j:j; b IC Lit itan Ninety-six years of editorial freedom 43 tti Vol. XCVI -Qlo. 130 Copyright 1986, The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor, Michigan - Thursday, April 10, 1986 Eight Pages Repor By REBECCA BLUMENSTEIN University admissions officials ex- pressed mixed reactions yesterday to a state report that describes minority college enrollments in Michigan as a "grave problem." The report - written by a special advisory committee appointed by State Superintendent Philip Runkel and chaired by Niara Sudarkasa, University associate vice president for academic affairs - contends that although enrollment of Asian- American students has risen in the cites minority enrollment plight past 10 years, enrollment of blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans has declined. OVERALL, the report said, the drop in minority enrollment is primarily due to a decline in black enrollment. It noted drastic declines in black enrollment at two of the state's major research universities since they peaked in the mid-1970s - a drop of 34 percent at the University of Michigan and a drop of 32 percent at Wayne State University. Although the results of the report are pessimistic, David Robinson, assistant director of admissions, was glad to see it. "It exposes the key of the problem. So many minorities want to come here, but they simply can't afford it," he said. "This institution doesn't have the reputation of wanting to really help minority students to come here. I'm hoping that this will make us increase our efforts," he added. UNIVERSITY Director of Ad- missions Cliff Sjogren doesn't see the University as a school that has the same problems as other state univer- sities. "Last year we had an increase in our new black enrollment, and our efforts to actively recruit have in- creased over the last three years," he said. Sudarkasa and Virginia Nordby, the head of affirmative action office were unavailable for comment. The committee cited back-to-back recessions, big tuition increases at a time of declining federal aid, the inability of many minority graduates to get jobs, and a decline in the quality of education at the elementary and secondary levels for the problem. . "ALL OF these changes occurred in a climate characterized by a marked rise in the overt and covert attacks on affirmative action as a remedy to past discrimination," said the 55-page report. The report noted a decline in the "already infinitessimal numbers" of American Indian students, while there were slight increases in the number of Hispanic students. However, the report said Hispanics accounted for only 1.1 percent of the college enrollment and dropped 6.8 percent between 1980 and 1984. The report noted that even as the number of minority college students dropped, the percentage of minorities graduating from high school in- creased over the same time period. Among the report's recommen- dations for change was the establish- ment of a pilot program that would in- clude three "clusters" consisting of high schools, community colleges, four-year collegesand a research university to develop ways of in- See STATE, Page 2 i Commission proposes new LSA courses By NANCY DRISCOLL A proposal to create a series of courses for LSA fresh- men and sophomores that would focus on critical thinking and analysis may be implemented by the fall of 1987. The new courses are a central part of the recommen- dations that will be made by the Blue Ribbon Commission this month on the future of LSA. THE EIGHT-MEMBER Blue Ribbon Commission was set up in 1983 by the college's executive committee to evaluate LSA's curriculum and recruitment practices in light of the declining number of high school graduates nationwide. Improving the quality of undergraduate education is one way to deal with the increasing competition for a smaller number of students, according to Prof. Herbert Eagle, a member of the commission. The courses that would be offered by the program, called SKILL (Skill and Knowledge In Lifetime Learning) would be interdisciplinary and "stress the kinds of skills; involved in learning and research," said Eagle. EAGLE HOPES LSA can eventually offer students a choice of 20 SKILL courses, including a humanities course on the knowledge and power of words and a history course "built on conflicting interpretations of historical events," said Eagle. The courses would give students more direct contact with professors. Although they would not be required courses, they would be strongly recommended, according See 'U%' Page 2 A devoted fan Russ Hyatt of Tecumseh, Mich., enjoys the Michigan-University of Detroit baseball game yesterday at Ray Fisher Stadium despite the 30 degree temperature. Hyatt doesn't take a long vacation during the baseball season, but rather divides his vacation into half days, just so he can see Michigan play ball. Hyatt plans on following the team to Purdue this week-end.1 I UCARe Reagan refuses to 'hold still'; 'Campus group tackles racism on campus seeks Libyan li WASHINGTON (AP) - President Reagan said yester- day he is "not going to just sit here and hold still" amid mounting threats against Americans and said he suspects Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy is behind surging terrorism. At a nationally broadcast news conference, Reagan called Khadafy the "mad dog of the Middle East." REAGAN said his administration was still seeking suf- ficient evidence to link Khadafy to fatal bombings aboard a TWA airliner and in a West Berlin nightclub. "We're gathering evidence as fast as we can," he said. Earlier yesterday, Reagan told newspaper editors he was seeking support from U.S. allies for appropriate ac- tion "in view of the greater threats that are being ut- tered." Vice President George Bush, talking to sailors aboard the USS Enterprise in the Gulf of Oman, had called the Libyan strongman "a mad dog." nk to terrorism DURING his evening news conference, Reagan said, "we have considerable evidence over quite a long period of time that Khadafy has been quite outspoken in his par- ticipation and sponsoring terrorist acts." But asked whether he was ready to announce military action in retaliation, Reagan said: "We are not ready yet to speak on that. Any action we might take would be dependent on what we learn and I can't go any further." The Pentagon said yesterday the Navy has taken steps to prepare a two-carrier battle group, including an in- definite extension of the carrier Coral Sea's deployment, if Reagan decides to order a military strike against Libya. On the issue of possible retaliation, Reagan said: "This is a question that is like talking about battle plans or something. If and when we could specifically identify someone as responsible for these acts, we would respond. So this is-what we are trying to do - to find out who's responsible." By REBECCA BLUMENSTEIN The United Community Against Racism formally launched its cam- paign to eradicate racist graffiti on campus yesterday as more than 100 people gathered on the Diag to show that they would not tolerate racist at- tacks at the University. UCARe plans to follow up on yesterday's rally this Sunday by cleaning up the graffiti in the Graduate Library, where some of the most virulent racist attacks have occurred. "The washout is not going to wash out racist attitudes, but it is going to make people confront them," said LSA senior Leslie Mitchell a member of UCARe. SCOTT WONG,a graduate student whose carrel in the Graduate Library was defaced with racist graffiti last term, told the crowd that "real equality is a dream that only we can make into reality." Six speakers in all addressed the crowd. Vice President for Student Services SHenry Johnson, the head of the recently appointed Presidential Task Force on Racism, said, "As people of different origins, we need to address our racist attitudes from our homes and where we came from. I hope that we come back in September with the desire to get involved with causes such as UCARe." UCARe was formed last year after vandals defaced two predominantly Jewish Greek houses with anti- Semitic graffiti. The group, whose members come from a broad spec- trum of organizations, hopes to educate the University community about the seriousness of racism on campus. "We want to make this an in- stitution of higher learning in all respects," said LSA senior Howard Jacobson, a co-chairman of UCARe. "GRAFFITI is a cowardly act of those who are ashamed to say what they think," said Michael Brooks, director of the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation. Other speakers urged the crowd to take concrete action to fight racism. See UCARe, Page 2 Reagan ...responds to threats 'U' students to lobby Lansing lawmakers By AMY MINDELL Twelve University students will converge in Lansing today as part of the Michigan Collegiate Coalition to lobby state legislators. During the annual Student Lobby Day, the students - mostly former or current Michigan Student Assembly members - will try to convince legislators to meet the University's financial needs, maintain financial aid for students, and improve student safety on campus. THIS INCLUDES appropriating funds for rape prevention initiatives and supporting a bill that would require any code of non-academic conduct to provide due process, said Steve Heyman, chairman of MSA's Legislative Relations committee. The lobby day comes as state senators close in on exact ap- propriations for higher education. University officials are unsure if Senate recommendations will meet their requests, and they foresee a tight University budget next year and hefty tuition increases for all students in the fall if the requests are not met. Gov. James Blanchard recommen- ded a $12.2 million state funding in- crease for the University next fall, falling $23 million short of the Univer- sity's request, which University of- ficials say is the bare minimum needed to meet rising costs and main- tain the quality level. The legislature is not expected to greatly add to the governor's proposals. "THERE IS a large gap between what the governor has recommended and what we'll need," said Billy Frye, the University's vice president for academic affairs and provost. He ad- ded that tuition increases should be less than 10 percent. Blanchard is asking state schools to keep tuition increases. for Michigan residents below the 5 percent inflation level, said Lynn Schaffer, the state's associate budget director. For the past two years Blanchard successfully pressured state schools to freeze in-state tuition. See OFFICIALS, Page 2 Super spuds of 14 "Cold" toppings that include chop- ped turkey and ham, hard boiled eggs, and sunflower seeds, in addition to traditional cheese and vegetables. Ser- ved as hot items are chili, seafood newburg, and chicken a la king. "People want a hot potato...they want steam when they open it up, toppings that are The potato proved to be tasty, flavorful, and very hot, and greatly enhanced by the hot toppings. But the consultant reported that things were not always so blissful in the Union's kitchens. "At first they really blew it," he said. "The first potatoes came out cold and hard, like lit- tle charcoal briquets...totally black. INSIDE- SEXUAL PRIVACY: Opinion calls for recognition of fundamental rights. See Page 4. SOULSONIC: Arts tdks with Afrika Bmnbataa. See Page 5. mi