E It iC tgan4,3allm (i)N:-F i IIIv~i~ TLI' -()\ 'AI.iS OF l .?EE") Ann Arbor, Michigan Tuesday, April 12, 2011 michigandaily.com STATE BUDGET 'U' officials: Tuition hike to be under 7.1 percent DANIELLE TOLL/Daily LSA senior Samantha Greenberg gets a free haircut from Douglas J Aveda hairdresser Ashley Overmyer in exchange for donating her hair to Locks of Love and Pantene's Beautiful Lengths. The donation was part of the University Hospital's "Share Your Hair" donation drive in the hospital's Towsley Lobby yesterday. UNIVERSITY FACULTY SACUA passes motion for polin fculon issues Coleman says 'U' to meet governor's guideline regarding tuition increase cap By JOSEPH LICHTERMAN Daily News Editor Despite Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed cuts to higher education appropriations, Uni- versity officials say they believe tuition increases for the 2011-2012 academic year will be limited. Snyder has proposed a 15-per- cent cut in state funding to public colleges and universities in Mich- igan for the 2012 fiscalyear. How- ever, schools may receive less funding from the state if tuition increases exceed 7.1 percent- the state average of tuition hikes over the past five years. In separate interviews with The Michigan Daily, University President Mary Sue Coleman and University Provost Philip Hanlon said they anticipate the Univer- sity's tuition increase will be less thanthe 7.1-percentlimitsetforth in Snyder's proposed budget. "I think that we will be within the tuition restraint that (Snyder has) required to get the extra piece of (the state appropria- tion)," Hanlon said. "I think that we are aware that his budget pro- posal isn't the final budget, so we are thinking about contingency should the situation get worse, but our main planning is around the 15-percent cut." If Snyder's plan is adopted by the Michigan Legislature in its current form, the University would face an approximately $47.5-million reduction in state funding. The University was appropriated $316 million from the state for the current fiscal year. However, if the University's tuition rate increase exceeds the 7.1-percent tuition guideline, the fundingcut would increase by 5.2 percent, or about $14 million. Coleman said the University will maintain its commitment to financial aid regardless of any tuition increase. "We have always tried to match, with even more commit- ment, financial aid than with the tuition increase because we know, that families are struggling ..." Coleman said. See TUITION, Page 3 Committee also seeks advice on recent FOIAs By KAITLIN WILLIAMS Daily StaffReporter The leading faculty govern- ing body's authority came under question by its own members at the group's meeting yesterday afternoon. Members of the Senate Advi- sory Committee on Univer- sity Affairs discussed NOTEBOOK whether con- ducting a poll to ask faculty members' opinions on extending the tenure probationary period would strengthen or undermine democratic process. Though the motion was ultimately withdrawn, SACUA members unanimously passed another motion calling for polls would be conducted in the future to help decide SACUAs position on issues. The discussion arose when SACUA member Rachel Gold- man, a professor in the College of Engineering, made a motion to conduct the poll of the assembly members. "The 4ietion - remains,' Goldman said, "are we going to have democracy?" But, she later withdrew the motion because of concerns about timing and the methodol- ogy that would be used to con- duct the poll. The University Senate voted last month to recommend the See SACUA, Page 3 SPRING COMMENCEMENT PLAY ME A SONG, MR. PIANO MAN 35 percent of graduates to wear recycled gowns N I More students to wear gowns made of plastic bottles ByHALEYGLATTHORN Daily StaffReporter Students filing into the Big House to receive their diplomas at this year's Spring Commence- ment will receive one final lesson from the University - go green. Some graduates will be dressed in gowns made of recy- cled plastic bottles at commence- ment on April 30 as part of a collaborative initiative between the University administration and students in a Graham Envi- ronmental Sustainability Insti- tute course. About 35 percent of graduates will don the recycled gowns, according to a recent Graham Institute press release. Though the option to wear recycled gowns has been avail- able for the past two years, the number purchased has signifi- cantly increased this year. Mike Shriberg, who teaches the course "Sustainability in the Cam- pus" which is sponsoring the program, said the change was prompted by a greater interest in sustainability on the part of the University administration. See GOWNS, Page 3 UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL * Ohio Sen. Portman to give Law School commencement speech ALLISON KRUSKE/Daily Architecture junior Tim Yang plays the piano in the Duderstadt Center yesterday. Yang has been playing piano for five years and said it is a way of escaping the stress of school. UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ~ Engineering students testing balloons to provide Internet in remote locations Balloons may extend these balloons aren't for gazing design class taught by Lecturer at beautiful landscapes. Darren McKague - are involved Internet access after The students are part of the in the balloon technology high-altitude balloon teams efforts. The dozen students in natural disasters hit in the College of Engineering, the class, as well as other Engi- Law School Portman (R-Ohio) will be this year's Law School commence- alum to speak at mentspeaker. Portman wrote in a Univer- May 7 ceremony sity press release issued yester- day that he is looking forward By MIKE MERAR to talking to students at his alma Daily StaffReporter mater as they prepare to enter the professional world. The University Law School "The University of Michigan announced yesterday that U.S. Law School is a model for aca- Sen. and Law School alum Rob demic excellence, preparing our best and brightest young minds for challenging careers ahead," Portman wrote. "I feel honored as an alum to speak to the future leaders of our country as they prepare to take their next steps in life." Law School Dean Evan Caminker wrote in the press release that Portman is a role model for many students who See PORTMAN, Page 3 By RAYZA GOLDSMITH Daily Staff Reporter A group of University stu- dents is working on sending bal- loons to high altitudes, though which are experimenting with using the balloons to extend the availability of the Internet to rural areas and disaster zones. Students enrolled in Atmo- spheric, Oceanic and Space Sci- ences 583 - a space systems neering students, participate in the teams, which experiment with the basics of ballooning, and aiming to use ballooning to expand the availability of mobile technology. The students will be See BALLOONS, Page 3 WEATHER HI: 62 GOT A NEWS TIP? NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM INDEX Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail Hagelin signs with New York Rangers Vol. CXXI, No.129 TOMORROW :, o:2 news@michigandaily.com and let us know. 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