NIE AiTTYWgan &ijj Ann Arbor, Michigan UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY New CTools integrates Google sites Thursday, September 6, 2012 michigandaily.com CREW CUTS ITS seeks to enhance user accessibility By DANIELLE STOPPELMANN Daily Staff Reporter Though CTools still features its familiar blue banner, Infor- mation and Technology Ser- vices added a slate of new tools to the website in an update that was made over the summer. The new system version 2.7.2A launched on Aug. 4, was designed to enhance the learn- ing experience beyond the classroom by further integrat- ing tools from Google and other external sources into CTools. Students and faculty now have access to core Google apps including e-mail, documents, calendar and Google+ accounts. A new feature called Box also provides users with 50GB of external cyberspace storage where documents can be saved and shared. The new version of the web- site also strives for increased interactivity through inte- gration of Piazza, an online social media tool that allows students to ask questions and review instructor responses. Interactive training modules on responsible conduct in research as part of the Uni- versity's Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship Research Integrity Project are also now available through the site. Sean DeMonner, director of Information and Technology Services Teaching & Learning, wrote in an e-mail interview that the new applications will give students and instructors more opportunities to interact beyond lectures and discus- sions. , "The structured learning environment of CTools and the collaborative environment of Google Apps complement each other nicely and provide a bridge from the formal learning space to the social and experi- ential learning space," DeMon- ner said. DeMonner added that it is a "navigational plus" to have the ability to access these external tools from the CTools site. User feedback was an inte- gral part of the upgrade pro- cess, DeMonner said. Students and faculty gave feedback via the 4-HELP phone hotline, user-testing and CTools evalu- ations led by students in the School of Information. ITS internship students also helped design and develop tools. See CTOOLS, Page 6A AUSTEN HUFFORD/Daily Members of the Michigan men's rowing team transport their boat from the Diag to a waiting trailer on Wednesday. They were recruiting new rowers. NATIONA L EPIDEMIC WestNilespikes in U.S. 105 total cases reported across Michigan By TAYLOR WIZNER Daily StaffReporter Mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus have infected more people in the United States this summer than ever before experts say, despite a scorch- ing season that caused severe droughts throughout the coun- try. According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, there were 105 reported cases of West Nile in Michigan as of Wednesday. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now reported 1,993 cases and 87 deaths as of Sept. 4, making it the worst year the country has experienced since 2003. Public Health Prof. Mark Wilson said though the virus has now been found in almost every county in the United States since it arrived in 1999, it is fairly new to the region. According to Wilson, West Nile likely first entered the United States by boat from Israel and spread from bird populations to mosquitoes, before humans began contractingthe disease. Wilson said that while most mosquitoes usually die off dur- ing dry conditions, the Culex mosquito, a prominent carrier of the virus, is able to survive with limited rainfall. "Different species of mosqui- toes end up preferring breeding sites and concentrated water that is more often found dur- ing the dry season," Wilson said. "So your backyard might be a suitable breeding place for some species of infected mos- quitoes, but a hundred meters down the road where there are houses without much vegetation it might not be." Wilson and other experts said See WEST NILE, Page 6A NATIONAL POLICY :bama policy aims to help undocumented students Activists elated by the implementation of President Barack Obama's cautiously deferred action policy ear- lier this summer, they also optimistic about expressed hesitation about the future of education for illegal executive order immigrants. Homeland Security Secretary By CARLY FROMM Janet Napolitano announced Daily StaffReporter the program in June, which gives undocumented immi- Though most University stu- grants who fall under specific dents fighting for the rights of criteria the right to apply for undocumented students were deferred action status and legal- ly remain in the United States for an additional two years. LSA senior Luz Meza, co- founder of Migrant Immigrant Rights Advocacy, said though undocumented students around the country are rejoicing, they are also cautious of the tempo- rary nature of the policy. "(They thought) this is great," Meza said. "(They) have some sort of relief, although this can be taken away at any moment, See POLICY, Page 6A The newly-built Landmark apartment building towers over South University Avenue. New luxury apartments open doors to students OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS Incoming class size expected to be 6,000 despite more applications Landmark, Zaragon West, City Place join A? skyline By ALEXANDRA MONDALEK and AUSTEN HUFFORD Daily StaffReporters The cranes and bulldozers have disappeared from South University Street, Fifth Avenue and Thompson Street, and have made way for three new luxury apartment complexes designed for students. The three primary new resi- dences in the downtown and Campus areas are City Place Ann Arbor, Zaragon West and Land- mark, each of which has attract- ed flocks of University students. CITY PLACE ANN ARBOR BOASTS LUXURY LIVING Nestled between Jerusalem Garden and the Ann Arbor Dis- trict Library's downtown loca- tion, City Place Ann Arbor is located on Fifth Avenue near East William Street. City Place is operated under the direction of Arch Realty Company, and opened to students on Aug. 31. Jeff Helminski, a developer and spokesman for City Place, said the 64,750-square-foot property provides large rooms See APARTMENTS, Page 7A tc University class as one of the approximately 6,000 freshmen applicants due that enrolled for the fall 2012 semester out of a record high of Common App, 43,535 applicants. The record-breaking num- offlcals say ber exceeded the University's target enrollment rate by By KATIE BURKE roughly 2 percent, according to Daily Staff Reporter officials. Last year, the Under- graduate Admissions Office uesday, Texas native received 39,570 applications, rea Case, an Engineering almost 4,000 less than the man, attended her first 2012-2013 academic year. University Provost Philip Hanlon said the variety and quality of programs offered at the University are a major attraction to students across the country. "I do think one of the things that works to our benefit increasingly is the broad vari- ety of types of degrees that we offer," Hanlon said. "We have a full set of choices." Hanlon added that the Uni- See ADMISSION, Page 7A Ts Andr fresh WEATHER HI: 80 TOMORROW LO: 58 GOT A NEWS TIP? NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail #michlinks news@michigandaily.com and let us know. MIICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE WIRE INDEX NEWS ........ ...............2A SPORT.S....................... 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