cl bic Sir igau Ninety-six years of editorialfreedom 4IatQ Vol. XCVI - No. 124 Copyright 1986, The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, April 2, 1986 I City Council candidates discuss roads, development By KURT SERBUS Candidates for the upcoming Ann Arbor City Council elections debated city development and road repair at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters at City Hall last night. City council elections will take place April 7. The majority of the five Republican candidates came out against Proposal B, which would allow the city to borrow $3 million for major resurfacing and repair of the city's streets. The money would be paid back through tax bonds. MOST OF the Republicans said that road repair fun- ds should come from the city's general fund. "Resufacing shouldn't be an added tax for the people of Ann Arbor," said incumbant James Blow (R-Second Ward). Debra Shannon (R-First Ward) agreed. "The reason (the roads) have been neglected is that they've been a the bottom of the budget priority list. We've got to re- prioritize." David DeVarti (D-Fourth Ward), however, called the Republicans' optimism about solving the problem through the city's general fund "hogwash." "THE REPUBLICANS have proven unable to fund road repair through the general fund when they've con- trolled the council in the past," he said. City development also received much attention from the candidates. Of particular concern was the Huron Plaza Conference Center, which the council rejected last week, mainly because of a lack of parking spaces. The center would have contained a hotel, retail space, and a conference center. Susan Contratto (D-Third Ward) said that she would have voted against the Huron proposal, although she favors the general concept of the project. Incumbent Jeanette Middleton (R-Third Ward) said she voted for the center as well as an ordinance for un- derground parking. "I don't think it would detract from the city," she said, adding that Huron Plaza would not have created traffic congestion and made the city less appealing. "I think it would have brought a diversity of business and proven to be a great asset," Middleton said. See ROAD, Page 5 Ten Pages MSA demands that pres-elect resign post By WENDY SHARP Last night the Michigan Student Assembly passed a resolution deman- ding that new MSA President Kurt Muenchow "decline the presidency." The resolution passed with 14 yes votes, 11 no votes, and 4 abstentions. Outgoing MSA President Paul Josephson said that although the resolution is not binding, it reflects the wishes of the current assembly. "It puts Kurt on notice that MSA felt the tactics used in the campaign and actions subsequent to those tactics deserves a reprimand," Josephson said. The resolution reprimands Muen- chow for allegedly knowing about posters placed around campus asser- ting that Muenchow's primary op- ponents, Students Rights Party can- didates Jen Faigel and Mark Weisbrot, are members of a campus "Marxist group." It also accused him of "providing information to the Daily with intent of harassing individuals because of their political affiliations." Faigel has threatened to sue the assembly and several other organiz- ations for invasion of privacy in distributing the social security num- bers and addresses of student depic- ted on the posters. Muenchow would not comment on the resolution last night and said "the student body decides who is president." Last week, he brought in- to the Daily, a copy of the Marxist group membership form that was signed by Faigel, Weisbrot, and several other assembly members. In the assembly's closed executive session last Tuesday, Muenchow denied that he brought the Marxist form to the Daily office, according to See MSA, Page 3 'Hash Bash' draws 3-yr. record crowd Doily Photo by MATT PETRIE War games An atomic "missile" stands over one of its victims on the Diag yesterday, in part of a skit launching the National Day of Campus Action Against Space Weapons. Fifty-three other schools participated in the event, which national coordinator Dave West called "the largest nationwide protest against SDI." By ROB EARLE Yesterday was more than just another day on the Diag. The largest Hash Bash in three years drew all types to the center of campus yesterday, from Reverend Mike to a full force of campus radicals. Starting at noon, about 130 people lit up, forming a ragged group that began at the brass "M," stret- ched past the anti-apartheid shanty and then spilled over onto the Diag's grassy boundaries. The Hash Bash commemorates the $5 fine imposed by the city in 1972 for marijuana possession. Every April 1st since then, students and city residents have turned out on the Diag to flout the lenient law. Last year rain kept the grass groupies away, causing the poorest turnout in the bash's 14- year history. YESTERDAY'S crowd was the largest since 1982, when 500 people See 130, Page 5 Automotive leaders discuss Japanese competition By JOHN DUNNING A Harvard University business professor yesterday downplayed what he called a popular myth that the American auto industry has caught up to its Japanese competitors. He urged domestic automakers to redouble their efforts to find more innovative production methods. Prof. Michael Porter spoke along with five other industry leaders, researchers, and analysts at a con- ference at Rackham Auditorium on the U.S. and Japanese automotive in- dustries. The conference, entitled "The Japanese Competition: Phase II," also covered such issues as produc- tion management, labor relations, joint business ventures and apprec- iation of the Japanese yen. "U.S. FIRMS are operating better but are imitating rather than in- novating," said Porter, who added that domestic automakers will have to increase their rate of change and im- provement in order to compete with imports. "We've got to start thinking- about obtaining a sustainable advantage over our Japanese competitors," Por- ter said. Porter stressed that domestic manufacturers must move from at- tracting customers with cost compet- itiveness to emphasizing variety and differentation. He said the answer to most companies' future success will lie in thier ability to make and sell a complex car without driving up costs. Owen Bieber, president of the United Automobile Workers of America, addressed the issue of labor relations in industry. BIEBER MADE the distinction that while joint ventures - agreements between two auto companies to produce one individual line of cars - might be goof for an auto companies' shareholders, they might also take the "bread and butter" from auto workers' kitchen tables by depriving them of technical skills. "The Japanese companies are not primarily involved in U.S. manufac- turing at all," Bieber'said. "Rather, they are involved in U.S. assembly of products to be sold here, but the high- value-added components are still manufactured in Japan." In addition to Bieber's speech, other business officials described how to manage joint ventures and how to deal with appreciating yen values. Vladimir Pucik, assistant professor of internatonal business here at the University, said that joint ventures can be devastating to domestic auto companies. He said that when major American companies in joint ventures trade technology with Asian countries those nations do not reciprocate by giving American auto companies a foothold into the world import market. Clayton Yeutter, a U.S. trade representative reinforced his views that a productive domestic auto in- dustry is still possible, though advan- cement must be through the private sector instead of increased gover- nment regulations. "It's a much more competitive world than it used to be," Yeutter said. "The U.S. industry still has quite a long way to go." Shapiro talks of presidential life By MICHAEL LUSTIG When University President Harold Shapiro was sear- ching for a teaching job in the early 1960's, he never aspired to teach economics at the University or to become its president, he told a group of 80 students at the Markley residence hall last night. Shapiro spoke with his wife, Vivian, about their lives at the University since they came here in 1964. Shapiro, who holds a degree in economics from Prin- ceton University, said that he never wanted to come to teach at the University of Michigan until an interview with an economics professor, the late Warren Smith. When Smith told him "all we want is someone with new ideas," Shapiro changed his mind and accepted a position as an economics professor. He chose the University over other schools, he said, because the other schools preferred main stream thinking to originality. "I LIKE to take on things with a little risk," Shapiro said as he chronicled his climb to the University's top ad- ministrative position. After serving in the economics department for 13 years, he became vice president of academic affairs in 1977. Three years later, he rose to the University's presidency. TODAY Offensive ads SN'T DEMOCRACY great? In a country with free elections you can turn out at the polls ito elect a president, pass or reject a ballot Shapiro said he enjoys his job of University president because it is "an education every day." When people request money from his office for research projects, for example, Shapiro said he goes outside of the University to find unbiased assessments of a project he knows little about. Such research enables him to realize the full im- portance of each project, he said. Shapiro said the goal of his presidency is to "participate in making the University better for students 10 years from now." He said that many ideas he uses to improve the University originate in the lower levels of the bureaucracy, such as individual departments or schools. When fielding questions from the audience after his speech, Shapiro emphasized that the University seeks a combination of skilled teachers and good researchers for its faculty. "The hope is to attract people who can have a distinguished scholarly career and can bring that vitality to the classroom," he said. Shapiro also said that the University will not decide about divesting its $500,000 from companies that do business in South Africa until the University settles its suit involving a state law. The law ordered all public univer- sities in Michigan to divest their South Africa-related business interests. Daily Photo by MATT PETRIE President Harold Shapiro, center, and his wife, Vivian are greeted by Mary Markley residence hall staff at the entrance of Markley Hall. Shapiro spoke last night about his life as president of the University. restaurant logo, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity poster, and an anti-choice billboard. Ballots will be ac- cepted until April 18 and are available at City Hall, the University's affirmative action office, and the new Sexual Assault and Awareness Center. Everyone is eligible to vote in the election, the results of which will be announced at the seventh annual Take Back the teers are asking for contributions to the zoo. Patty Carvel, San Antonio area manager for Southwestern Bell, said people usually call a friend they know is away from his office or desk and leave a message to call "Mr. Fox" and leave the zoo's phone number. Carvel said the callers will be asked to seek out the prankster and ask him to donate a few dollars, too. INSIDE PRO-PEACE: Opinion applauds the efforts of the marchers. See Page 4. THE PITS: Arts reviews Spielberg's , I new