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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
michigandaily.com
T00 COOL FOR SCHOOL
Facing windchills
around -30 degrees,
University cancels all
classes on Tuesday
By STEPHANIE SHENOUDA
and MAX RADWIN
Daily News Editor and
Daily StaffReporter
For the first time since 1978, the
University has canceled classes
Tuesday due to extreme weather,
University spokesman Rick Fitzger-
ald confirmed Monday evening.
According to the National Weath-
er Service, temperatures will be at a
high of 2 degrees, with a wind chill
reaching -30 degrees and winds
reaching up to 20 miles per hour.
Campus buildings - including
dining halls and libraries - will
remain open. University transporta-
tion services will continue operating
as normal, though delays should be
expected.
This announcement marks the
first time that the University has
cancelled classes due to weather-
related circumstances since Ann
Arbor was hit with 19 inches of snow
in 1978.
University Police spokeswoman
Diane Brown said University Police
will be taking extra efforts to keep
response times low to limit the
amount of time that people spend
outside in the cold.
After Fitzgerald confirmed the
decision, University Provost Martha
Pollack, Chief Health Officer Rob-
ert Winfield and Laurita Thomas,
associate vice president for human
resources, sent a memo to faculty
sity's decision to not cancel classes.
"By the time it became clear that
we were facing an extraordinary
weather event, we realized that
we didn't have appropriate mecha-
nisms to close the University even if
we wanted to," Pollack said.
During that meeting, Pollack said
the University planned to establish
a committee to address emergency
situations, including weather, that
merit the cancellation of classes.
Though that committee was
formed and held one meeting last
week, Fitzgerald said the decision
to cancel classes Tuesday was made
independently of that committee, in
consultation with the the Office of
the Provost, Winfield and Thomas.
"This is a decision that was made
based on the unique circumstances
that are being presented with the
weather forecasts for tomorrow,"
Fitzgerald said. "This is not a reflec-
tion of any new protocol."
Business senior Michael Proppe,
CSG president, said he believes the
dangerous conditions Tuesday war-
ranted the historic measure.
"It's really going to be cold tomor-
row, I think the University made the
right call," Proppe said. "When it's
-25 degrees out with the wind chill
and you have students walking 10,
15, or 20 minutes to class, it can be
dangerous to have skin exposed in
that kind of weather."
Proppe said he was surprised
because such a decision is "unprec-
edented," but added that he knows
the University has students safety at
the forefront.
"Though CSG did not play an
active role in today's decision,
executive members brought up the
school's lack of a severe weather
See SNOW, Page 3
Students walk through the diag Monday, following an announcement by University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald that classes would be canceled for the first
time since 1978.
and staff encouraging flexibil-
ity and telecommuting if pos-
sible for Tuesday.
"Campus operations will
continue," the memo said.
"However, while staff should
plan to report as usual, we ask
that supervisors be flexible
and make reasonable accom-
modations for these extreme
circumstances. Travel may be
hazardous, especially on foot
or by bus, and we ask that all
of our colleagues remain sensi-
tive to safety concerns. Parking
and Transportation Services
is increasing bus frequency to
help minimize wait times."
The memo added that staff
who are "unable or choose not
to" travel to campus Tuesday
should contact their supervi-
sors to use vacation time or
unpaid time off.
Medical School Prof,
Charles Koopmann, a member
of the Senate Advisory Com-
mittee on University Affairs,
said he feels it's "unfortunate"
that staff on main campus have
to come in or be forced to take
a day of vacation. However,
he said he believes that the
medical campus should remain
open, which, according to the
memo, will operate normally.
"The University needs to
get a well organized plan for
something like this and should
remarkably improve communi-
cations," Koopmann said.
After the controversy over
not closing campus during
the Polar Vortex earlier this
month, Pollack sat in on the
Senate Advisory Committee
for University Affairs meeting
Jan. 13 to discuss the Univer-
'U's new social media
director pushes ahead
Sunstrum, a former
state social media
specialist, focuses on
diverse platforms
By JENNIFER CALFAS
Managing NewsEditor
When the University's Board of
Regents announced the selection
of Mark Schlissel as the Univer-
sity's 14th president, one new staff
member sat among the audience
members in the Michigan Union,
vigorously updating the Univer-
sity's social media sites.
While Nikki Sunstrum, the
University's new director of social
media, didn't get a press conference
on her arrival, she did fill an empty
spot in the University's Global
Communications Office.
Sunstrum was selected for the
position after a year-long search.
She previously served as the state
of Michigan's social communica-
tions coordinator and started in her
new position on Jan. 6. In her state
position, Sunstrum oversaw more
than 149 social media accounts and
curated regular live chats and town
hall forums.
Jordan Miller, the University's
former social media director,
resigned in December 2012 amid
allegations that she lied about com-
pleting her bachelor's degree.
Sunstrum received her bach-
elor's degree from Grand Valley
State University and her master's
from Aquinas College. While the
University was unable to specify
how much Sunstrum would be
paid, Miller earned about $100,000
See MEDIA, Page 3
Nikki Sunstrum, the University's newly appointed director of social media, discusses her plans to use Twitter,
among other platforms, to engage with students.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
CSG pushes to
allow Dining
FACULTY GOVERNANCE
In last Senate Assembly,
Coleman discusses AST
ii*ie After botched
Dollars at illel rollout, Coleman
Students hesitant
about using Blue
Bucks at off-
campus location
By KRISTEN FEDOR
Daily StaffReporter
At the Jan. 21 Central Student
Government Assembly meeting,
Engineering junior Andy Modell,
a CSG representative, proposed
the idea to use Dining Dollars for
meals served at Hillel.
Currently, students can only
use Blue Bucks or cash to pay
for Hillel meals, excluding free
Friday-night dinners, which are
open to everyone. Hillel is a foun-
dation that provides program-
ming for Jewish students on
campus and serves kosher meals.
For a student on a regular
residence hall meal plan, Hil-
lel charges $10 for lunch and
$12 for dinner. If students with
a religious exception choose to
forego the traditional meal plan,
they can opt for an alternate Hil-
lel meal plan. These students pay
the same amount as a student on
the average residence hall meal
plan, receiving guaranteed meals
twice a day, six days per week at
See HILLEL, Page 3
says shared services
still important
ByANDREWALMANI
Daily StaffReporter
In her final Senate Assembly
meeting, University President
Mary Sue Coleman addressed a
multitude of faculty concerns,
including the implementa-
tion of the Shared Services
Center, employee wages and
diversity at Palmer Commons
Monday.
The University is in the
process of implementing a
variety of cost-cutting ini-
tiatives, including the con-
troversial Administrative
Services Transformation,
a cost-cutting initiative
which includes the imple-
mentation of the Shared
Service Center that will
consolidate some Univer-
sity departmental staff in a
central location.
In terms of its expendi-
tures, Coleman said the Uni-
versity is much larger than
most other public higher edu-
cation institutions. She cited
the University of California -
Berkeley's budget of $2.1 bil-
lion - a much smaller amount
than the University's $6.1 bil-
lion budget - as an example
from a similar highly ranked
public institution.
Coleman added that the
overarching University of
California system performs
many of the administrative
tasks at Berkeley that the
University has to perform
autonomously on campus.
"It is not apples to apples to
look at the scope of work, the
span of control, of individuals
work on the Berkeley campus
and the Michigan campus,"
Coleman said.
Coleman said it is impor-
tant to limit growth and taper
spending.
"We know we've got to stay
affordable and accessible, she
said.
While members of the fac-
ulty have voiced opposition
to the University's consolida-
tion efforts, Coleman said the
plan affects her as well.
"My own staff in my office
has been cut significantly,
See AST, Page 3
HOSPITAL
Customers
on Main St.
can donate
to UMHS
In joint initiative,
several bars team up
for philanthropy
By AMABEL KAROUB
Daily StaffReporter
While students frequent the
Main Street bars and restaurants
for their food and atmosphere,
they now have a new reason to
head to downtown.
Through the Dine and Donate
program, patrons can donate to
several charities within the Uni-
versity of Michigan Health System
at local bars.
See MOTTS, Page 3
WEATHER H1I 14
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