The Michigan Daily - Monday, u Y i, ddu -3
Construction starts for Life Sciences Institute
y Anna Clark
Daily Staff Reporter
After two years of planning and research,
groundbreaking has finally begun on the Life
Sciences Institute.
"It's all happening pretty quickly. I think we're
ahead of the curve in terms of other institutions
pursuing the life sciences," Jack Dixon, Minor J
on professor of biological chemistry and chair
the Life Sciences Advisory Committee said.
The LSI complex will be located along
Washtenaw Avenue, across from Palmer Field,
where it will connect the now vacant area between
the Central and Medical campuses. Construction
has begun on a parking structure, which will be
mostly underground, and work on the main LSI
buildings will commence soon, Dixon said.
He added that construction should take two and
a half years to complete and shouldn't cause much
inconvenience to traffic, as construction will take
place in an empty space.
When finished, the LSI will consist of sever-
al buildings that will house laboratories, class-
rooms, offices, a restaurant and a parking
structure.
The LSI is intended for study and research in
"what it means to be human, how best to lead a
human or humane existence (and) what it is to be
a living organism on this planet," University
President Lee Bollinger said in a letter sent to the
University community on May 24.
Several University departments will combine to
create new courses of study and to support new
research in fields influencing everything from
medicine to the humanities.
Besides the physical developments in the LSI,
progress is also being made in less tangible aspects of
the project. A high priority now is to find a director.
"We're focusing most of our energies in the
search for a director," Dixon said,
He went on to say the University is currently con-
sidering several possible candidates, but won't'be
able to make any definite announcements for a few
months.
In support of the initiative, lecture series' and
visiting professors haie already been inaugurated
at the University. with goals coinciding with the
mission of the LSI.
Dixon pointed out that the broad scope of the
LSI will have an enormous influence.
"This will impact virtually every aspect of our
lives - not only in ways we perceive but in ways
we haven't even he conceived of,' he said. "There's
a lot of excitement, everywhere from engineering
to business."
Ann Arbor ranks
third in state in non-
smoking restaurants
By Laura Deneau
Daily Staff Reporter
Ann Arbor restaurants are fast
coming havens for those unwilling to
atgest second-hand smoke according to
a recent poll. Ranked third in the state,
88 restaurants in Ann Arbor prohibit
smoking, while 130 in Grand Rapids
and 126 in Traverse City do the same.
The implications of such a statistic say
a lot about local views on health issues
and smoking culture.
Where restaurant owners are now
catering to a sector of non-smokers, the
many students and restaurant employees
hat smoke may feel as though they're
ing discriminated against.
"Going outside to have a cigarette is
pretty ridiculous, especially when it's
cold out" Carolyn Dennis, an Eastern
Michigan University junior, said.
"I know a lot of employees that smoke
and come to work here (Rendez-Vous
Cafe) looking for that kind of atmos-
phere;" Ian Lang, an LSA senior, said.
Prohibition of smoking is a large
sue at coffeehouses, where coffee
drinking befits conversation and smok-
ing. Of the many coffeehouses in Ann
Arbor, only Rendez-Vous Cafe and
Cafe Felix capitalize on the smoking
sector of their business by providing
substantial smoking sections inside.
"I don't think it affects our other
business much at all," said Brett
Wilmot, Assistant Manager of Cafe
Felix, about the deterrent effect smok-
ing has on non-smoking customers.
'ie ceilings are high and well venti-
ted ... you really can't tell."
But where restaurants like Cafe Felix
and Rendez-Vous feel they can afford
smoking by isolating it in sections and
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installing ventilators, other restaurants
do not.
From its opening in 1986, Pizza
House has stuck to a policy of non-
smoking indoors, even for patrons at the
bar. While this causes mild disappoint-
ment from some customers, providing a
smoke-free atmosphere is the more
expedient goal.
Considering Ann Arbor's ranking in
the poll, Todd Oxnes, General Manager at
Pizza House, said that "the implications
are important." He said he believes public
support of non-smoking will encourage
people to consider health issues.
The growing concern of customers
has been the cause of many restaurants Billy Armsh
prohibiting smoking, which shows a few resta
growth of general awareness.
Seva, a vegetarian restaurant, main-
tains a tradition of support for healthy
living. This dates back to 1973, when
the original owners made a commitment
to providing a smoke-free environment.
Unlike Pizza House, smoking is prohib-
ited even outside on the deck.'
"It's very rare that people will ask for
smoking," Meredith Buddington, front
of the house manager, said.
As the attitude of restaurants reflect
the behavior and concerns of their cus-
tomers, smokers must further adapt to
their growing position as a minority.
"There really are less smokers than
non-smokers and its really hard to
reserve sections for smokers when they
stay empty," Sarah Berendt, LSA senior
and waitress at Gratzi, said.
"You have to respect everyone's pref-
erences" Dennis said as she smoked with
friends at Rendez-Vous, voted best
smokers hangout by University students
in The Michigan Daily's Weekend Etc.
Magazine.
METHING TO DO?
S FOR THE DAILY.
1AYNARD ST. OR
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NORMAN NG/Daly
aw, a Florida resident, enjoys a cigarette outside Rendez-vous Cafe on South University. Rendez-vous is one of only
urants in the area that allow smoking.
Earn $60 in a four session computer-mediated negotiation
experiment that is being held in the Business School
throughout July. Experimental sessions last under an hour.
Days: Sunday through Thursday
Times: 5:00 and 6:30 PM.
To be included in the pool of possible subjects, register at:
http://ddm.bus.umich.edu/~summer0O
To participate, you must be over the age of 18.