Break-ins:

“900 block Northwood Street, 6:30 a.m. Monday. Door kicked in; box of checks, TV, laptop computer, digital camera and stereo player taken. Total value: $2,220.

800 block of East University Avenue, 11:35 a.m. Monday. Entry through unlocked door; a University of Michigan football ticket, money and a cell phone taken. Total value: $300.”

And more oddities of our fair city from the Ann Arbor News police beat:

“Peeper escapes during police chase

The suspect is being held at the Washtenaw County Jail while prosecutors determine whether he will be charged with a crime. He also was wanted on misdemeanor warrants, police said. “

The University loves to evoke the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) when asked about their internal discipline policies, or to make public any data remotely related to students. However, a 1998 FERPA amendment allows them to release data about disciplinary proceedings where students were found responsible for behavior “that would constitute a crime of violence or nonforcible sex offense.” I think this issue is complex: because the burden of proof is lower for disciplinary proceedings than it is in a court of law, and the process at U-M is generally designed to be “educational,” there might be a good reasons to keep this information private. However, the University can also invoke FERPA simply to keep discipline secret, which may permit abuse – transparency is one way to make sure policies are enforced in a consistant, fair manner. This from a report by the Student Press Law Center:

“… Although federal law permits the disclosure of records of the outcome of disciplinary proceedings when a student is found responsible for behavior that would constitute a violent crimes or a nonforcible sex offense, many college say they would rather maintain the students’ confidentiality. Others said they were either compelled or restricted from releasing the records under state law, but many of those schools were in agreement over their concern for students’ privacy.

The unscientific survey raises the question as to whether the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is effective in its current state of voluntary release of that crime info. FERPA states a school can lose its federal funding if it has a policy or practice of releasing studentsÂ’ education records without receiving consent. Under a 1998 amendment, schools are permitted to release the outcome of disciplinary proceedings where a student is found responsible for behavior that would constitute a crime of violence or nonforcible sex offense. Schools, however, are not required to release this information under the amendment. Access advocates argue that state open-records laws should require that release in some states.
…
The University of Michigan said that releasing the documents would constitute an “unwarranted invasion of an individual’s privacy” and were thus exempt under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. However, courts have consistently said that releasing information involving allegations of criminal misbehavior does not constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy.”

The freshman seminar class Honors 135 Section 001 is planning a forum with LSA Honors Program Director Stephen Darwall on honors’ new admissions criteria next Sunday, November 2nd from 4:30-6:00 PM in the MSA Chambers. I think this might be a good opportunity for students to learn about the new admisisons policy, and let him know how important the changes were. If that weren’t enough, the organizers are planning to serve free Jimmy John’s, and will compile the concerns into a formal document to present to the program. Also, perhaps this could be a good venue to discuss the Perlman Honors Commons.

The Daily finally covers the increasing costs of health insurance for University employees in their article today, “Plan hikes employee insurance payments.” They wait until nearly the last paragraph to give what should be in the first: “The committee estimated that employees would pay anywhere from an extra $15 to $430 in premiums under the plan, depending on which of the seven proposed insurance plans they chose, and what tier they were in.” I suspect the GEO rally has something to do with these increases, which they believe violates the terms of their contract.

Also in the news: The Power Mac G5s now installed in Angel hall have two monitors: “Students see double with new monitors in computing sites,” and the Daily writes about evangelism on campus, somehow lumping the Muslim Student Association’s Islam Awareness Week along with Christian proselytizers: “Preachers, groups try to gain converts on campus.”

Planada Parking Structure?

The University has razed the Planada Apartment building:
> September 2003
> October 2003 (late last week)

The Graduate Employees Organization is calling a rally noon this Wednesday on the Diag in this enigmatic post on their website:

“Calling all workers & students:
What do tuition increases, health care cutbacks, and no job security have in common?
Come rally for the fair treatment of U of M employees on the Diag, Wed. 10/29 at 12 PM. A fun surprise ending is promised!”

“FCB House of Flavors” is the name of the new business that opened in the formerly vacant spot across from Cafe Ambrosia on Maynard Street. And the business model is perhaps more absurd than the name: the store sells apparently only drinks, dispensed from probably two dozen machines situated along the walls, including a variety of frozen smoothies, and hot drinks – flavored coffees and cappuccino, and others. There is exactly one employee at any one time, the person at the cash register.

If one can get beyond the simple possibility that anyone thought opening a frozen drink store in Ann Arbor in October was a good idea, I predict the operation will fail; most likely close in less than six months. Why? First, this is Ann Arbor: people aren’t buying drinks for the flavor, they want to pay for an experience: the sound of the cappichino machine, a place to sit and read in a place to go to that’s not their house or on campus. Second, in our neo-corporate world what sells is authenticity, not sheer flavor and variety. Whether foods or consumer products, for the modern consumer novelty alone isn’t enough: it must be attached to something intangible. This is why Starbuck’s has a conscious corporate policy to open stores in historic buildings in urban environments, to somehow counteract the karmic effect of all those mall-and-airport shops, and why Potbelly’s desires “Buildings with character and/or unique features” to open new franchises: they know they are selling not just coffee and too-small sandwiches, but also an experience.

What would work? In this city obsessed, like much of America, with the authentic and unusual, America’s most chic products can coexist alongside nonmanufactured authenticities. Along State Street alone, one can purchase Mavi jeans at Bivouac or the latest in stylish eyewear at See, but also buy imported handmade clothes or Fair Trade Coffee. And so, it’s sad to say, but a corporate entity that seeks to aggressively highlight the historic architecture of Nickels Arcade in order to burnish their carefully honed image would most likely succeed, whether a coffee shop or restaurant.

I, of course, would prefer to see a small business there, for social, economic, political, and personal reasons. It might be a sad observation, but I think the market probably could support yet another coffee shop. A business I think might thrive at that location is is something called an “old-world bakery” – IE, a place that, gasp, bakes food! I think that such a place could complement Nickel’s Arcade’s other businesses, which include a luxury men’s clothing shop, imported gift and antique stores, and a shop selling popcorn and candy. I think the clientele frequenting these stores would be more than willing to pay a premium for a fresh, well-made brownie, muffin, or cookie, and a nice place to sit. Also, within a few city blocks is a variety of offices, all which I’m sure would invest in locally produced carbohydrates for special mornings, meetings, and visitors.

I discovered such a shop in Detroit along Cass Avenue near Wayne State University Summer 2002, when, as intern at the ACLU of Michigan, I was sent to buy muffins. After walking three typically deserted Detroit city blocks one morning a little after 7:00AM, entering Avalon Breads I was forced to wait in line with what appeared to be an eclectic combination of suits, students, hipsters, and local residents to buy homemade, organic baked goods. Here’s more about that company:

“Motivated by the grassroots development manifesto promoted by Grace Boggs and others, business partners Ann Perrault and Jackie Victor opened Avalon International Breads in the Corridor in 1996.

“People felt like we were crazy,” says Victor. “Even the landlord said the neighborhood wasn’t ready for windows.” (From “Detroit Renaissance”)