Posts by Justin Miller
Does the ‘U’ help you find out-of-state housing?
By Justin Miller, written on Mar. 31, 2006
How helpful has the University been in helping you find temporary housing for an internship or another summer job? Do resources like the housing website help at all? What about the Career Center?
Better yet: should the housing department put up a page dealing with out-of-state housing (resources to find it, how to go about subletting an apartment without seeing or meeting the person subletting, fraud protection, etc)?
Is the University’s obligation to off-campus housing only to people who come to Ann Arbor or the University to live, or to it’s students who have to temporarily live somewhere else to pursue their career, of which internships are a critical part?
Bone marrow search for student
By Justin Miller, written on Mar. 29, 2006
My roommate recieved this message via Facebook. Looks legit and serious. A student is looking for a bone marrow donor and being of Italian heritage, his friend figured his best chance to find an acceptable donor would be through the “Italians at Michigan” Facebook group. Here is the message:
“Today, I received an email asking me to pass on this serious information. A fellow student’s close friend was recently diagnosed with Leukemia and needs someone for a bone marrow match. The friend, Angelo, has the best chance of finding a match from someone with Italian heritage.”
“The bone marrow drive is Tuesday, Mar. 28 and Wednesday March 29,8:00am to 8:00pm each day at the City of Southfield Pavilion–26000 Evergreen Rd. at 10 1/2 Mile Rd. If you do not have transportation, Jamie is willing to drive. Her email is lindyloo@umich.edu.”
“Thanks for reading this message, and please help if you can. - Anthony Fuga”
Michigan presidential primary moving up?
By Justin Miller, written on Mar. 12, 2006
Michigan voters may soon have far more power to decide the presidential nominee of the Democrats and Republicans.
The Hotline is reporting that Michigan GOP chair Saul Azunis is optimistic the state’s presidential primary date will be moved up to the first Tuesday in Feb. 2008, the same date as the first non-New Hampshire primary, South Carolina. Others are not so optimistic and neither party has fully endorsed the idea.
Similar efforts to move Michigan up have been made by Democrats, like Sen. Carl Levin but met opposition from the Democratic National Committee. The DNC had wanted to “front-load” the primary system to have a clear frontrunner in early 2004. If the primary schedule has few states holding their primaries at the same time, the contest is less-competitive (candidates can focus on one state). This serves to help a single candidate can round-up enough delegates to have a lock on their party’s nomination early. The sooner there is a nominee, the sooner they can work to raise money and gain support.
With presidential politics 2008 feels very close. My graduation is another story.
Mitch’s to re-open on South U
By Justin Miller, written on Mar. 12, 2006
The bar “Mitch’s” will re-open right near it’s old spot on South U and South Forest. It’s setting up shop in the glass-paneled building across the street from Village Corner, above Bubble Island. I took a peak through the windows and saw tables, neon signs, a bar and pool tables already inside — which probably means the major renovations (painting, wiring, etc) are done. Signs are in the windows so I’d say the bar could open by spring. We’ll keep you updated.
Breaking: State Senate raises minimum wage
By Justin Miller, written on Mar. 9, 2006
In a suprise move, the Michigan Senate approved a bill Thursday that would gradually raise the state minimum wage from $5.15 an hour, the first increase in nine years. Here’s how the increase would be phased in: This year the minimum wage would go to $6.95 an hour, followed by $7.15 in July 2007 and finally $7.40 in July 2008.
Workers earning tips would have to earn enough between pay and tips to equal the minimum wage.
Campus groups like the Raise the Minimum Wage Campaign have pursued a ballot initivative that would ask voters to raise the minimum wage. The effort was still in the signature stage, and it’s unclear how this new bill will affect that effort.
This move in the GOP-controlled Senate was probably taken to outflank and ultimately undermine the ballot initiave effort. This would be advantageous for the GOP that may fear increased Democratic turnout in November because of the proposal. As for the minimum wage itself, the senate bill creates a fixed minimum wage increase instead of an increase that could continously change: the ballot intiative would create a minimum wage that would be annually adjusted to changes in the consumer price index.
The House has not voted on the issue and it is not yet clear when the issue may be taken up, if at all, and how the House will vote.
- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A2 Dems will vote on Bush impeachment
By Justin Miller, written on Mar. 8, 2006
Arbor Update reports that the Ann Arbor Democratic Party will discuss and vote on a resolution that asks for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
Beyond the symbolism, the measure would actually request Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn) to introduce the Articles of Impeachment against Bush. Murmurs of impeachment against the president have been building on the Left over the past three years or so, even finding the welcoming ear of Rep. John Conyers (D-Detroit) when he presided over a mock impeachment trial last summer.
The meeting will also table and vote on at least three other resolutions:
- Increasing citizen involvement in community development and housing policy.
- Supporting the campaign to put Raise the Minimum Wage on the ballot.
- Endorsing a moratorium on downtown development until Dec. 2006.
The meeting will take place this Saturday from 10:00 to noon at the Michigan League’s Vandenberg Room.
Frank Rich coming to campus
By Justin Miller, written on Mar. 6, 2006
New York Times arts-critic-turned-political-commentator Frank Rich will be coming to campus for a presentation called “Art, Culture and Politics: An Evening with Frank Rich” on March 20.
The event will take place at Rackham auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Rich is visiting as one of the speakers in the Howard R. Marsh Lecture Series about democracy and the media. The series is sponsored by the Communication Studies Department.
The event is free and there are no tickets, just make sure you go early for good seats.
CSP: MCRI has consequences for equal opportunity
By Justin Miller, written on Feb. 28, 2006
The University’s Comprehensive Studies Program offers extra academic support for some students, including minorities. It is no wonder program director William Collins made the following statement about MCRI in the latest CSP newsletter:
“I believe this initiative does not live up to its name and that it will have significant and far-reaching consequences for equal opportunity in many spheres, including higher education. I urge all students to learn about MCRI when forums and offered concerning it.”
Collins did not say if MCRI was good or bad, only that it would result in changes to equal opportunity. Ironically, supporters and detractors of MCRI’s agree the initiative will have consequences for equal opportunity: detractors believe the initiative will undo the mechanisms that currently ensure equal opportunity for minorities, while supporters believe opportunity is not equal with special consideration of minorities like those used in affirmative action programs.
Whether the initiative is good for society is really the center of the debate over MCRI and affirmative action.
CAPS announces more resources for students
By Justin Miller, written on Feb. 26, 2006
CAPS has posted a new bulletin on its website to inform students of all the resources and people in the campus community that can help them with depression or mental health problems.
CAPS has a counseler on duty for emergencies and its services are free to students. Also: there is a 24/7 emergency counseling hotline staffed by professionals at 734-936-5900.
From all of us at the Daily: have a wonderful break.
Training pro-choice candidates
By Justin Miller, written on Feb. 20, 2006
A two-day training session for pro-choice female Democrats who may want to run for office will be held in Ann Arbor on May 5 and 6 (location TBA). MI List and EMILY’S List are sponsoring the program. Both groups work to get female, pro-choice Democrats elected to local, state and national offices. The session will focus “fundraising, message development, direct mail, dealing with the media,” and the idea of running for office.
The session is free, but attendees must provide their own lodging.