The AATA announced that the long-planned downtown circulator shuttle will start operation in August after the State Street renovation project is complete. Apparently, the AATA and U-M officials are negociating to combine the under-utilized night owl service with the new bus route: “While the main route is set, AATA is negotiating with the University of Michigan about combining the shuttle with U-M’s Night Owl bus service, AATA Executive Director Greg Cook said”

Also, yesterday two masked men held up Michigan Book and Supply, stealing an undisclosed sum of money.

This Free Press article predicts something that’s been discussed much recently: the idea that cities and older, “inner-ring” suburbs will ally to form a metropolitan majority that will force more reasonable growth policies to curb sprawl at a regional level. I think while the idea is interesting, it won’t happen in auto and highway-addicted Detroit.

From a recent survey conducted by the Chronicle of Higher Ed.:
Affirmative-action programs at colleges and universities contribute to the well-being of society
Strongly agree: 10%
Agree: 48%
Disagree: 27%
Strongly disagree: 7%
Don’t know: 8%

Colleges and universities should admit students from racial minority groups even if they have lower high school GPA’s and standardized-test scores than other students
Strongly agree: 5%
Agree: 26%
Disagree: 45%
Strongly disagree: 19%
Don’t know: 5%

Article: “What Americans Think About Higher Education:“
“The survey’s respondents were highly skeptical about affirmative action, tenure, big-time athletics, and other entrenched practices of the academic establishment. About two-thirds of the respondents said that colleges place too much emphasis on sports, and that experienced professors should not be granted jobs for life. More than 60 percent said colleges should not admit minority students who have lower grade-point averages and test scores than their peers.”

In an exclusive editorial in Truthout, former Vermont governor and presidential candidate Howard Dean (See Deanblog)addresses the U-M admissions lawsuits:
“Senator Santorum’s remarks do not exist in isolation. In January, President Bush went on national television to discuss the Supreme Court’s hearing of the University of Michigan’s affirmative action case. One of the most despicable moments of this President’s Administration occurred when, on national prime time television, he used the word “quotas” repeatedly to describe the University of Michigan’s admissions policy.

President Bush knows that the University of Michigan does not now have, and has never had, quotas. His use of the race-loaded word “quota” is intended to incite people’s fears of losing their jobs, or their positions in America’s leading universities, to minorities. Such rhetoric, which is designed to appease the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party and to appeal to Americans’ worst instincts, betrays the guiding principle that America is a nation in which all people are created equal. “

Spring commencement was Saturday, where Governor Granholm’s told the graduates:
“There are some U of M grads who are complete and total losers. Here’s my first bit of advice: Do not be one of them.”
The University press office released photos of the governor posing with sunglasses with President Coleman before the ceremony. (From the Ann Arbor News: “Governor to grads: Don’t waste diplomas”)

From the Associated Press story about commencement:
Ben Conway, a classic language and literature major from Rochester, N.Y., agreed. He said Granholm’s calls for leadership were particularly appealing he hopes to work for the gay rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign or the American Civil Liberties Union in the future.
“I registered to vote in Michigan this year specifically to vote for her,” the 23-year-old said.

This Ann Arbor News article includes the following statistics:
“While 84 percent of all U-M students graduate within six years, the figures are 75 percent for Hispanics, 72 percent for Native Americans and 66 percent for African-Americans. ”
Although U-M administrator and advisor to the president Lester Monts tries to steer blame away from any specific environment or policy here at U-M, arguing it reflects greater social inequalities:
“We don’t get (African American) students from private schools like Phillips Exeter (in New Hampshire). We get very few from Greenhills. A good number come from inner city high schools that are inadequately funded,” Monts said. “It’s a tribute that the 66 percent did graduate. They rose to the challenge. They had fortitude and the ability to cope.”

Other stories of note from the Ann Arbor News:
>“Recipients transform letters of hate into symbols of peace”
>“Man injured in altercation at bar”
>“End of semester sees rash of textbook thefts”
>“Positive ID delayed on unearthed body of girl”
>“Handicapped U-M student forged paths”

According to this Detroit News Story, the University of Michigan’s Internet Public Library, which recieves over 12 million hits a month, may be a victim of budget cuts. According to the article: “Since the grant money ran out, the library has been funded with general fund money, a source they will not be able to continue tapping. Other funding alternatives have fallen through. The library can’t tax users or solicit revenue through advertising.” And this from Maurita Holland director of academic outreach at the School of Information: “We want to remain operational, but if we can’t find the funding, our lights will go out.” The website costs about $30,000 to run each year.

The Ann Arbor News ran this story today about the Jessica Smith case: “Clues indicate body is April Copperstone”. Police have found the body of the daughter of Smith’s boyfriend, whom he alleged in a letter she had killed before he murdered her and committed suicide.