video on his website to formally
make the announcement. In the
video,the three-term State Rep.
pledged to work to turn around
the state's stagnant economy.
"For generations, our state led
the nation in creating good jobs
that enabled millions of families
- like mine - to live the Michi-
gan dream," Dillon said in the
video. "I've seen what stands
in the way of economic growth,
and I know we can change it.
But it won't happen with the
same old thinking."
Dillon continued to say that
in order for the state to prosper,
all Michiganders, regardless of
party affiliation, must unify.
"To grow our economy and
create good jobs, we can't con-
tinue the bitter partisanship in
Lansing," he said in the video.
See DILLON, Page 3
AARON AUGSBURGER/Daily
Students battle through the snow to board the bus at the C.C. Little stop during a heavy snow yesterday afternoon.
Rental vacancies up, officials say
A2 attorney to run for state Rep. seat
Christine Green to
make bid for seat
currently held by
Pam Byrnes
By BETHANY BIRON
Daily StaffReporter
Christine Green, an Ann
Arbor attorney, announced
yesterday that she will be run-
ning to represent Ann Arbor
and other parts of Washtenaw
county in the Michigan House
of Representatives.
Green is running in the
August2010 Democratic prima-
ry election for the 52nd District
seat currently held by State Rep.
Pam Byrnes. Byrnes, who is not
eligible for re-election because
of term limits, is running for a
seat in the state Senate.
According to a press release
posted yesterday on Green's
website votechristinegreen.
com, Green focused much of
her legal career on advocating
for minorities and women in
the work force.
Green recently represented
Robert McGee, a University
graduate student research
assistant, who sued the Uni-
versity's Board of Regents in
November alleging wrongful
termination. McGee ultimately
lost the lawsuit.
See GREEN, Page 3
Landlords, experts
predict vacancy
levels to return to
normal this year
By MICHELE NAROV
For the Daily
Though the number of rental
units that remained vacant in Ann
Arbor last year was higher than in
recent years due to the tough econ-
omy, experts and Ann Arbor land-
lords say they expect the number of
vacancies to returnto normal in the
next year.
Mary Jo Callahan, director of
Washtenaw County's Office of
Community Development, said
even as tenancy remained high in
affordable housing units, the rent-
al vacancies in Ann Arbor rose to
notable heights in 2009.
"Rental vacancy was way up,
extremely uncharacteristic of a
town near several universities,"
Callahan said, referencing how
those communities are sometimes
shielded, in part, from troubles in
the state or national economies.
Francis Clark, president of Arch
Realty, said students renting homes
and apartments through his com-
pany were more concerned with
cost than in recent years, which
lead to vacancies in more unitsthan
usual.
"People were a lot more price-
sensitive [this past year]," he said.
"In other years, where you might
have had two people living in a two
bedroom unit, this year we saw
more than that."
Clark added that apartment
complexes like 4 Eleven Lofts and
Zaragon Place offered more hous-
ing options to students with bigger
See VACANCIES, Page 3
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