In today’s news:
> The Chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering at UC Santa Cruz Prof. John Visecky writes a letter to the editor in the Daily lauding U-M engineering professor Hyland, who was accused of perpetrating intellectual fraud in an article in the Daily this summer. The letter neatly sidesteps the issues raised this summer, concluding “Overcoming his loss to Michigan will be a challenge. A good way to start would be a speedy and just resolution of the conflict discussed in the Daily article.”
> The University Library is considering cutting back hours on weekends and late at night in response to budget cuts. A spokesperson said they were waiting to hear from faculty before making a final decision, since they use the UGLI at 4 in the morning so much more than students.
> The Daily’s agenda-setting editorial today weighs in on a number of issues: improving the undergraduate experience, lowering tuition, ensuring the success of the Life Sciences project, and urging President Coleman to spend more time on campus and look into teaching an undergraduate course.
> In a second, smaller editorial, they issue a much-needed reminder to campus that the editorial page is supposed to be “biased.” The simple fact that such an editorial is needed doesn’t bode well for the level of intellectual life at the University.
> Finally, Daily columnist Jess Piskor concludes he’s a liberal elitist: “I knew going into college that my education would elevate me above others less fortunate. Now it’s my duty to elevate as many others so they can begin to live as I do. Otherwise, my brief time in this fortress has been wasted.”
Over the summer:
> The University abruptly re-organized the Residence Hall Libraries, firing all undergraduate employees in a plan that would place them under the control of the University Library. The Residence Hall Head librarians, also School of Information graduate students, had successfully petitioned to join the Graduate Employee Organization last year, before being fired in the cost-cutting measure.
> University officials also abruptly announced the closing of the U-M Student Woodshop, a resource utilized by many students to build a wide variety of projects. After a strong negative reaction, the University reneged on their plan to close the woodshop immediately, allowing a “Woodshop Users’ Group” to attempt to fundraise the roughly $50,000 needed to keep it in operation for another year. Although the Taubman School of Architecture and other donors expressed interest in helping keep the resource open, they failed to raise enough money and have announced on their website they will close forever September 30.
> Three U-M students are running for the Ann Arbor City Council: Rick Lax in Ward 1, and Scott Trudeau and Dan Sheil in Ward 4.
> The University intends to go forward with the demolition of the Planada Apartment Building against the wishes of preservationists and city officials, who would like to see the structure saved.
> University President Coleman’s husband gave $1,000 to the Howard Dean campaign, but other top administrators’ presidential picks include Leiberman and Bush.
> BAM-N / RWL organizer Luke Massie was spotted fomenting the revolution in South London, of all places.
> Rabih Haddad, and his family, were deported to Lebanon by federal authorities.
> Decker Drugs was forced out of business by a greedy landlord.
> The Director of the LSA Honors program, Prof. Stephen Darwall, has started a blog, joining the growing ranks of U-M affiliates who have utilized this technology.