In the spirit of constructive criticism that forms a cornerstone of American journalism, today begins my one-week series on the Michigan Daily. I hope my efforts prove fruitful by sparking a community-wide discussion of that newspaper’s strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps even stimulate a little change. In that spirit, each entry I post is followed by a comments feature, and I’ll be updating a “letters” page with correspondence I receive.

Posted thus far:

> Introduction
> Part 1: Symptoms
> Letters

I plan on posting part one of my Inside the Daily series around midnight tonight.

Keep your eye out for Ann Arbor’s latest publication – something called the “Ann Arbor Paper.” They bill themselves as “the new alternative weekly covering Ann Arbor’s art, culture and society …” We’ll be watching.

A U-M grad and friend of mine wrote to me about my suggestion that the University incorporate private commercial space and perhaps even housing in their new buildings in the medical campus:

“You have hit on something that a group of students is working on for North Campus that could really benefit the UM community. This group is working on getting the U to allow a private company to open a pub/bar on North Campus. I think your point on mixed-use buildings really fits into this. The new Arthur Miller Theatre will now be built on the current Pierpont Commons parking lot. To counter the horrible parking problem that would be created, a parking structure is part of the plan. This structure’s first floor should be reserved for private occupation. I really think getting the horrible U bureaucracy out of the equation is key here. Put the retail space in the plans, build it, and then lease it. When the U controls things (a.k.a., Pierpont Commons, which I served on the board for last year) prices skyrocket, quality stinks (McDonald’s), and change is horribly slow … ”

Although building space to rent might cost more in up front construction costs, ultimately the University would be able to profit off the space, and provide needed services to students to boot!

“Ricardo Valle, a 21-year-old senior majoring in Latino Studies and History, went to high school in a predominantly Mexican community on the Southside of Chicago. During his years there, he didn’t know what diversity was or how to relate his experience as a Latino youth, he said.

Jackie Bray, a 20-year-old U-M senior majoring in history, said members of [SSAA] are most worried about students of color who’ve grown up in segregated environments, but they have similar concerns about white students who have attended homogeneous schools.”

> From AANews:“U-M’s new application wins mostly high marks”

Officials in Ypsilanti were suprised by the large turnout of applicants for Section 8 rent vouchers issued to people who meet certain criteria as the working poor in Washtenaw County. Rent vouchers are an often overlooked way for the government to help provide low and middle income housing in places like Ann Arbor, where anti-student, anti-growth city officials block new housing construction, and have voted against reasonable ordinances that would increase the density of the downtown area. Of course there’s a catch: most suburban towns and cities zone out apartments completely, and also opt out of participating in the federal government’s Section 8 program.

The Ann Arbor News published their mammoth annual “M” Edition today to correspond with the new school year. A complete listing of the articles in this years’ is avaliable here. Some highlights? The number of applications to the University increased 3% this year, setting an all-time record, however university officials aren’t saying it has to do with the amount of media coverage surrounding the admissions lawsuits.

Also, the bridge across Washtenaw Avenue near the Power Plant will open September 15. This from the same article:
The university’s architectural principles, said Gott, call for “connectivity” among buildings, designs that are pedestrian friendly (“walkable, bikable”) and environmental safeguards, such as storm water detention ponds, the planner said.

Can someone explain to me how tearing down conveniently located apartment buildings to build inhumanly scaled laboratories or parking structures increase the “walkability” of the campus?