,- WIRETAP LAW See Editorial Page V' L Sict 13 aug GRAY High -29 ° Low- 190 Vol. LXXXVIII, No. 71 Ann Arbor, Michigan-Saturday, December 3, 1977 Ten Cents 10 Pages PIRGIM tries hard sell at RISP lines By MARK LEWISON The crumpled "PIRGIM Voluntary contribution Forms" in the snow outside the CRISP registration build- ing tell the story - this year the consumer advocate group is being, forced to "sell" itself to University students like never before. PIRGIM (Public Interest Re- search Group in Michigan), founded by the Ralph Nader organization in 1971, has always leaned heavily on student contributions obtained here at the University at registration. BUT CHANGES made last year by the Regents now require students wishing to support PIRGIM to sign a "contribution form" at registration. This "positive check-off" system is keeping PIRGIM volunteers very, very busy. "We'll keep the registration line staffed constantly, even if I have to fill in for others," said PIRGIM's Tom Moran. The so-called "positive check-off" replaces a similar system, in which PIRGIM donation forms were not attached to student verification forms at registration. IT IS ALSO the first half of a two-term contract which will not be renewed if PIRGIM a is unable to maintain a 33 per cent participation rate. As of Monday, 52 per cent of students registering for winter term had made the two-dollar PIRGIM pledge. Last term PIRGIM got only 18 per cent of the registering students to sign donation forms, a failure which. PIRGIM members attribute to the 'How are we going to get these freshmen to sign a donation card if they don't know what it's for?' PIRGIM staff Denise Sloan 'The whole staff has to work on (registration). It takes away from PIRGIM'S real work.' -Staffer Tim Kunin confusing method of not including donation forms with verification forms. The method of donation has been changed three times in three terms. "They (the Regents) really don't want us on campus," said Denise Sloan, a former paid PIRGIM staff member who came from her home in Lansing to work "for free" on the donation drive at CRISP. get their money back. That system came under fire this year from Regents Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor) and David Laro (R-Flint). At the October meeting Baker moved unsuccessfully to sever all University ties with PIRGIM. Other motions to curb PIRGIM's registration privileges, donation forms, and the number of PIRGIM volunteers at CRISP were also defeated, but the change from "nega- tive" to "positive" check-off passed. SINCE THEN PIRGIM has strug- gled to survive. The group's Univer- sity branch suffers from chronic un- derstaffing, and many students are unfamiliar with or hostile to the group's work. "How are we going to get these freshmen to sign a donation card if they don't know what it's for?" Sloan complained. "The whole staff has to work on (registration)," said PIRGIM's Tim Kunin. "It takes away from PIR- GIM's real work." PIRGIM'S PAST accomplishments include lobbying for the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, reforming state eviction laws, helping pass a freedom of information law, and conducting consumer product sur- veys on economy and child safety. Public Interest Research Groups exist in 20 other states under differ- ent names: Colorado's is COPIRG, Minnesota's IMPIRG, Maryland's MaryPIRG. In Michigan PIRGIM has branches at Grand Valley State Colleges, Central Michigan Univer- See-PIRGIM, Page 2 "EVERY TERM for the last three they have come up with something new we have to do. . . some new pro- cedure. This term they won't even let us mention on the form what PIR- GIM is all about." PIRGIM members favor a "nega- tive check-off" system similar to that in use before 1977, which required students not wishing to support PIRGIM to make a special effort to Palestinians urge boycott against Egypt AP Photo Interrogation A -Rhodesian trooper holds a gun to the heads of a line of prisoners near Kikidoo, Rhodesia in September. The prisoners were forced to hold this position under a midday sun while the trooper repeatedly clicked the pistol's trigger in their faces. See related story, page 3. TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) - The Pal- estinian leadership, backed by Lib- yan leader Moammar Khadafy, is urging an economic boycott of Egypt to retaliate against President Anwar Sadat's drive for peace with Israel, Palestinian sources said yesterday. Yasir Arafat of the Palestine Lib- eration Organization (PLO) called on the four-nation Arab "resistance summit" meeting here to form a hardline front against Sadat and his apparent willingness to compromise, a PLO spokesman said. PALESTINIAN informants said Arafat's PLO had officially decided that an economic boycott was the best response, isolating Sadat from his fellow Arabs. Khadafy has al- ready broken diplomatic relations with Egypt and proclaimed a boycott by Libya against-Egypt. But there was no indication that Syria, Egypt's ally in the 1973 October war, would join in a boycott. And even if it did, the boycott would be only marginally damaging to Sadat's economy. Egypt's main financial backers are Saudi Arabia and other oil countries on the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia, al- though invited, refused to attend the Tripoli talks, saying it would abstain from any gathering unless it included all Arab nations. THE PARTICIPANTS in Tripoli are generally considered the most militant Arab states. Those here were Palestinian leaders and repre- sentatives of Libya, Syria, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen. In Egypt, Sadat appeared little concerned about the doings of his Arab critics as he arrived with only routine security to tour new housing in Ismailia on the Suez Canal and to mingle with cheering farmers and Bedouins in the newly built town of Serapium. "We love you because you seek food that will make men live, while the rejectionists seek bullets that will kill this man," boomed the village sheik from a newly built mosque. Later in the day Sadat met with Somali President Mohammed Siad Barre, who flew in from a meeting with Saudi Arabian King Khaled. There was speculation that Barre was seeking to mediate Saudi supp- port for Sadat's peace overtures to Israel. The only speakers at the first three-hour formal session of the Tripoli meeting were Khadafy, the host, and Arafat. Visibly tired from overnight discussions, they reviewed swift-moving developments in the Arab world since Sadat's trip to Jerusalem two weeks ago, a trip seen here as a sellout of the Arab cause. With them at the closed-door conference in the white People's Palace were Presidents Hafez Assad of Syria and Houari Boumedienne of Algeria, Abdul Fetah Ismail of South Yemen's ruling party and an Iraqi delegation including Foreign Minis- ter Saadoun Hamadi. Hfuron,, studied By BRIAN BLANCHARD The Urban Area Transporta- tion Study (UATS) has added a two-lane highway from Fuller Street just west of the Huron River to the Medical Center to its list of plans to whisk com- muters into campus from the nor- theast. UATS, a local planning group supported by the county and area townships, expects a judgment from their consultant in two weeks on the plan to build the road leading from Fuller Street under the Penn Central railroad tracks and into the hospital area. UATS plans to 'approve a final proposal by January. "THE IDEA is to divert the hospital traffic and much of the University traffic off to Fuller," said UATS Executive Director ' Robert Bolens. The road would have to be "immediately west of the river" to be worthwhile, he said. See HURON, Page 2 SOUTH AFRICA RELEASES FINDINGS: Inquest: B1ko was not m ByAPand UPI security police detained six blacks, in- inquest could render a judgment that no .. . . .. ., , nn ~e ner~nibl " PRETORIA, South Africa-A magis- trate ruled yesterday at the end of a 15-day inquest that no proof of criminal responsibility was found in the widely condemned prison death of black leader Steven Biko. As the verdict was announced, wailing blacks outside the courtroom chanted "They have killed Steven Biko" and nationalist songs and slogans. IN PRE-DAWN raids in Johan- nesburg's black township of Soweto, cluding Biko's elder brother, Khaya, and his cousin, Solomon Biko, afamily lawyer said. Both had been attending the inquest regularly. At the United Nations, U.S. spokesman Tom Offenburger issued a statement on behalf of the State Depar- tment which said: "We were shocked by the verdict in the face of compelling evidence that at the least Steven Biko was the victim of flagrant neglect and irresponsibility. It seems inconceivable on the evidence presented that the one was responsioe. The 30-year-old Biko's death Sept. 12 sparked worldwide protest and new restrictions against blacks in South Africa. These in turn prompted a United Nations arms embargo against the country. The inquest verdict by Magistrate Marthinus Prins, which took three minutes to deliver, brought muted gasps from the some 100 blacks in the hearing chamber. Prins declared, "The available _ :d. . .. ... , y - ter- .__ . - A2 attorney reports unanimity urdered evidence does not prove the death was brought about by an act or omission in- cluding an offense by any person." BIKO'S WIDOW, Ntsiki, clad in black, declined any comment as repor- ters crowded around her after the ver- dict. Biko family lawyers also refused, comment, and attorney Shun Chetty said any interested party could request that a Supreme Court judge review the findings. In his brief verdict, following thousands of words of legal argument and intense cross-examination of security policemen, Prins said: "The head injury was probably sustained during the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 7, when the deceaseddwas in- volved in a struggle with members of the security branch." Biko family counsel Sydney Ken- tridge appealed Thursday for a firm verdict that Biko died from a physical assault by one or more of the eight security policemen in charge of him on the night of Sept. 6 or the morning of Sept. 7 in the Port Elizabeth central security police offices. BIKO WAS KEPT naked for the greater part of his detention and chained hand and foot while in the security police custody. Kentridge said any verdict exonerating the security police would be interpreted as "license to abuse helpless people with impunity." During the inquest security police denied beating Biko. Five members of an interrogation squad said Biko went "berserk" on the morning of Sept. 7 when presented with what they claimed was evidence he was a revolutionary, at National Women's Convention By PAULA LASHINSKY Strong feelings of unanimity, ac- complishment, and satisfaction are the messages that Jean King, chair- person of the Michigan delegation to the National Women's Convention, has brought back from Houston. Speaking before an informal gath- ering at a Guild House luncheon yesterday, King, an Ann Arbor attorney, emphasized her obligation to report to all Michigan residents. "YOU, THE taxpayers, sent us there. You paid the bills so you defi- nitely have the right to know what happened," said King. King was proud to report on the workings of the diverse Michigan delegation, which she described as a l t l t f t T i Nursing school awaits decision on dispute By MITCH CANTOR . Nursing School Dean Mary Lohr failed yesterday to make a final rul- ing on faculty disputes involving staff members in the graduate program of psychiatric nursing, despite her pre- vious statements that she would decide on a course of action by yes- terday morning. Lohr did release a short statement yesterday, which said, "Concerns expressed by faculty and students ae heina a ddressed. A taiment Dean of Nursing Barbara Hansen said some of the problems seem to be racial in nature. Another aspect of the disputes con- cerns the way in which the program is structured. "It -has to do with administrative style," said Alfred Sussman, dean of the Rackharp Graduate School. BEFORE COMING to the Univer- sity, Davis worked in the nursing pro-\ gram at Eastern Michigan Univer- U