Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

News Tidbits

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 9. September 2004

—“The Lynn Rivers Show,” a new radio show featuring former U.S. Congresswoman Lynn Rivers debuts tomorrow on 89.1 WEMU. Here’s a description from Eastern Michigan U:

THE LYNN RIVERS SHOW: “The Lynn Rivers Show” debuts on WEMU (89.1 FM) Friday, Sept. 10, 8 a.m. The show, hosted by former U.S. Congresswoman Lynn Rivers, is an interesting and lively look at the historical, constitutional, and political dimensions of the events of today. More that the ‘here and now,’ the show will examine the ‘then and how’ of politics, policy, and government. During the first program, Rivers will discuss the USA’s long history of nasty political campaigning with guests Joanna Scott, political science professor at Eastern Michigan University; political archivist Doug Kelley, and Larry Kestenbaum who maintains the Web site politicalgraveyard.com. The program will air regularly on Fridays at 8 a.m., replacing the last hour of NPR’s Morning Edition. Call 487-2229.

Not in the area but want to tune in? The station broadcasts over the web with very good audio feeds in three formats.

—My friends over at the U-M College Democrats’ blog “Kicking Ass Ann Arbor” have scooped us: there’ll be September 11 vigil tonight at 8 p.m. on the Diag, also;

—The ACLU of Michigan is sponsoring a $10 (for students) pre-screening of the new film “Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties”, by filmaker and producer Robert Greenwald, who also made “Unprecedented”, “Uncovered”, and “Outfoxed.” The screening is 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at Quality 16.

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As regards the Business School gift

Posted by Brian Kerr on 9. September 2004

The New York Times reports today on a 100 million dollar gift to the U-M Business School by Stephen Ross (who, as luck would have it, is a co-chair on a ‘many dollars cabinet’ of the Michigan Difference campaign). We look forwards to seeing how the cash-starved Business School will leverage this gift—double-ply ‘Franklin special’ toilet paper?—cash mulch for those strange bushes around the school? Time will tell.

Thanks to Liana for the link.

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U of M not among the state's most racially diverse schools

Posted by Dumi Lewis on 9. September 2004

Michigan State’s newspaper recently ran an article on racial diversity and Affirmative Action. The main idea is that U of M is not as racially diverse as many other colleges and universities in Michigan. The article is really lengthy, or longer than I think it should be, so there are a number of ideas floating around in it. So with so many theories, which do you think makes other schools more racially diverse?

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Start the Semester With a Bang!

Posted by Brandon on 8. September 2004

The Bang!, Ann Arbor’s hottest retro/indie dance party, returns this Saturday, September 11, at the Blind Pig. Doors open at 9:30, and cover is $6 ($9 under-21). Tired of the same-old hip-hop, techno, and Top-40? This may be the place for you.

UMMA architect to speak Sunday

Posted by Murph on 8. September 2004

Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture, the architect for the University of Michigan Museum of Art’s planned expansion, will be speaking at Angell Hall on Sunday, 12 September, at 3pm. From the UMMA Programs webpage,

Angell Hall, Auditorium B, followed by a reception at UMMA. Alumni Memorial Hall, the Museum of Art’s home since its founding in 1946, is about to change, with a dramatic expansion and renovation planned for the coming years. Developed by Allied Works Architecture (AWA) of Portland, Oregon under the leadership of principal architect Brad Cloepfil, the design answers a number of urgent programmatic needs while responding to significant site and urban planning challenges—although within a distinctly contemporary visual vocabulary that moves the Museum facility into the twenty-first century.

Architect Brad Cloepfil will present the design, place it in a broader architectural context, and discuss the process through which the design was developed. Doug Kelbaugh, Dean of the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, will offer a response, and UMMA Director James Steward will moderate discussion, including fielding questions from the audience. Following the program, to be held next door to the Museum in Angell Hall, guests are invited to UMMA for refreshments and conversation.

Cloepfil’s design has some critics, including at least one letter to the Ann Arbor News criticizing the blockiness of the design. Another recent Allied Works project, the New York Museum of Arts and Design seems to show that Cloepfil likes blocky museums.

Cloepfil will also be speaking at the Art & Architecture Building on North Campus at 6pm Monday.

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Nader Coming Monday

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 8. September 2004

Presidential candidate Ralph Nader will be visiting Ann Arbor next Monday, Sept. 13th.

He will be holding a press conference in the Michigan Union Ballroom from 12 noon to 1 p.m. and speaking from 1 p.m. 3 p.m.

Identity Theft Protection Site Launched

Posted by Brian Kerr on 7. September 2004

A new U-M web site with the pithy title of Protecting Yourself Against Identity Misrepresentation and Theft at the University of Michigan has just been launched, and is being heavily promoted in the campus house organs. The site appears to be the product of extensive bureaucratic focus-grouping, eschewing useful notices and facts for smiling photos and disorganized, massive link collections.

While the site displays a bulging list of administrative and departmental sponsors—“IT User Advocate, Information Technology Central Services, Housing, Department of Public Safety, Office of Student Conflict Resolution, VP for Communications, International Center, the School of Information, and others,” including a team of graduate students from the Schools of Information and Public Policy—it’s remarkably devoid of any specifically helpful advice about identifying or responding to threats of identity theft.

As always, take abuses of campus computing resources to the User Advocate’s office and report serious stuff to DPS.

Student Found Dead

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 7. September 2004

From the Michigan Daily:

Residents of West Quad Residence Hall and Cambridge House were left stunned and confused last night after police officers discovered a sophomore woman dead in her residence hall room.

Police said the officers responded to a request by the student’s parents to perform what is known as a welfare check, which is usually requested when contact with a student cannot be made for a prolonged period of time.

Diane Brown, Department of Public Safety spokeswoman, confirmed that DPS was investigating a “student’s sudden death” and said no signs of foul play were evident. Cause of death has not yet been released.

She was not able to release the woman’s name or room number, though police officers closed off a first-floor hallway in Cambridge House.

Officers may have performed the welfare check as early as 7 p.m. yesterday, and the woman’s body appeared to have been removed from Cambridge House around 11:45 p.m. ...

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"Choose to Rock" Pro-Choice Benefit

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 3. September 2004

The Michigan Abortion Rights Action League (MARAL) is organizing a benefit concert at the Blind Pig for 8 p.m. September 9th featuring The Rants, The Avatars, Lingua Franca, The Elevations, and Broadzilla.

Tickets for the show are $10, and available from Ticketmaster. For more information, or to buy the tickets online, see the MARAL website.

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New Alumni Group Launched

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 2. September 2004

The U-M Union of Progressive Alumni now has a Yahoo Group.

Official membership costs $5 per year and is open to anyone who has completed one year of study at the university. Join by credit card or mail through the organization’s website.

Joining the Yahoo Group is free.

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