One hundred four years of editorial freedom
Summer
Weekly
Wednesday
May 24, 1995
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'U' buys
pieces
of city
property
By James Nash
Daily Staff Reporter
With a day's warning to city leaders,
the University last Friday finalized the
purchase of a $9.9 million building com-
plex, bringing muted-but still critical-
reaction from City Hall.
The University had attempted to de-
flect criticism from its purchase of the
Willi amsburg
New complex by an-
nouncing and ex-
Property plaining the sale
he University in a letter to about
bought 5 250 community
buildings i leaders.
health Athletic By purchasing
care Campus the five buildings
facilities . D near Briarwood
Mall, the Univer-
sity has removed
them from the tax
Briarwood rolls. The move
Mall will cost the city of
-.94 Ann Arbor about
Daily Graphic $50,000 in annual
tax revenue and
the schools and county another $120,000,
according to University calculations.
The Williamsburg buildings are al-
ready leased by the University for long-
term primary health care.
"University leaders fully recognize the
local financial impact such a decision
makes," stated the letter, signed by Vice
*resident for University Relations Walter
Harrison. "However, they also must re-
main vigilant to state taxpayers and those
purchasing health care who expect them to
be proper fiduciaries of their funds."
SEE PURCHASE, PAGE 2
Hospital
opens talks
for merger
By Amy Klein
Daily News Editor
The University Medical Center signed a memoradum
yesterday to investigate a possible merger with three Catho-
lic health-care systems. The move might mean a broader
geographic accessibility for the University, said John D.
Forsyth, executive director of the University Medical Cen-
ter.
The non-binding negotiations with Sisters of Mercy,
Daughters of Charity and Mission Health Corp. are scheduled
to last six months.
Forsyth told the Board of Regents last week that he would
return after the negotiations with an agreement.
"We haven't formally bound ourselves, we've just formally
agreed to look at the desirability and feasibility of integrating
those systems," he said. "We may come back to this board in
six months and say this is not doable."
Regent Shirley McFee (R-Battle Creek) said she approves
of the Medical Center's recent steps.
"It's very heartening to see this university taking the lead at
this time," she said.
Forsyth said he plans to keep the community's best interest
at the forefront of the discussions.
"If you can improve access and quality while reducing
costs, then it is in our best interest," he said.
While the discussions will strive to create a statewide de-
livery system, Forsyth said merging the three Catholic hos-
pitals with the University system may create an uneasy al-
liance.
"I think it is an issue. The merging of the Catholic ethical
issues and a public university will have to be addressed. But
there have been Catholic hospitals in the past that have success-
fully merged with universities," Forsyth said.
Regent Andrea Fisher Newman (R-Ann Arbor) said she
agrees that disagreements might eventually arise.
"Ido think the differences will be an issue in the future if the
negotiations go through," Newman said.
Officials at the three hospitals did not return phone calls
yesterday.
The external Shapiro library renovations have been recently completed.
Dedication
new -name, new facade
By Scott Bishop
For the Daily
Last Friday, in an atmosphere of mutual admira-
tion, the University dedicated the renovated Under-
graduate Library to former University President
Harold Shapiro and his wife Vivian, a former Uni-
versity professor of Social Work.
A dedication ceremony was held on the lawn
next to the renamed Shapiro Library.
The Shapiros, with several family members and
friends, toured the updated library prior to the cer-
emony. Many "wonderfuls" were exclaimed at the ar-
chitecture, thecomputer technology and the bright out-
door views. The compliments were returned by ac-
quaintances from the Shapiros' days at the Univer-
sity.
Standing near the second floor reserve desk,
Shapiro shared his reaction to the dedication. "I
could never in my lifetime have imagined some-
thing so wonderful. It's a wonderful facility and I
can only encourage (students) to use it to its fullest
potential," he said.
Vivian Shapiro shared the enthusiasm about the
facility's potential. "I think it unites the way we
thought about libraries," she said. "With books and
technology, it represents the future. It's very exciting-
and inviting," she said.
SEE SHAPIRo, PAGE 2
Mcard introduced as 'smarter' card for students
*y Amy Klein
Daily News Editor
Last September, the student identifi-
cation cards received a facelift. This
year, aesthetics meet technology as the
University introduces the new "smart
card" to students.
An addition to the Mcard, the smart
card boasts a computer chip that will be
programmed to store information about the
student. The chip will replace the
ashStripe originally slotted on the Mcard.
Associate Vice President for Finance
Randy Harris, who helped develop the
student identification card at Florida
State University, has dubbed the smart
card "the card of the future."
"It has the possibility of all kinds of
things that can be done. The intent of the
card was the flexibility - it offers every-
thing," Harris said. "If someone was in an
accident in another state, an officer could
read the computer chip and find out medi-
cal information about the student so they
could be attended to inmediately."
The new computer chip will also
serve as the debit feature of the card, just
as the plans for the Mcard outlined, and
students can store up to $50 on the com-
puter chip. If the card is lost or stolen, the
balance on the chip cannot be refunded.
The CashChip will be linked to vending
machines and other services on campus.
"Eventually, if you want a pizza deliv-
ered to your home they could even have a
hand-held device that could read your card.
Thet are no rmitations," Harris said
Harris said he did not know the time
frame for adding the smart card feature
to the Mcard.
While the new card features a com-
puter chip, the smart card still retains
many of the same characteristics of the
pilot Mcard. Executive Vice President
Farris W. Womack said the revamped
card will still attempt to centralize the
many different cards a student might use.
SEE MCARD, PAGE 8
Card with a Chip
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
600847 0000 0000 00
Exp. 10-96
THEODORE D CARDMAN
Student
The new Mcard's computer chip will store
information about the cardholder.
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