Posts by Carissa Miller
Juan Cole on the move?
By Carissa Miller, written on May. 11, 2006
Soon, controversial University history Prof. Juan Cole — known internationally for his critique of Israeli policy and U.S. involvement in the Middle East— may no longer call himself a Wolverine.
Cole is being considered for a position as a professor of contemporary Middle Eastern studies at Yale University and could be hired in the next several days.
Cole has also attracted extensive media attention for his blog Informed Comment, located at www.juancole.com, through which he expresses his thoughts, opinion and theories concerning issues of Middle Eastern affairs.
According to a story posted on the Wall Street Journal’s online editorial page Opinion Journal, many Yale faculty members have been clear and outspoken about their desire to hire Cole. This is especially significant considering Yale’s president does not possess the power to veto the faculty’s choice.
For more information on Juan Cole and his status at the University, look for a story in the May 15 issue of the Daily.
Inspections of local restaurants go online
By Carissa Miller, written on May. 3, 2006
Thinking of dining out tonight?
Before visiting your favorite local eatery, you might want to check out http://foodsafety.ewashtenaw.org — a new website that allows local patrons to view the inspections of restaurants in Washtenaw County.
The new site, which debuted this past Monday, features recent inspection reports for more than 1000 food service establishments — including bars, caterers and school cafeterias — as well as information on food service inspections. Users can search for specific restaurants by name or street address.
This decision falls on the heels of the first public meeting of the Restaurant Workplace Project-Ann Arbor — a student-developed group advocating safe and fair working conditions for all restaurant workers in Ann Arbor — which was held last month.
The group has been and is currently engaged in efforts to interview local workers and restaurant owners on the conditions of their workplace environments and to expand their research on food safety, wages and benefits of local establishments.
‘U’ Special Collections Library makes anarchism pamphlets available online
By Carissa Miller, written on May. 3, 2006
For nearly a hundred years, the University’s Special Collections Library has been gathering pamphlets promoting or discussing anarchy for its Labadie Collection.
The Labadie Collection also features materials such as books, audio recordings, letters, films and newspapers.
As part of an ongoing digitizing project, more than 200 of these pamphlets can now be viewed online.
For years, the library has been involved in efforts to make collection materials more accessible. With financial support from the National Endowment for the Humanities in the early 1980s, the University began cataloging the publications. The pamphlets were also added to the University Library’s online catalog system Mirlyn.
To view the digitized pamphlets visit http://www.hti.umich.edu/l/labadie/
UMMA prepares for upcoming move
By Carissa Miller, written on Apr. 26, 2006
As it prepares for the move to a temporary exhibition space, the University of Michigan Museum of Art — which will undergo construction from June through 2008 — is offering the community the opportunity to take a final peek at their favorite works of art.
The “Goodbye Old Friends” free program allows the public to tour the museum’s galleries. Tours are scheduled for 7 p.m. May 18 and 2 p.m. May 21 and 28. No advance registration is necessary.
Every piece of art, including jewelry, paintings and the prominent metal sculpture on the front lawn (the “Daedalus”), must be moved to accomodate the expansion and restoration of the museum.
The temporary space, located at 1301 South University, will feature mounted exhibitions and a scaled-down version of the Museum Store. Staff of the museum will work out of Rackham, which will also house a conservation laboratory.
Power outage forces cancellation of exam reviews
By Carissa Miller, written on Apr. 23, 2006
The Department of Public Safety reported Sunday afternoon that a blown transformer in the basement of Mason and Haven Hall resulted in power outage throughout the building.
Students and faculty were evacuated from the building and activities scheduled to take place in the building, including exam review sessions, were cancelled.
Despite the damage, Angell Hall was able to reopen Monday morning.
Crossing Borders Part II - Internal Turmoil and MSA Representation
By Carissa Miller, written on Apr. 4, 2006
Earlier this semester, Crossing Borders co-founder John Leahy resigned his post in the organization, stating that the organization no longer represented the “vision, direction, and opportunity
Crossing Borders Part I - An Update
By Carissa Miller, written on Apr. 4, 2006
Last fall, two University undergraduates formed a new nongovernmental organization, known as Crossing Borders, aimed at providing students the opportunity to participate in international humanitarian projects in keeping with their own personal and academic interests.
At the time, founders LSA juniors David Duong and John Leahy said their work in Vietnam the previous summer prompted the creation. With a grant from the University’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies and in collaboration with NGOs already active in Vietnam — such as Project Vietnam and East Meets West — Duong and Leahy studied the country’s health care system and how NGOs can aid the fight of various health problems.
When the Daily first reported on Crossing Borders in late October, the organization had already begin planning this summer’s trip to Vietnam, but representatives said a goal was to expand its efforts to Latin America and Africa.
From June to Sept., five members of CB will conduct a nutrition study in Vietnam to compare the cost and nutritional value of industrialized foods (such as UNESCO biscuits and Carnation brand formula) in comparison to more culturally appropriate foods (such as soybeans and peanuts), Duong said. He added that results of the study would be presented to other NGOs in Vietnam to assist in the potential redesign of nourishment programs.
CB members will also gather epidemiological data for the Department of Health and conduct a study to assess local preferences for food.
Should CB branch out and focus their efforts on other areas of the world and other developing countries? Or should NGOs like CB and East Meets West remain in Vietnam for an extended period of time?
Discussion on CB to be continued…..
Advance Prescription of Emergency Contraception
By Carissa Miller, written on Mar. 21, 2006
Emergency Contraceptive pills, if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, can reduce a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant by 75%. In 2002, the University student group Students for Choice succeeded in persuading the University Health Service to modify their policies concerning the distribution of emergency contraception. As a result, women can obtain advance prescriptions for EC from UHS without taking a pregnancy test or experiencing interrogation.
This afternoon, SFC sponsored an event in the Union, inviting women to come and get their advance prescription. Their flier promoting the event proclaimed “Back up your birth control with EC.”
Do you think that EC should be promoted as a back-up method to birth control? What are the implications of this practice? EC can have physical side effects on the woman who takes it and has the potential to impact the patient psychologically. Should UHS allow advance prescriptions? What, if anything, does this modified policy say about UHS’s stance on issues of abortion and sexual health education?
Students Want Minority-Focused Newspaper
By Carissa Miller, written on Feb. 15, 2006
Last week, two University students called on campus students groups â€