Monday, May 7, 2007 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 'U' to address climate change With tutor program, Engin profs take on economic inequity IPCC study prompts immediate action By ARIKIA MILLIKAN Daily News Editor A new report from the Inter- governmental Panel on Climate Change released Friday stresses that policymakers must act now to curb growing environmental threats before irreversible conse- quences ensue. The University is taking steps to see that they do. The University's School of Nat- ural Resources and Environment is hosting a national summit in the Biomedical Science Research Building May 8 through May 10 for anybody from policymakers to environment experts to address methods of coping with climate change. School of Natural Resources and Environment Dean Rosina Bierbaum said a reason for hold- ing the summit is to "have the experts in the same room as the stakeholders." Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje will discuss how Ann Arbor will adapt and leaders in environmen- tal sciences will address improv- ing mitigation efforts at the state and national levels. "The topic has SUBJECTS AND SPEAKERS AT THE SUMMIT * Climate Update Thomas Karl, director of the National Climate Data Centerfor the U.S. Department of Commerce " Adapting to a Changing Climate: Energy Susan Terry, managing principal oftthe Analysis Group, former assistant secretary of energy * Adaptingtoa Changing Climate: Water QualityJoel Scheraga, national directorfor the Global Change Research program and the Mercury Research Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency * Adapting to a Changing Climate: Public Health Anthony McMichael, director oftthe National Centerfor Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University * Coping with Climate Change? A look at Fisheries Edward Miles a Marine and Public Affairs professor at the University oftWashington * Adaption and Local Policy Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje been ignored for about a decade," Bierbaum said. "If we don't think about natural resource planning and management with a lens of climate change impact, we will make inefficient and ineffective decisions." See CLIMATE, Page 3 By EMILY BARTON Daily News Editor Engineering Profs Pierre Kabamba and Semyon Meerkov said they often talk about how to change the world for the better. One of the ideas the two brain- stormed was helping high school students from economically under- privileged homes become better prepared for college. "We wanted to do something about that," he said. "We've gone a long way in discussing this." The professors are working to found a free after-school tutor- ing program called the University of Michigan Pre-College Acad- emy that operates on campus to help students from low-income households gain admission into prestigious universities and be successful science and engineering fields, Meerkov said. A UMPA committee of Engi- neering professors is planning to implement the program in Fall 2008. The program's founders want to make it easier for underprivileged students to compete with students who can afford superior private school educations, Meerkov said. According to an outline of the program, it will include four groups of students that will meet four days a week for two fifty-min- ute sessions on math and physics. The first session will be a lecture and the second a recitation. Facul- ty volunteers will lead the lectures and graduate students will lead the recitations. Each group will consist of about twentystudentswhowillbechosen from high schools in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti school districts. The program will start with a group of ninth graders, one faculty member and one graduate student. Each year the committee plans to add another ninth grade group until they have groups for all four high school grades. Each student must come from a low-income home of about $10,000 or less, per family member. Students will be recommended by their high school counselors and will be interviewed to determine if they meet expectations, Meerkov said. The students' grade point aver- ages don't affect their eligibility as long as they have a "desire to put an effort to study math and physics," he said. The program's main expense will be busing students back and forth from their schools to the Col- lege of Engineering. He said he doesn't know if fund- ing will come from the University or outside donors. "Atthis point there is no funding whatsoever," Meerkov said Right now the program orga- nizers are in the process of form- ing sub-committees to oversee the curriculum, recruiting and logis- tics of the program. Kabamba said that he and Meerkov have been discussing this for about two years but submit- ted a proposal to create UMPA to the Senate Assembly Committee of University Affairs in December 2006. In February 2007, the commit- tee met with principals and vice- principals of Ann Arbor's middle schools to explain the goal of the program, Kabamba said. He said the response was over- whelmingly enthusiastic. "All of a sudden this was taking momentum," he said. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arhor, MI 48108-1327 ww.michigasdai"y.com IMEAN SPED DAVID GON syedtOOmiciaridily.com ,go,SOOigndaily.c,,, CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom su.- s ehours: 734-763-24s9 News Tips news@micmigandaily.co Corrections corrections@michigandaily.com tterstotheEditor othedailyomichigandaily.com PhotographylDeparneent phtomch,,gandiy,,,, ArtsSection mnarctspage@michigandaily.com Editorial Page opinionurichigandaily.com Sports Section sports@m ichigandaily com DisplaySales display@mie anicom ClassifiedtSales classified@mdeigandaOy.co OnlineSales )n,,itadsc ieig,,daiycom Finance finance@michiganrudy.comr EDITORIAL STAFF JessicaVosgerchian Managing News Editor vasge rcha n @mchiga nda il eo r ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Emily Angell, Emily Barton, Arikia Mi"lka GaryGraca Editorial Page Editor goca@migananilycom ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Emmarie Huettemen Ian Feldman ManagingSportsEditor feldnzar,@r,,icioo,,taiy.,,, ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Chris Meszaros Ele Zwiebel ManagingArtsEditor ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Anna Ash ShaytSpaniola Managing Photo Editor spaniola@michigandaily.corn Lisa Gentile Managing Design Editor genii,@miciigandaid com Jessica Boullion Managing Online Editor boull ion @mich igandaily.com BUSINESS STAFF Tiffany tin DisplaySalesManager BeniaminSchrotenboer Displayspecial Projects Manager DavidGoh OnlineSalesManager Robert Abb Layout/ProductionManager TheMichigan Daily(ISSNO745-967)ispublished Monday through Friday during thefall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. 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