Now that junior guard Manny Harris announced he's leaving Michigan for the NBA, is the men's hoops team doomed? PAGE 8 Ann Arbor, Michigan Tuesday, March 30, 2010 michigandaily.com FABRICATING FUTURE FUEL How the 'U' landed Pres. Obama for graduation In recruitment effort, Seedocumentsforthis ANNA SCHULTE/Daily am ece aboutthis Engineering freshman Chris Parmer works on a project for his Engineering 100 class. The class focuses on creating alterna- $ca at t i h s tive energy sources like wind turbines, which will later be tested by the students on the top of the AOSS Building. dass at r Harris to enter NBA Draft Coleman, student leaders sent letters to the White House By JOSEPH LICHTERMAN Daily Staff Reporter Though it was only announced last month that President Barack Obama would be the speaker at this spring's commencement, Univer- sity officials have been communi- cating with the White House since last April to try to get the president to speak at the Big House. According to documents obtained by The Michigan Daily through a Freedom of Information Act request, University President Mary Sue Coleman first contact- ed Alyssa Mastromonaco, White House director of scheduling and advance, on April 30, 2009. Following the initial letter, Cole- man sent a formal invitation direct- ly to Obama last September. In her letter to Obama, Coleman high- lighted the University's history as one of the premier public universi- ties in the country. Coleman also encouraged the P story at Mdngcs i*. president to come to Ann Arbor by referencing the University's com- mitment to topics important to his administration like economic expansion, developing alternative energy sources, sustainability and health care. "The University of Michigan vigorously pursues the many issues our nation faces and that you are tackling as president," Coleman wrote to Obama in her September letter. "Your visit would inspire and motivate continued progress in these areas." In her letter, Coleman also ref- erenced visits by other presidents, including John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech on the steps of the Michi- gan Union. Kennedy, who was cam- paigning at the time, stood before a crowd of students at 2 a.m. to announce his plans to create the Peace Corps. "That night, and in the days and weeks that followed (Kennedy's speech), the enthusiaqtic response of our students helped propel that brief speech into a major national program," Coleman wrote in the letter. "Today's students are no See OBAMA, Page 7 Junior says now is the 'right time' to pursue NBA dream By NICOLE AUERBACH and JOE STAPLETON Daily Sports Editors Junior Manny Harris announced yesterday morning that he will not be returning to Michigan for his senior season. At a press conference, Harris said that it has always been his dream to play basketball profes- sionally, and he felt now was the time to pursue that dream. He will enter his name into the 2010 NBA Draft. "I've thought long and hard about this very difficult decision," Harris said. "This was just some- thing that I always dreamed of (doing). It just felt like it was the right time to do it." Harris is projected by DraftEx- press as a late-second-round pick. Despite averaging 17 points and nearly six rebounds per game for his career, scouts say his body is not NBA-ready and his long-range shooting is questionable. "I heard a lot of different things (about my chances in the Draft), but I believe the work you put in is the work you get out," Harris said. "I'm just going to keep working." The option exists for Harris to work out for NBA teams and hear See HARRIS, Page 3 ARIEL BOND/Daiy 'U' and Chinese university launch research partnership $6M collaboration will focus on renewable energy, biomedical fields By KYLE SWANSON DailyNewsEditor University officials announced a multi-million dollar research partnership with a prominent Chinese university yesterday that will focus on renewable energy and biomedical research. The move signifies a growing relationship between the Uni- million to the effort over the next versity and Shanghai Jiao Tong five years. University in China - with which That financing will complete the University the first phase of the program, already col- but according to the release, both laborates on institutions expect to take advan- educational tage of federal matching programs efforts within for future work. the College of A call for project proposals was Engineering. issued yesterday in Ann Arbor A press KYLE SWANSON and Shanghai. The press release release issued specified that all proposals must by the Uni- Ci c he include researchers from Shang- versity yester- Admin-istion hai Jiao Tong University and the day outlined University of Michigan and that the terms of the collaboration, in all grant proposals will have an which the University and Shang- initial $200,000 annual funding hai Jiao Tong will each commit $3 See RESEARCH, Page 7 SAMANTHA TRAUBEN/Daily EveAronoff poses fora portrait in her restaurant Eve in Kerrytown. Aronoff will be opening a new Cuban-themed restaurant in July. Eve to open Cuban-inspired eatery Political blogger launches mayoral run Pal cha Den tricia Lesko will - doesn't have a background in local politics. Instead, she's spent illenge Hieftje in the past several months scrutiniz- ing Ann Arbor city officials on her nocratic primary blog, A2Politico. Lesko started the blog last By DYLAN CINTI August after The Ann Arbor Daily StaffReporter News, where she worked as a political reporter since 2008, gtime Ann Arbor resident closed its doors. ia Lesko's resume is a little In an interview last week, ent from that of the average Lesko said her idea for the blog al candidate. stemmed from an interest in con- ughshe'srunningfor mayor tinuing to cover the local politi- Arbor, Lesko-- a Democrat, cal scene, despite the loss of one led paperwork yesterday to of Ann Arbor's print newspapers. Mly enter the race for mayor She said she felt the Ann Arbor City Council needed a commit- ted critic who would provide "a counterweight to how issues were being presented by council." Many of her posts on the blog focus on what Lesko considers the city's poor management of funds. In a Feb. 8 post called "The Poli- tics of Priorities," Lesko criticized the city's proposed plan to cut 37 positions in the Ann Arbor police and fire departments to alleviate a $5.2 million budget deficit. "Cutting emergency and other citizen services is an absolutely unacceptable and unnecessary See LESKO, Page 7 Former Top Chef contestant has another restaurant in Kerrytown By LINDSAY KRAMER Daily StaffReporter For Eve Aronoff, the opening of her new restaurant, Frita Batido, is a dream come true. The owner and chef said she always envisioned opening an affordable restaurant that reflected her creative and informal personality. Aronoff, who already owns the restaurant Eve on North 5th Ave- nue in Ann Arbor, will be opening her second venture by July 1, 2010 in the space formally occupied by Caf6 du Jour on West Washington Street. Though the new restaurant will be Cuban inspired, Aronoff said she doesn't plan to offer Cuban dishes. Instead, the chef said the menu will reflect her passion for different tex- tures and flavors and her commit- ment to buying fresh produce from local sources. "(My restaurant) is inspired by Cuban culture and ingredients and my own style of cooking and doing something fun and casual and informal, but still following the things that are important to me like working with local farmers and fol- lowing the seasons and being able to make something that is delicious and affordable," Aronoff said. Aronoff said she has wanted to open Frita Batido ever since read- ing about a Cuban sandwich called Frita - a Cuban burger made of chorizo with shoestring fries on top and an egg bun. "It was so wild because years and years ago I always wanted to do it," Aronoff said. Aronoff said the restaurant will also offer a variety of batidos - milkshakes made with tropical fruit, ice and sometimes rum. She added that she wants Frita Batido to be a restaurant where students can afford to dine regularly and See RESTAURANT, Page 7 Lon Patrici differe mayor Tho of Ann, who fi officia WEATHER HI: 72 GOT A NEWS TIP? T M R OL:5 Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail TOMORROW h LO: 50 news@michigandaily.com and let us know. NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Former 'M' baseball player to have jersey retired. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE GAME INDEX NEWS....... Vol. CXX, No.119 SUDQKU.. 200 The Michigan Daily OPINION.. michigandoilycom .....................2 ARTS.. . . . .........5 .....................3 C LA SSIFIED S ...................... 6 .4 SPORTS.. . . ..........8