The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, September 15, 2011- 5A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, September15, 2011 - 5A
NEBRASKA
From Page 1A
ued for membership," Toiv said.
The AAU has 61 members that
are invited to join the organiza-
tion based on the institutions'
quality of research and pro-
grams for undergraduate, grad-
uate and professional students
and other criteria.
In an e-mail interview Perl-
man wrote that he is not upset
with Coleman if she did vote
against Nebraska and knows she
had the best interest of the AAU
in mind.
"Mary Sue and I have been
friends," Perlman wrote. "Her
husband is a graduate of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
I do not know how she finally
voted but I am sure she voted in
good faith in accordance with
what she thought was best for
AAU."
University spokesman Rick
Fitzgerald declined to comment
on Coleman's part in the matter
since voting is anonymous. The
APPAREL
From Page 1A
Despite the company's low prof-
its, Hodge said there is a strong
demand for the fair-labor pro-
duced clothing.
"We hear the students say they
want the opportunity to support a
brand," Hodge said. "We've given
them the opportunity."
Barnes & Noble bookstore in
the Michigan Union is the only
store on campus to carry Alta
Gracia apparel. In a November
30, 2010 article in The Michigan
Daily, Rishi Narayan, co-owner of
Underground Printing and Moe
Sports Shops, said he doesn't sell
Alta Gracia clothing because cus-
tomers haven't asked him to carry
apparel that is made under fair-
labor conditions.
"The trend is more towards the
'being environmental' aspect of
clothing and the sustainability,"
Narayan said at the time.
Scott Nova, executive director
University of Wisconsin-Madi-
son also declined to comment on
the grounds that Martin is now
president of Amherst College
and no longer affiliated with
Wisconsin.
The Big Ten unanimously
voted to invite Nebraska to
become a member nine months
before the AAU meeting that
resulted in Nebraska losing its
AAU membership. Perlman
wrote that not being an AAU
member will not affect Nebras-
ka's relationship with its Big Ten
colleagues.
"Thiswill have, and has had,
no impact on our relationship
with Michigan or with the Big
Ten," Perlman wrote.
Perlman called the tim-
ing "awkward," but said he is
excited by the opportunity to
work with the Big Ten, despite
Nebraska's removal from the
AAU.
"I don't agree with the AAU
decision, but we are excited
about the opportunities to be a
member of the Big Ten and to
lead in academics in those areas
where we have unique creden-
tials to do so," Perlman wrote.
He added that he thinks
Nebraska's removal from the
AAU potentially had to do with
the fact that its medical school
is located in Omaha, Neb. and is
separate from the main campus
in Lincoln. He wrote that the
AAU does not value the agricul-
tural research of land-grantuni-
versities like Nebraska as much
as schools with strengths in the
medical field.
"The AAU failed to fol-
low their own rules, failed to
apply the standards established
for membership and failed to
account for the fact that their
qualitative membership criteria
can not account for the diversity
of higher education," Perlman
wrote.
Toiv said he disagrees with
the notion that the AAU pri-
oritizes universities with strong
medical programs and facilities
over land-grant institutions,
adding that most of the schools
on the list are public universi-
ties.
WCARDS
From Page 1A
Brown stressed that even
though "piggy-backing" - hold-
ing the door for a person who
may not be authorized to enter
the building - will still occur, she
believes the new card system will
significantly reduce the number of
unauthorized entries.
Kirstin Knag, an Mcard office
assistant, said the process of get-
ting a new Mcard is fairly simple.
If students have an old Mcard,
they will have a new one printed.
If students do not have an old
Mcard, they will be charged $20
and will need to present either a
valid driver's license or passport
to receive their new card.
According to the University's
Office of Public Affairs, about
35,000 new cards have been
issued and about 45,000 cards
still need to be replaced.
Incoming students who were
issued an Mcard for the first time
over the summer already have a
smart Mcard, Brown said. How-
ever, all students are encouraged
to visit mcard.umich.edu and
compare their current Mcard
with the pictures displayed on the
site to see if they need to obtain a
new card.
Though the process is not com-
plicated, Knag said because the
office can only print one card at a
time, lines can build quickly and
students may have to wait.
"I would just like to stress
patience," she said.
To make the process more con-
venient for students, the Mcard
center temporarily opened a sta-
tion in the Chemistry Building
this month. On Central Campus,
students can also visit the Central
Campus Recreation Building and
the Mcard center in the Student
Activities Building to receive their
new cards. On North Campus,
cards can be replaced at Pierpont
Commons, and students and fac-
ulty on South Campus can go to
Wolverine Tower.
Brown added that though the
University is adding the extra
security measure, everyone on
campus should report potentially
suspicious behavior.
"Anytime students or anyone
in our community are seeing sus-
picious behavior, they should call
the police right away," Brown
said. "If people can report sus-
picious behavior quickly to the
police, then we have a better shot
at identifying perpetrators and
gettingthem off our campus."
of the Workers Rights Consor-
tium - a labor rights watchdog
that reports to more than 175
colleges and universities in the
United States including the Uni-
versity of Michigan - was also on
the conference call last night. He
said that stores have few excuses
for not carrying the Alta Gracia
clothingline, which he noted is the
only collegiate apparel company
marked with a Worker Rights Con-
sortium certification tag.
"There's no question in my mind
that they can make room for this
unique product that is demonstrat-
ing respect for the moral values of
universities in a way that no other
product on their shelves is doing,"
Nova said. "So if a store is saying
that they're not carrying the prod-
uct because consumers haven't
come to clamor for it, in my view
as a labor rights advocate, that's a
cop-out."
When asked what Alta Gracia is
doing to promote the clothing line
to students, Bozich said the com-
pany has reached out to university
administrators and students.
"We have a social media cam-
paign, we have an internship
program ... I think the key is just
making people aware that A, it's
available (and) B, why it's unique
and different," Bozich said.
Despite the company's difficul-
ties in makinga profit, its workers
say Alta Gracia has changed their
community.
Speaking through a translator,
Maritza Vargas, the leader of Alta
Gracia's union and an employee
at the factory, said workers at the
company are reaping the benefits
of a living wage that allows them
to support their families, build
homes and further their edu-
cations. The benefits have also
trickled down to the members
of their families, who can have
health insurance and other ben-
efits.
"Our children have been able to
dream of getting a university edu-
cation," Vargas said. "We feel that
we can provide our kids with the
childhood they deserve."
MSA
From Page 1A
"600,000 bottles of water were
purchased in the fiscal year of
2010 at (the University of) Michi-
gan, and the ability to change this
number to zero would not only
help save the ecosystems that
are being destroyed for the bottle
water industry, but educate stu-
dents about why bottled water is
environmentally degrading," Oli-
ver wrote.
She added that since Michigan
is surrounded by five bodies of
fresh water, residents may have
forgotten that water is a precious
resource.
"EIC has putthe focus on water
bottles because water should not
be a privatized resource," Oliver
wrote. "With just one extra step
by grabbing a reusable water
bottle to use instead of purchas-
ing one, our University can make
a difference."
However, members of the EIC
or MSA didn't keep the Univer-
sity's Office of Campus Sustain-
ability apprised of their recent
activity. Andy Berki, manager of
the office of Campus Sustainabil-
ity wrote in an e-mail interview
that the people who work in the
office have met with Oliver to
talk about forming a relationship
between the EIC and the Office of
Campus Sustainability, but there
was no mention of the resolu-
tion to support the elimination of
water bottles.
"If we had been contacted by
MSA, we would have gladly par-
ticipated in conversation around
the challenges associated with
a water bottle ban on campus,"
Berki wrote.
If the University's Board of
Regentsdoes agree to ban the sale
of bottled water on campus, this
would mean that more than 300
campus buildings would need
to add at least one water bottle
refill station, according to Berki.
The money needed to install the
refill stations would come from
different departments depend-
ing on where the stations will be
located, he wrote. Refill stations
in the residence halls would be
funded by the Division of Student
Affairs, those in athletic facilities
would come from Athletics and
stations in the Engineering Col-
lege would be funded by the Gen-
eral Fund, Berki added.
Some campus buildings such
as Mason Hall and the Michigan
Union already have refill stations
that were installed last year as part
ofeffortsbythe University's Planet
Blue program. For students who
live on campus, refillable water
bottle stations are available in
places such as the Ross School of
Business and the Michigan Union.
Berki added that a reusable
water bottle is the easiest way for
students to be environmentally
conscious and students should
take advantage of the clean city
water.
"We are fortunate that Ann
Arbor has clean, high qual-
ity drinking water right from the
tap," he wrote.
However, Berki noted that
though the plan benefits the
environment, it would limit prof-
its among University divisions -
such as the Athletic Department
and the Michigan Union - that
sell water bottles. Despite this
and other concerns, including
banning bottled water may cause
students to purchase unhealthy
drinks, Oliver remains positive
about the outcome of the initia-
tive.
"We look forward to continu-
ing our efforts with the ultimate
goal for the regents of the Uni-
versity to make a similar ban
on campus soon," Oliver wrote.
"We have a few campaigns we
are working on that will further
the knowledge of this issue to the
University and create pressure
for leaders at the University to
make environmentally-conscious
decisions."
Though the resolution was
passed unanimously by MSA,
many students aren't aware ofthe
efforts. When asked to be inter-
viewed by The Michigan Daily,
several students declined to com-
ment because of lack of knowl-
edge on the topic.
Engineering sophomore Joe
Stevens mentioned the benefits
of water bottle filling stations
on campus. He said the spigots
would encourage students like
him to carry around reusable
water bottles.
"I've-got two or three (reus-
able) water bottles in my room
that I could carry with me, but I
just don't," Stevens said, "There
doesn't seem to be a really good
system in place to make (reusable
water bottles) convenient."
SAVA
From Page 1A
did every job," Lelcaj said. "And
then through college, I managed
restaurants and bartended and
did private events and things
like that."
Unable to find a job as a food
critic after graduation, Lel-
caj began helping people open
restaurants. After a restaurant
she operated in Hazel Park,
Mich. fizzled out in 2007, Lelcaj
moved to Ann Arbor at age 23
and opened her own restaurant,
Sava's State Street Cafe, where
CVS is now located. Her busi-
ness moved across the street in
Sept. 2009.
"In that time I really got to
know the people of Ann Arbor. -
I got to know the students, and
the locals, so I really got a better
sense of Ann Arbor," Lelcaj said.
After two-and-a-half years
of settling into the city, Lel-
caj expanded her caf6 from a
43-seat restaurant to a 300-seat
restaurant and renamed it Sava's
Restaurant. Lelcaj, now 28, said
the past five years of owning and
operating her own restaurant
has been "a lot of work," but see-
ing it develop into the business it
is today makes it worthwhile.
"The most rewarding aspect is
watching the business grow and
watching our hard work and our
ideas be received well by the pub-
lic and having people really-enjoy
this place," Lelcaj said. "Becom-
ing a part of people's lives for
the day for a rehearsal dinner, a
graduation party... that to me is
the most rewarding part."
She added that even though
the restaurant is now well estab-
lished, she approaches her busi-
ness as an ever-evolving entity.
Though Lelcaj is currently focus-
ing on a successful opening for
babo, she said she plans to open
more businesses in the future.
"I'm constantly trying to
get better and whenever I get
comfortable, I think of ways
to improve and we never stop
improving, we never stop get-
ting better," Lelcaj said. "I don't
think we'll stop at the market
... because there's just so many
other things I want to bring
to this town and I want to be a
part of in one way or another, so
I think that there will be other
adventures for sure."
With the opening of babo, she
said she hopes to offer the com-
munity Michigan-made prod-
ucts as well as specialty imported
goods such as spices and cured
meats. According to Lelcaj, the
market will also sell prepared
sandwiches and other items for
quick meals. Lelcaj explained
how restaurants in bigger cities,
especially New York City, where
she grew up, inspired the con-
cept for the market.
"I travel quite a bit and check
out restaurants all over the
country to see what they are
doing and what's new in other
cities," Lelcaj said. "One of the
things I kept coming across was
this market-restaurant concept
in bigger cities."
While Sava's Restaurant won't
be physically connected to the
market, Lelcaj said the two
businesses will be intertwined
through their products. The
market will provide most of the
food to the restaurant, and the
restaurant will package and sell
its original products at the mar-
ket. Sava's Greek salad dressing
and orange beet and ginger juice
are just two of the products cus-
tomers will be able to purchase
at babo, Lelcaj said.
The market will offer quality
products while remaining with-
in the price range of students
and the community - a balance
Lelcaj said she feels is realistic.
"It will absolutely be afford-
able," Lelcaj said. "It is definitely
going to be high-end, but for me,
high-end is more of an experi-
ence than a price point ... You
can find really great products at
greatprices,you justhave to look
a little harder, and we're spend-
ing so much time on that."
Lelcaj added that other spe-
cialty markets in the area, such as
Zingerman's Deli, Sparrow Mar-
ket and Replenish, will not nec-
essarily be competition for babo
because she is interested in sell-
ing different products to create
more options in the community.
"We don't really want to com-
pete ... we just want to add more
optionsto this town so that when
people are thinking about shop-
ping ... they aren't automatically
thinking about leaving town,"
Lelcaj said.
She added that she believes
customers will appreciate the
specialty options babo will bring
to the community and the care
her team has put into selecting
each product they intend to sell.
"I feel like it's going to offer
something really special to this
community," Lelcaj said. "We're
not just picking products, we're
curating a product list for people.
We're putting so much thought
into it, and I think that will be
recognized right away and peo-
ple will really appreciate it."
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