Copyright 1986, The Michigan Daily Ninety-six years of editorial/freedom Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, January 29, 1986 itIailQ Vol. XCVI-- No. 84 Eight Pages I oaes; NASAs earches for explanation CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A catastrophic explosion blew apart the space shuttle Challenger 75 secon- ds after liftoff, yesterday, sending schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe and six NASA astronauts to a fiery death in the sky eight miles out from Ken- nedy Space Center. The accident defied quick ex- planation, though a slow-motion replay seemed to show an initial ex- plosion in one of two peel-away rocket boosters igniting the shuttle's huge external fuel tank. The tank burst into a fireball that destroyed Challenger high above the Atlantic while crew families and NASA officials watched in despair from the Cape. OTHER observers noted that the boosters continued to fly crazily through the sky after the explosion, apparently under full power, in- dicating that the fatal explosion might have originated in the giant tank it- self. "We will not speculate as to the specific cause of the explosion based on that footage," said Jesse Moore, NASA's top shuttle administrator. National Aeronautics and Space Ad- ministration officials are organizing an investigating board and Moore said it will take a "careful review" of all data "before we can reach any conclusions." NASA delayed its announcement that there appeared to be no survivors until it had conducted search-and- rescue efforts. Even before Moore's statement, it seemed impossible anyone could survive such a cataclysmic explosion. THE CREW included McAuliffe and six NASA astronauts: commander Francis Scobee, pilot Michael Smith, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka. and Gregory Jar- vis. "I regret that I have to report that based on very preliminary searches of the ocean where the Challenger im- For more shuttle coverage, see page 5. pacted this morning these searches have not revealed any evidence that the crew of Challenger survived," Moore, NASA associate ad- ministrator, told a midafternoon news conference. Col. John Shults, director of Defense Department contingency operations here, said a search ar- mada of helicopters, ships and planes had spotted several pieces of debris floating in the Atlantic. "We have seen several pieces, what looked to be about five or 10 feet long and a couple feet wide," he said. The debris will be recovered and brought to a hangar at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. NEVER BEFORE in 56 manned space missions had Americans died in See EXTERNAL, Page 5 U.S. shocked by Challenger catastrophe From Staff and Wire Reports President Reagan, stunned by America's first in-flight space disaster, abruptly postponed his State of the Union address yesterday to praise the lost Challenger astronauts as heroes and vow the nation's man- ned space flight program will con- tinue. "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted," the president said. "It belongs to the brave." IN A nationally broadcast address less than an hour after NASA of- ficially gave up hope that teacher Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger's six other crew members survived the explosion that destroyed their spacecraft, Reagan pledged never to forget them and promised their mission would not be America's lasf. At NASA headquarters, workers tried to go about their business, but clearly were having a difficult time. Only two secretaries could be seen in acting administrator William Graham's office suite, one talking quietly on the telephone with eyes red from tears, THE NATIONAL Air and Space Museum said it would have a special tribute to the seven crew members in place by Wednesday. At the Capitol, the House was just ready to convene as the news spread. "Terrible thing, terrible thing," said Speaker Thomas O'Neill Jr., who left the floor, shaking his head, and See CHALLENGER, Page 5 The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after liftoff from crew members died in the explosion._ Associated Press Kennedy Space Center yesterday. All seven Frye warns of tuition hike without more state aid By KERY MURAKAMI University students can expect a "hefty" tuition increase next fall unless the state legislature adds to Gov. James Blanchard's state budget recommendations for the University, a key University administrator said yesterday. Billy Frye, the University's vice president for academic affairs, said that given the governor's proposals, he would ask the regents this summer for at least a five per- cent tuition increase. THE LEGISLATURE is not expected to greatly add to the governor's proposals. Blanchard last week recommended a 5.5 percent or $12 million increase in state fun- ding for the University next year, far short of the $26 million increase University of- ficials asked for. Without more state funds, Frye said yesterday, officials will have to strike a balance between cutting the University's financial needs and raising tuition. "BUT AS hard as raising tuition would be," Frye said, "our main concern is to maintain the quality of the University." The $26 million is the bare minimum the University needs to meet rising costs, University officials said. "In-state students should keep in mind that they've been exempt from tuition in- creases for two years. Even if we raise tuition by five percent this year, it would still represent a modest increase over the last three years," Frye said. BLANCHARD pressured the state's colleges and universities the past two years to freeze in-state tuition. But this year, the governor is only asking the state's schools to keep tuition increases for Michigan residen- ts below the 5 percent inflation level, said Lynn Schaffer, the state's associate budget director. Over the last two years, out-of-state tuition at the University has risen by 7 and 8 percent respectively. "I think we all recognize that out-of-state-tuition is too high," Frye said, "but there hasn't been any discussion yet about balancing the increases this.year." The University is generally recognized as having an obligation towards Michigan residents who support the University through taxes. UNIVERSITY faculty will also suffer from this year's "tight budget," Frye said. During the state's budget crisis of the late- '70s and early-'80s, University faculty were left behind by 8 percent pay increases that faculty at "peer institutions" like the University of California at Berkeley received, he said. As part of the $29 million bare minimum request, University officials said faculty salaries would be raised by seven percent. In addition, the University asked for another $9 million to make up for needs - such as pay increases and building renovations - it couldn't afford to pay during the budget crisis. PART OF the additional $9 million, University officials said, would be used to give pay increases for faculty in areas like business and engineering in which the See FRYE, Page 3 Marcher returns from C. America MSh By NANCY DRISCOLL Mark Weinstein, an LSA junior, returned last week from a six-and-one half week long peace march through Central America, an experience that he said has made his reexamine his own culture. "It was a humbling experience in the sense that I've been brought up to see the U.S. as a superior culture, just to learn how inferior we are in so many ways, and to experience the culture of people who are always struggling," Weinstein said. ALONG WITH 250 other activists from more than 30 countries, Wein- stein traveled from Panama City to Mexico City to bring a politically neutral message of peace to the region. They stayed in churches, schools, and camped out. The group marched with four of- ficial slogans in mind: determination, human rights, solidarity, and "Con- toradora Si," support for the con- . tadora Central American peace process. The marchers met with mixed reac- tions. "Our march inspired incredible amounts of debate," Weinstein said. "These are what I thought would be See STUDENT, Page 5 Josephson won 't seek reelection By MARY CHRIS JAKLEVIC Michigan Student Assembly President Paul Josephson confirmed last night that he will not seek re- election in the assembly elections this March. Josephson made his announcement at the weekly assembly meeting. He refused to comment on the reasons for his decision, saying only that he will help in the transition process to a new president. ALSO at last night's meeting, two top University officials doubted whether centralization of minority services on campus can help recruit- ment and retention problems here. "The closer you can get (support services) to the grass roots, the better it's going to work," said Billy Frye, vice president of academic affairs. "In general I am very wary of more centralization of support services." Frye said that individual depar- (minority affairs) onto the agenda of the (individual) departments." ASSOCIATE Vice President for Academic Affairs Niara Sudarkasa cited two types of minority aid, in- formation and services. She agreed that most services are better handled at lower levels, while information could be more efficiently distributed from a central source. Minority student leaders have See OFFICIALS, Page 3 tments have the on students, and most direct impact so "we need to get TODAY- Wolverettes OME HAVE claimed that 90 percent of the women in the Big Ten are beautiful and the rest go M M i-hwian TO V A nhm PNe1iPcRcc~m av there are good-looking Michigan women," Roseman said. "The calendar can only help their image. It can't get much worse." A 13-member committee, including a professional photographer, a cosmetologist, and a fashion coordinator, will choose 15 women for the calendar. The calendar will not contain "nude or sleazy pictures," Roseman said, and personality coun- the north Wales station and its 58-letter platform sign was yesterday. It was turned into a tourist center in 1973 and no longer serves scheduled trains. It attracts 200,000 visitors a year who get photographed under the station nameplate and receive instructions on how to pronounce the name with the six correct pauses. Its owner, state-owned British Rail, declined to say how -INSIDE- TAKING INITIATIVE: Opinion applauds the Peace in Central America Ballot Initiative. See Page 4. i