The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Tuesday November 8, 2011 - 3

The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Tuesday, November 8, 2011 - 3

NEWS BRIEFS
LANSING, Mich.
Republican debate
at Oakland to
focus on jobs
Republicans presidential can-
didates are heading to Michigan
this week for a debate in the heart
of the domestic auto industry
focused on jobs and the troubled
economy.
All eight Republicans attend-
ingtomorrow's CNBC-sponsored
debate at Oakland University
in Rochester say they wouldn't
have offered government loans
to save General Motors Co. and
Chrysler Group LLC.
State GOP Chairman Bobby
Schostak says many Michigan
voters who back the auto indus-
try think GM and Chrysler could
have survived bankruptcy with-
out risking federal funds.
FLINT
Tax credit bill to
help businesses
that hire veterans
Michigan Democrats are
detailing a legislative proposal
that would provide a tax credit to
small businesses that hire unem-
ployed military veterans.
The legislation was expected to
be discussed yesterday at an event
at the University of Michigan-
Flint campus.
The bill would allow a tax cred-
it of $4,000 or 25 percent of the
compensation paid to a veteran,
whichever amount is less.
The legislation was expected to
be discussed by Democratsinclud-
ing Rep. Charles Smiley of Burton,
Rep. Jim Ananich of Flint and Sen.
John Gleason of Flushing.
The bill would allow a tax cred-
it of $4,000 or 25 percent of the
compensation paid to a veteran,
whichever amount is less.
WASHINGTON
Penn State sex
scandal angers
Sec. o ducation
Education Secretary Arne
Duncan said allegations of sex-
ual abuse involving Penn State
University are heartbreaking
and make him "extraordinarily
angry."
If the allegations are proven
true, it's "mind boggling" that
it was allowed to go on for so
long, Duncan told The Associ-
ated Press in an interview yes-
terday. He said educators have an
"absolute moral, ethical and legal
responsibility" to protect kids.
"If a blind eye was turned
towards it, or if the allegations
were somewhat buried or not
taken seriously, well, you're actu-
ally perpetuating the problem,"
Duncan said. "You're giving the
abuser more opportunities to
hurt more kids. I just can't fathom

that."
Duncan said the Education
Department has been working
on efforts to prevent sexual vio-
lence on college campuses, but it's
too early to know if it would be
involved at Penn State in any way.
WASHINGTON
Obama stands by
first term in office
President Barack Obama is
telling financial supporters that
changing the culture of Wash-
ington is probably the biggest
part of his agenda that remains
unfinished.
Obama said yesterday night he
would put his legislative record
"up against any president in their
first term." But in terms of chang-
ing Washington's culture, he says
"the fever has not broken yet."
Obama was speaking at the
District of Columbia home of
Dwight Bush, a financial execu-
tive, and his wife, Antoinette
Bush, a communications execu-
tive.
Tickets for the fundraiser,
which supports the Obama
campaign and the Democratic
National Committee, started at
$17,900 per person. About 45
people attended the dinner.
Compiled from
Daily wire reports

BAITS
From Page 1
plexes within five minutes of a
residential dining hall.
"As we continue to work
through evaluating where all
the buildings work within (the
Residential Life Initiatives) ...
and making decisions and prior-
ities about where to spend lim-
ited renovation dollars, we came
to the conclusion ... that Baits I
is not a building that we want to
continue to invest money into,"
Newman said.
The decision comes after
months of analysis by University
Housing and discussions with
the leadership of the Universi-
ty's Division of Student Affairs,
Logan said. Once Baits I closes
this spring, further building
assessments will be conducted
before the University makes a
final decision on what to do with
the vacant building, according to
Logan.
"If after assessing the situa-
tion we determine that having
Baits I is extremely necessary,
then I'm sure we'll see what it
would cost to make that hap-
pen," Logan said. "... We need to
do more assessment of what it
would require to not only bring
it up to a level of infrastruc-
ture reliability, but then going
beyond and making it a useful
community."
While the specific logistics of
closing BaitsI are yet to be deter-
mined, Logan said he wanted to
inform students of the intention
to close the complex before they
begin thinking about the hous-
ing sign-up process in January.
"We've got to have our ducks
in a row prior to that sign-up
process, but at least we need to
now make the students aware
that Baits I is not a residential
opportunity this coming year,"
Logan said.
The closing of Baits I means
two residence halls will be
closed next year, as East Quad-
rangle Residence Hall will be
shuttered due to yearlong reno-
vations. Currently, 1,433 stu-
dents, faculty and staff reside
in these two residence hail
combined. The reopening of
Alice Lloyd Residence Hall next

year, which is currently closed
for renovations, will add living
spaces for only 530 students.
To compensate for this loss
of housing capacity, New-
man said University Housing
will increase the presence of
undergraduates in Northwood
Apartments I and II - where
mostly graduate students cur-
rently reside - and will expand
the Northwood Houses first-
year experience further into
Northwood III.
"When we created the North-
wood Houses, we increased the
number of occupants per apart-
ment," Newman said. "So we'll
do the same as we expand more
first-year housing into the other
buildings of Northwood III."
Newman added that approxi-
mately the same number of
undergraduates will be able
to live on North Campus even
with the closing of Baits I. And
the University will maintain its
guarantee of offering on-cam-
pus housing to all first-year stu-
dents who apply by the deadline.
"Without a shadow of a doubt,
it is a priority of the University
of Michigan to be able to pro-
vide housing for all first-year
students, and we are planning to
have housing for the admissions
target of approximately 6,000,"
Newman said.
Returning students, however,
are not guaranteed on-campus
housing, and Logan said Univer-
sity Housing is working closely
with the Residence Halls Asso-
ciation and ResStaff to figure
out the best way to prioritize the
room selection process for stu-
dents returning to the residence
halls.
For student and professional
faculty and staff working in
Baits I, Newman said they will
be relocated to new residence
halls next year, and no jobs will
be lost due to the complex's clo-
sure. The housing experience of
current Baits I residents will not
be impacted in any way due to
the decision to close next year,
she added.
A community gathering in
the residence hall's Eaton Upper
Lounge was held last night for
the residents of Baits I to discuss
the decision to close the build-
ing next year. Patricia Griffin,

director of Residence Educa-
tion, spoke to an audience of 16
students, including residents
and resident advisers, about the
closing of the complex.
At the discussion, Griffin
addressed students' concerns
and confusion regarding the
Baits I closing. She encouraged
direct communication between
the students and University
Housing staff about the issue.
Though many questions proved
unanswerable at this time - like
what will happen to the building
after it's vacated - Griffin said
getting students to talk about
the issue was the main point of
the gathering.
"I think at this point, what
we really want to do is get stu-
dents thinking," Griffin said. "I
really want to hear their con-
cerns ... and there will come a
time before too long where we'll
have a plan, but I think what we
didn't want to do is craft one
without any student voice."
Griffin told the audience
she anticipates less residential
housing space to be available
to returning students next year
and explained that RHA will
work with University Housing
to develop a sign-up process that
addresses the issue.
Engineering sophomore Ryan
Landay, who lives in Baits I and
attended last night's gather-
ing, said Griffin's prediction of
decreasing housing space has
already affected his decision
where to live next year.
"I'mtryingtofigure outwhere
I'm going to live next year, and I
was trying to get an apartment,
and I don't know if I want to go
through the trouble of finding
an apartment, but apparently it's
goingto be harder to find a dorm
next year," Landay said.
However, Landay said he
agrees with the University's
decision to close Baits I and also
thinks $6 million is too large a
figure to renovate the building.
Griffin also discussed a
potential celebration of Baits I
to precede the closing of the res-
idence hall. The residents at the
gathering agreed to organize a
communal forum in the coming
weeks to generate ideas on how
to commemorate the legacy of
Baits I.

CHALLENGERS
From Page 1
Higgins, who faces attorney
Eric Scheie (R). Scheie said Ann
Arbor's priorities are out of
order, as the city has cut back
too heavily on funds for public
safety and infrastructure. He
described the new City Hall
and $750,000 public art piece
in front of the building as exam-
ples of exorbitant and unneces-
sary spending.
"We need to focus on basic
city services the way the city
once did," Scheie said.
'Scheie also pointed out that
his opponent has not attended
several key city events, includ-
ing the League of Women Voters
debate.
Republican Stuart Berry, who
is running against Anglin for
the Ward 5 seat, said the current
City Council appears to be a very
"monolithic" body. He also said
the council is too often looking
at how to raise and spend more
money.
"The City Council appears to
be not as aware as they should
be that we're in a great economic
downturn, and they need to cut
back spending so that taxes can
be lowered and people can save
their houses," Berry said.
On the ballot today is the
annual street millage to raise
money for street improve-
ments as well as a sidewalk
millage, which would transfer
the responsibility of improv-
ing sidewalks from individual
residents to the city. Lumm said
she would support the street
millage, despite the fact that
some residents are concerned
its funds could be used to pay
for public art projects. She said
if not for this concern, a street
millage would normally receive
widespread support.
However, Lumm does not
support the sidewalk millage
because she is concerned that
residents who have already
repaired their sidewalks will
be forced to pay for sidewalk
improvements of other residents.
Scheie said he is concerned
that if passed, sidewalk and
street millage funds won't be
used properly.
"I don't think it's going to get
done," Scheie said. "I think it's
just another way of passing the
buck."
At the League of Women Vot-
ers debate, Parker said he would
support the proposed street mill-
age, but would-not support the
sidewalk millage.
Berry said he doesn't under-
stand why street improvement
cannot be funded by the city's
general fund instead of taxpay-
ers' money. However, he said he
supports the street millage.
"I think it's out of balance, but
I reluctantly vote for the street
millage because that is one of the
basic, core functions of a govern-
SACUA
From Page1
derance of evidence - in which
it is more likely than not that an
assault occurred - was instated

at the University in August.
Only two of the 41 cases of
sexual' ssault reported at the
University last y ear were inves-
tigated. This means that on
average, only one in 20 reported
assaults on campus are investi-
gated, according to Potter. Inves-
tigating sexual assaults can be
helpful to pick up on trends in
assaults, he said.
"If you don't investigate where
the assault took place, you don't
have a record," Potter said. "You
simply have no way of knowing
that pattern is there."
However, Pottersaid he
believes survivors have valid
personal reasons for not wanting
their cases investigated, such as
maintainingtheir privacy or pre-
venting their parents from find-
ing out.
In an interview after the
meeting, SACUA Vice Chair
Kim Kearfott, a professor in the
Medical School and College of
Engineering, said it has typical-
ly been the survivor's choice to
forego an investigation for sex-
ual assault. But, investigations
would be helpful for the student
body, she said.
"I think it's. a good thing to
look at more data and make sure

ment," Berry said.
Berry said it is unfortunate
that residents have been forced
to pay for their own sidewalks
to be repaired, but he said he
believes the sidewalk improve-
ment also reflects a basic munici-
pal service.
The proposed Fuller Road
Station and mass transit options
in the city are important issues
in the election. Scheie called
the Fuller Road Station project
a "fiasco" and alleged that it is
in violation of the Ann Arbor
city charter because it builds on
parklands without a voter refer-
endum.
"The City Council just acts
like the parkland is there to do
what they want," Scheie said.
He also said he's not sure if
constructing the train station
is warranted because there may
not be a demand for rail.
"They're acting as if, well,
we'll just put this station in here,
and then the rail will come, and
it will all just happen magically,"
Scheie said. "That's crazy."
Despite studies that show
the city needs a more advanced
transit system, Parker said he is
against any form of public transit
beyond regular buses. He added
that voters should decide wheth-
er the city should implement
advanced transit in the future.
Berry, like many other candi-
dates, said he is concerned the
Fuller Road station is being built
over parklands. Additionally, he
doesn't believe a second train
station in Ann Arbor is warrant-
ed, considering there is already
an Amtrak station on Depot
Street, which is less than a mile
away from the proposed Fuller
Road site. Berry said though Ann
Arbor needs to improve its traffic
flow, advanced transit is not the
answer.
All four challengers said they
would like to see more student
involvement in city affairs.
Though Lumm believes she
can serve students effectively,
she said students are most likely
not paying attention to this par-
ticular election.
"These aren't the issues, I
think, that students tend to real-
ly track," Lumm said.
However, she added that she
is particularly concerned with
public safety, which students are
also worried about. Streetlights
are a "basic need" that can help
help prevent crime, Lumm said.
The restoration and addition of
lights should come before other
discretionary forms of spending
like advanced transit, she said.
To better serve the needs of
students, Scheie - whose wife is
a Ph.D. candidate at the Univer-
sity - said he would like to see
a student serve on the council,
even if that means altering the
city charter.
"I am very sensitive to the
needs of students, and I don't
think they're being met," Scheie
said.
there aren't repeat situations
going on, say at a particular fra-
ternity or under particular cir-
cumstances that our students
are at risk for sexual assaults,"
Kearfott said.
Potter said lowering the stan-

dard of evidence would result in
more convictions for students
accused of sexual assault.
"The alternative is a clear and
convincing standard which is a
51 percent certainty, as opposed
to 80 percent certainty," Potter
said.
Potter also spoke aboutthe fac-
ulty governing body's selecting
candidates to fill positions on an
appeals board. The board would
consist of a student appointed
by the Michigan Student Assem-
bly, a faculty member appointed
by the Senate Assembly and an
administrator appointed by Uni-
versity President Mary Sue Cole-
man. The board would handle
appeals from convicted students
and sexual assault survivors.
Potter stressed the importance
of choosing board members who
have experience dealing with
similar student grievances since
the issues they deal with are par-
ticularly sensitive.
"I think it requires that people
know what they're doing," Potter
said. "The worst thing you could
have in one of these situations
is people who don't have expe-
rience in listening and hearing
grievances and dealing with the
process."


BUDGET
From Page 1
city'sdecisionto spendmoneyon
downtown development projects
and public art while simultane-
ously limiting funds to public
safety.
"We've been spending more
in directing staff to be more
focused on downtown megaproj-
ects and economic development
than focusing on our infrastruc-
ture, our roads, our bridges, our
police and fire forces," Kunsel-
man said. "There is a concern
among the elected that we've
lost sight of our purpose."
The city's 2012 fiscal yearr
included a cut of 30 positions in
the Ann Arbor fire and police
departments. However, because
many of the positions were
already unoccupied, only six
officers were laid off.
Almost all the incumbents
said they will vote in favor of
the street and sidewalk mill-
age, which will increase taxes
to generate funding for updating
roads throughout the city. But
some expressed concern that
the money raised by the millage
would be used for initiatives like
public art, which many view as
an inappropriate use of funds.
"I think it's atrocious that the
city has hired a public art coor-
dinator out of the same funds
that provide for public safety
and utilities and infrastructure,"
Kunselman said.
A public art structure in front
of the Ann Arbor Municipal
Center was the source of con-
troversy last month because it
cost $750,000 to install. For the
city's 2012 fiscal year budget, the
council approved an ordinance
that allocated 1 percent more to
the city's Public Art fund.
Showing skepticism toward
projects like the Fuller Road Sta-
tion and Library Lot conference
center that have yet to show sub-
stantial progress, Kunselman
noted that the city has made
many empty promises.
"It's frustrating listening to
the rhetoric and knowing that

it's just not going to happen that
way," he said. "We need to be
more frank with the public, and
that's how Iam asa politician."
Council member Mike Anglin
(D-Ward 5) and Marcia Higgins
(D-Ward 4) said the city should
focus on funding budget items
that address public needs, citing
mainly infrastructure and public
safety.
Regarding the University,
Anglin noted that student safety
is a major concern on his agen-
da. He said he would like to see
council make progress on the
issue and and would like to pro-
pose an ordinance that would
require porch lights to be left
on to prQyide =ogg light for stu-
dents walking at night.
Anglin added that he wants to
start a discussion with Universi-
ty students and work with them
to increase lighting in off-cam-
pus residential neighborhoods.
He noted that more dialogue is
needed between the council and
representatives from the Michi-
gan Student Assembly. This
semester, MSA's Student Safety
Commission, in conjunction
with the University's Division of
Student Affairs, created Beyond
the Diag - a program that aims
to make off-campus areas safer.
Rapundalo, who originally
proposed the establishment of
the Michigan Student Assembly
& Ann Arbor City Council Liai-
son Committee in 2005, said the
committee has been inactive for
the past few years. However,
the committee has the poten-
tial to increase communication
between the two entities and
work on city issues that affect
students, he said.
"Certainly the opportunity
- the mechanism - exists," he
said. "It really needs to be revi-
talized."
At the polls today, city resi-
dents must choose between
a Republican or Democratic
candidate for three of the four
wards that have contested can-
didates.
Higgins said she doesn't think
the issue of party membership
will decide the elections, despite

the fact that Ann Arbor's elected
officials has been overwhelm-
ingly Democratic for the past
few years.
"I look at it (as) less of a
Republican-Democrat casting,"
Higgins said. "I think voters are
smarter than that. I think they
really do look at what you've
done and what you say you're
goingto do."
When asked what distin-
guishes her from her Republican
opponent Eric Scheie, Higgins
responded that her persistence
in making sure that fundinggoes
to projects and services essential
to the basic operation of the city
sets her apart. She pointed to her
support of the city spending mil-
lions of dollars to upgrade water
and sewage treatment plants
that have been neglected by
other councils since their instal-
lation in the 1930s.
Anglin, who is running
against Republican candidate
Stuart Berry, said he noted some
key similarities and differences
between him and his challeng-
er during last month's debate.
between incumbents and chal-
lengers.
"What we have in common
(is) fiscal responsibility - spend
what is needed, but don't over-
spend," Anglin said. "The only
difference I saw between us as
we talked was maybe that I'm
more inclined towards trying
to help those at the low end of
things, meaning the homeless
people, people who - through
no fault of their own - just don't
have the life that many of us do
have."
Anglin added that he is dis-
appointed in recent cuts to
community services that help
disadvantaged people.
Facing tonight's results with
no expectations, Rapundalo said
he takes his challengers seri-
ously, and he feels the same way
he did six years ago when he ran
against a tough Republican can-
didate.
"The voters will decide, and
it will be what it will be and on
Wednesday morning, life goes
on."

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