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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
michigandaily.com
STATE REGULATIONS
'U'educates
community on
state neonatal
blood bank
Blood samples from
babies in Michigan
used for research
without consent
By PAIGE PEARCY
Daily StaffReporter
If you were born at a hos-
pital in Michigan after 1984,
your blood is probably stored in
Detroit and used for research.
But most Michigan-born resi-
dents don't know this.
Since 1984, blood samples
of nearly every baby born in
Michigan were collected and
saved and now sit in Wayne
State University's Tech Town
warehouse in Detroit as part
of the Neonatal BioTrust. In
2009, lawmakers decided to
allow the 4 million-plus sam-
ples to be used in research
without requiring consent
from individuals.
Life Sciences and Society,
a program in the University's
School of Public Health, held a
town hall meeting last week to
inform students and Michigan
residents about the bank and
to help them make a decision
about the future of their blood.
The town hall meeting was one
of several that have taken place
throughout the state during
the year.
Sharon Kardia, director of
LSS and chair of the Depart-
ment of Epidemiology in the
School of Public Health, one
of the leaders of the town hall
meetings, said many people are
surprised to find out about the
blood bank.
"(They) had no idea that
their blood spots or their kids'
blood spots were in this bio-
bank," Kardia said. "The next
piece after the surprise is usu-
ally (a kind)of concern: 'Well
what else do they have, why
wasn't I told and when are they
goingto ask?"'
It is estimated that 20,000
University students have their
blood in the BioTrust, accord-
ing to an LSS press release. The
program seeks to inform stu-
dents that they can sign a con-
sent document or ask that their
blood not be used.
Kardia said researchers
want the public to give consent
and use samples from people
who give consent so that good
relationships are maintained
between the research and pub-
lic communities.
"Consent is such a funda-
mental part of good research
See BLOOD BANK, Page 6A
MARLENE LACASSE/Daily
FROM LEFT: University President Mary Sue Coleman, Residence Hall Association President Haley Prasad, E. Royster Harper, the University's vice president for student
affairs; and University Housing Director Linda Newman, cut a ribbon at a ceremony yesterday celebrating the opening of newly renovated Couzens Residence Hall.
Couzens renovations
laude",..d at dedication
Residence hall
now has wireless
Internet, air
conditioning
By RAYZA GOLDSMITH
Daily StaffReporter
Equipped with wireless Inter-
net, air conditioning, a game
room and a kitchen for student
use, the updated Couzens Resi-
dence Hall is far from the build-
ing it was when it originally
opened in 1925.
Faculty, staff and alumni
joined University President Mary
Sue Coleman yesterday at a dedi-
cation ceremony for the renovat-
ed hall, which is home to about
525 students. Couzens reopened
at the beginning of the semester
after undergoing a massive inte-
rior renovation. The $49 million
reconstruction, which is part of
a larger University undertak-
ing to improve residence halls,
required Couzens to close during
the 2010-2011 school year.
Coleman said she is happy
with the outcome of the building,
especially its aesthetics.
"It is better thantI ever thought
it would be," Coleman said in an
interview after the event. "The
creativity that's gone into repo-
sitioning the spaces and making
everything just absolutely gor-
geous ... I mean, I couldn't have
even imagined it (turning out)
this good, so I'm thrilled."
In addition to the amenities
like wireless Internet and con-
trollable air-conditioningin indi-
vidual rooms, Couzens also now
has a number of tools for group
study, music practice rooms and
new audio and video equipment
available for students. The build-
ing is also home to the Residence
Hall Association's offices and
Couzens Active Minority Eth-
nic Organization multicultural
lounge.
During the past few years,
the University's Residential
See COUZENS, Page 6A
$NTHE NEWS
Ann Arbor favorites featured in
. .1NYT travel article '36 Hours'
Angelo's, Big were already there. sity and lives in Ann Arbor.
For its Travel section story last "I think Ann Arbor is a fantas-
House, Zingerman's week, the Times highlighted Ann tic place," Conlin said in an inter-
Arbor culture and profiled a vari- view the The Michigan Daily.
highlighted in story ety of local res- "It's such a great place to come
taurants, shops, NN AiP and visit."
By GIACOMO BOLOGNA museums and $ Conlin also wrote a different
Daily StaffReporter the unique col- _ "36 Hours in Ann Arbor" piece for
lege atmosphere the Times in 2002. She said one of
Every week The New York that travelers the reasons the Times decided to
Times takes readers to interest- can enjoy on a update its travel coverage of Ann
ing cities through its "36 Hours" 36-hour trip. Arbor was because of the recent
travel feature. But Ann Arbor The author of the article and a renovations to Michigan Stadi-
readers who picked up the Sun- Times contributor, Jennifer Con- um.
day edition this week found they lin, graduated from the Univer- See NYT, Page 6A
MICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY
GEO asks MSA to support graduate
student research assistants union
Christmas decorations on display at This & That candy store on East Liberty Street yesterday.
This & That candy store
to close by the end of Nov.
Owner cites
panhandling as
factor in closure
By HALEY GOLDBERG
Daily StaffReporter
Candy lovers are filling their
pockets with the remaining
chocolates, gummies and suck-
ers before This & That candy
store closes next month.
Andrea Graef, owner of This
& That, said she is closing the
East Liberty Street business
- which opened in July 2010
- by the end of November due
to lack of patronage, corporate
competition and a rise in pan-
handling and crime in the area.
Graef said the competition from
nearby businesses such as CVS,
7-Eleven and the Tower Mini
Mart on Maynard Street, as
well as the Borders closure last
month, contributed to her deci-
sion to shut down her store.
"The area has made a dras-
tic change from when I first
wanted to be down here," she
said. "It seems that the area has
become kind of depressed."
Like Graef, other business
owners and operators in the
area have recognized panhan-
dling in the area as an issue
See THIS & THAT, Page 6A
President of GEO
speaks on divisive
issue at meeting
By CLAIRE HALL
and HOLLY TAYLOR
Daily StaffReporter, For the Daily
After getting the cold shoul-
der from the state, the Gradu-
ate Employees Organization is
now turning to the University's
student government for support
on a controversial unionization
issue.
GEO asked the Michigan
Student Assembly's legisla-
tive branch last night to con-
sider a resolution supporting
the unionization of graduate
student research assistants - a
request that was recently denied
by the Michigan Employment
Relations Commission.
GEO President Saman-
tha Montgomery spoke at
last night's MSA meeting and
explained the issue at hand.
While the University's Board of
Regents voted in favor of allow-
ing GSRAs to unionize, Univer-
sity administrators - including
University President Mary Sue
Coleman - disagree with the
move.
Coleman expressed her view
See MSA, Page 3A
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