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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, March 15, 2012
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michigandaily.com
STATE BUDGET
Coleman
critical of
Snyder's
budget
Passengers ride an Ann Arbor Transit Authority bus yesterday. If the four-party agreement comes to fruition routes and services will be expanded.
Trans stu ents
In testimony in
Lansing, president
advocates for more
state funding
By PAIGE PEARCY and
JOSH QIAN
Daily News Editor and
Daily Staff Reporter
University President Mary
Sue Coleman chided state law-
makers yesterday as she criti-
cized Republican Gov. Rick
Snyder's proposed 2013 budget
that would use a new formula
to allocate state funding to uni-
versities.
in her annual testing before
the state House Higher Educa-
tion Appropriation Subcom-
mittee in Lansing, Coleman
said, "The funding recommen-
dations looks back and not for-
ward. Achievement counts for
little."
Snyder's budget proposal
would increase funding for
public universities and com-
munity colleges by 3 percent
if approved, translating into a
$36.2 million increase in funds
for higher education in the
state.
Though Coleman said she
applauds the increase, one of
her concerns is that the appro-
priation is being partially deter-
mined by performance-based
metrics, which she and Uni-
versity Provost Philip Hanlon
do not favor. They expressed
that improving the University's
performance for more state
funding would be challenging
because it is already perform-
ing at a high level.
"The metrics compare the
state's universities against each
other, rather than against their
Carnegie classification peers,"
Coleman said in her testimony.
A new allocation formula
has also been developed based
on growth in number of under-
graduate degrees completed,
number of undergraduate
degree completions in critical
skills areas, number of under-
graduate Pell Grant recipients
and compliance with tuition
restraint.
In a Feb. 24 interview with
The Michigan Daily, Coleman
also expressed disappointment
with the plan.
See BUDGET, Page 3A
Increased routes,
accessibility
priorities of
* pending proposal
By TAYLOR WIZNER
Daily StaffReporter
While the city of Ann Arbor
awaits approval of a four-par-
ty agreement for a proposed
county-wide transit author-
ity by Washtenaw County and
Ypsilanti, students and Univer-
sity employees are also eagerly
anticipating the arrival of an
array of mass transit improve-
ments.
The four-party agreement,
approved by the city of Ann
Arbor March 5, would provide
additional transit services across
the county, including expansion
of routes and increased trans-
portation access. Jim Kosteva,
the University's director of com-
munity relations, said the agree-
ment changes many elements of
the current transit system that
will directly impact University
students and employees.
"If this plan and its funding
is approved, the intension is to
expand along existing routes,
services to other counties and
provide additional transporta-
tion," Kosteva said. "The goal
is to expand everyone's trans-
portation options (including)
patients, visitors, students."
Ann Arbor Transportation
Association spokeswoman Mary
Stasiak wrote in an e-mail inter-
view that a majority of riders
use the buses for trips to work
or school, with 35 percent of rid-
ers using TheRide for work, and
40.3 percent using it for school.
Stasiak was unable to provide
statistics specifically for Uni-
versity-affiliated riders.
Ypsilanti resident Joseph
Ansong, a research fellow at the
University, said he takes the bus
every day to and from his home
in Ypsilanti. Ansong said he is
content with the current service
of the buses, but wishes they
would come more regularly.
"I am doing research here, so
See TRANSIT, Page 3A
ELECTION 2012.
Student support for
Obama remains steady
With election she was impressed by his cha-
risma and personality during
nearing, voters the event and
decided to
* consider values research
his policies
By ANDREW SCHULMAN afterward. In
Daily StaffReporter 2011, Abra-
hamjoined his campaign.
LSA freshman Pavitra Abra- "I was just absolutely mes-
ham first heard President merized by him," Abraham said.
Barack Obama speak when he "He was so charismatic and
visited her high school during positive and relatable. And from
* his 2008 campaign. She said 2008 until now, he's just made
so much progress with people
our age."
Abraham, who now works for
the Obama campaign as a cam-
pus organizer for Organizing for
America, is among thousands of
students who will participate in
the campaign this fall and advo-
cate for Obama's re-election in
November.
LSA sophomore Alexandra
Brill, the newly elected chair
of the University's chapter of
See OBAMA, Page 3A
LOCAL BUSINESS
SPARK encourages tech jobs
Lecturer Bruce Conforth reacts yesterday after being told he'll receive the Golden Apple Award.
Conforth to receive Golden Apple
Organization aims
to keep students
in Michigan after
they graduate
By CHELSEA LANDRY
Daily StaffReporter
With graduation quickly
approaching, many seniors
are beginning to think more
intently about their future
plans, which may require them
to relocate to cities such as New
York, Chicago or Los Angeles.
However, one Ann Arbor com-
pany is looking for incentives to
encourage grads stay in Michi-
gan.
Ann Arbor SPARK, an orga-
nization dedicated to creating
high-tech jobs in Michigan,
recently received a $100,000
grant from the Michigan Eco-
nomic Development Corpora-
tion in March. The funding will
support SPARK's MichAGAIN
program, a series of events
aimed at bringing recent college
graduates and professionals
back to Michigan.
Donna Doleman, vice presi-
dent of marketing, communica-
tions and talent for SPARK, said
she hopes that the grant will
strengthen her organization's
efforts to bring talent to Michi-
gan.
See SPARK, Page 3A
American Culture
lecturer anounced
as recipient of
annual honor
By TUI
GLASGOW-RADEMAKER
For the Daily
Amid the slew of students
sprawled across the grass enjoy-
ing the warmer weather yester-
day, a parade of students singing
songs and carrying balloons ran
across the Diag en route to Angell
Hall to interrupt a lecture by
American Cultures Lecturer
Bruce Conforth, bearing the
news that he had been chosen for
this year's Golden Apple Award.
The award, given annually by
a University of Michigan Hil-
lel student committee called
Students Honoring Outstanding
Teaching, is given to a University
professor or lecturer who dem-
onstrates an exceptional dedica-
tion to teaching.
This year, about 100 profes-
sors were nominated, according
to members of SHOUT. The com-
mittee evaluates the quality of
each recommendation to decide
which professor has the stron-
gest commitment to excellence
in teaching before making their
final decision.
Conforth, who has been teach-
ing for more than 20 years and
first started at the University in
2004, was also recently filmed
by the MTV collegiate network
mtvU for his notable last lecture
he shares with students in his
See GOLDEN APPLE, Page 3A
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