Press enter after choosing selection

West Side Spirit Rising

West Side Spirit Rising image
Parent Issue
Day
8
Month
February
Year
1974
OCR Text

Local News

U. Tuition Scheme Taken To Court

Two suits are now pending which challenge the University of Michigan's new tuition residency rules. In a few years the suits should result in hefty refunds for many students now classified as "non-residents." One suit, filed by Arthur Carpenter of Virtue & Carpenter, says there is no reason why the University should be able to set up its own residency rules, and that it must follow state law. This would allow in-state status to students who, for example, have registered to vote in Michigan. Carpenter also claims that the present rules are administered in a racist and sexist manner, which in this case favors blacks and females seeking in-state residency status.

Last May Carpenter was successful in getting the old rules-which prohibited a student from changing residency status while a student - declared unconstitutional.

The other suit, filed by David Goldstein of Hayes & Goldstein, attacks the means of administering the new rules. That suit says that students are given no reason for denials of their petitions to be classified as in-state students, and that the appeal procedure is meaningless. The suit also says the rules are being administered in a biased manner so as to classify as many students as possible as "non-residents" to raise money for the U.

Resolution of both these suits will probably be delayed by the University's customary losing arguments that it can oppress students with impunity because it's part of the government ("sovereign immunity") and that whatever court it's being sued in, it should have been sued in a different one!

David Cahill

West Side Spirit Rising

A group of 20 or so people who live or work on the city's near west side met Jan. 30 to discuss what can be done to protect this area of town from the creeping formica plague called "progress." The near west side is roughly bordered by Huron, First, William, and Main. In this six block area stands some of the oldest businesses in the area as well as some of the newest. The heart of the community's music scene is here in the "bar district". New businesses and collectives have secured space in this area to meet the new needs of this community.

The West Side Community Group is an informal association that is dedicated to preserving the unique character of the area and it's buildings. The people who live and work in the area are reviving the neighborhood spirit, working together to help each other, the people, and build a better place to live.

The group met at John Hathaway's HideAway and will meet there again Wed. Feb. 27, at 4 p.m. John's Hide-a-Way is located 4 doors south of the Fleetwood Diner on Ashley, all interested are welcome.

Discussions were held on a number of different topics of interest to people who frequent this area; Lighting, the Sesquicentennial Celebration, trees for the streets, and a mural to be painted on the parking structure at Washington and First (the oldest parking structure in A2 and one of the first in the land, ugh.)

The West Side Community Group learned that the City had planned to put all new street lights in the area. The City hoped to make this neighborhood "light enough to read a newspaper at night". Wow! They want to replace the present ethnic lampost with sterile, streamlined mercury vapor, yellow tint, doomsday lights.

The Group wants to retain older lampposts with the good vibes, and even transplant more of the old historic posts to this part of town. The oldest alternative newspaper in Ann Arbor has its offices right in the center of the near west side. We recommend that people read the SUN at home, outside during the day, in any of the fine restaurants or bars that are neighbors to the SUN. We don't need street lights bright enough to read by.

But we do need trees. But the City says they can only plant a handful of trees in the area because of the pipes and wires and shit that runs under the sidewalks and streets. Actually, the City doesn't know where the pipes and wires are, but they know they're there, somewhere. They do know that no pipes or wires are under the exact center of our streets. We may want to turn Ashley into a mail and plant trees down the middle of Ashley since we know there are no pipes there.

Since last summer a mural for the side of the parking structure at First and Washington has been designed, the group saw the beautiful mural and appointed people to approach the City and find out what had to be done to get the City's permission to paint the mural.

Other matters of discussion were, Sesquicentennial (offices for the Sesquicentennial are in the neighborhood and much celebration is being planned for around here; how to get more and better bus service to this part of town, how to turn empty gas stations into heated bus waiting stops, and to encourage the use of the Dial-a-Ride service (see SUNSPOTS) were all matters of discussion.

A number of people were appointed by the group to investigate and pursue some of the ideas outlined above. More details will be forthcoming. --Pun Plamondon

HRP TO Risk The 4th

Despite continued criticism for potential vote splitting, the HRP has decided to go ahead with their campaign in the Fourth ward. At a January 31st mass meeting, the HRP voted to place emphasis on the races in the First and Second wards and on the ballot proposals. In the Fourth ward, the HRP "will be honest about our chances to win, but will try to get as many votes as possible."

The decision came after a long debate, which centered on the Fourth ward. Alternatives discussed included a proposal to totally withdraw, or to run an "educational", non-vote getting campaign.

The decision on Fourth ward priorities is the result of a long fight over the problem of splitting progressive votes, thereby electing a minority candidate. For example, in the Fourth ward election last April, approximately 3300 votes went to the Republican, and the progressive vote was split between the Democrat (2,900)) and the HRP (1,200).

This year's race is particularly critical, as the Republican candidate is Clyde William Colburn, that party's golden boy, in training for mayor. Vote-splitting in the Fourth ward will guarantee Colburn's election.

Under the current ward boundaries, the Fourth is a swing ward, which means it could go either way. (The First and Second belong to the Democrats and HRP, with