The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 31, 1986 - Page 7
4
vie
for spots on
'U'
governing board
James Waters
By KERY MURAKAMI
The tables have turned for University Regent
James Waters (D-Muskegon).
As a University law student 20 years ago, Waters
was among a group of black law students who
demanded greater black
enrollment in the law
school. Now a Muskegon
.attorney, Waters sits on
the University's governing
Ioard listening to demands
from students.
"Sure, it's a strange
feeling," Waters said, "In a
sense it's frustrating be-
cause as a regent you have
to worry about a lot of
different things. It's not like you can just make
demands."
For example, regents have to recognize that the
University must work with corporations, including.
those that do business in South Africa, Waters said.
Many regents were concerned what effect divestment
from those companies would have when asking for
gifts and graits. Still, there are sometimes special
circumstances-like apartheid in South Africa-in
which regents agree action should be taken.
Many of Waters's views on campus issues co-
incide with those of progressive student leaders. He
was instrumental, for example, in getting the
University to review its honorary degree policy last
April. The review came after a regents' bylaw
precluded South African Nelson Mandela, the jailed
leader of that country's anti-apartheid movement,
from receiving an honorary degree, generating protests
from campus anti-apartheid activists.
Waters is in favor of honoring Mandela and
changing the bylaw. "The idea of the bylaw is to
make sure students have a commencement speaker. I
could understand that if we only honored one person,
but we honor many. I don't understand why we can't
honor one or two people who aren't free to attend."
Waters is also opposed to the comprehensive code
bf non-academic conduct advocated by the Uni-
versity's administration and opposed by student
groups. "I have never seen any evidence that a code
would do any good," he said.
Waters said he might support some mechanism for
dealing with violent crimes, when action must be
taken immediately, but he would oppose most other
changes. "A code would help the University punish
people, but that's no justification. We should stick as
much as possible to due process."
"If I were a student, I'd probably be protesting the
&ode too," he added.
Waters also supports appointing a non-voting
student to the Board of Regents.
Paul Brown
By KERY MURAKAMI
Generally considered one of the more progressive
regents on the University's governing board, Paul
Brown (D-Petoskey) says women and minority issues
have been among his top priorities as a regent.
For example, when federal courts said in 1983
that Title IX, which
mandates equal opportun-
ities for women atheletes,
does not apply to public
universities, Brown succ
essfully introduced a resol-
ution vowing that the
University would provide
equal facilities for women
anyway n
In addition, says Regent
Nellie Varner (D-Detroit),..
Brown has consistently voted in favor of affirmative
action and efforts to increase minority enrollment on
campus.
Perhaps more importantly, Brown says, he has
tried to increase the number of women and minorities
in the University's administration ovr his 16 years as
regent. "To really have an effect, it comes more from
expressing concern that women and minorities are on
the final list of people considered for (department)
chairmanships and deanships," he says.
Brown notes that since he has been a regent, the
number of women deans have increased from one to
three.
Brown's positions on campus controversies are
progressive but more mainstream than those of
Regent James Waters (D-Muskegon), who is also
seeking re-election next week.
He rejects the idea of a student regent, for example,
saying that students have adequate access to Univer-
sity administrators and regents.
Brown also supports the code of non-academic
conduct advocated by the University's administration
and opposed by student groups. ."We wouldn't pass a
code that violates civil liberties. But expelling or
suspending students if they break our rules doesn't
violate anyone's rights," says Brown, a Petoskey
attorney.
"The criminal justice system is very serious. It's
serious to press criminal charges against a student,
and it's something I would have a difficult time
doing," he said. Brown prefers dealing with students
within the University, while code opponents have
said the University should deal with non-academic
crimes through the courts.
Brown was also responsible for a public comments
session during one regents meeting a mnth. During
the one-hour session, students and other members of
the University community have five minutes each to
advocate stances to the board.
Cynthia Hudgins
By REBECCA BLUMENSTEIN
Cynthia Hudgins, Republican candidate for the
University's Board of Regents, says her youth and
newness to the position gives her an advantages over
her incumbent opponents.
"Any organization benefits with new leadership
and original ideas, and as ;
the most recent University
graduate, I feel that could
offer a unique cortri-7
bution," says the 35-year-f
old Hudgins. She graduated
from the University in
1973.
Hudgins says her rel-
ative youth does not mean
inexperience. Since grad-
uating she worked in the
political arena, and has servedras a district aide for
U.S. Rep. Purcell (R-Ann Arbor) for almost 11
years.
Each of the four candidates stresses the need for an
increase in University funding as a top priority.
Hudgins, however, thinks her political experience
could secure some untapped support on the federal
level for the University.
This includes increasing direct financial aid and
securing additional funds, such as federal research
funding. "Most of my experience has been 'with
Congress, and I feel that I could be useful with the
network as a regent," said Hudgins.
Hudgins sees research as an integral part of the
University's progress, but does not see a need for
classified research. "It's inevitable that the University
will continue to be aggressive in seeking outside
funding, but I don't think that it should intrude upon
academic freedom."
Because Hudgins has been as resident of Ann
Arbor since 1973, she feels she knows student issues
and concerns. Hudgins, however, supports a code of
non-academic conduct, which most students on
campus oppose.
"This is an appropriate place for some guidelines,
and I don't forsee that any guidelines would be used
frivolously," says Hudgins. She would support a code
be used in cases of violent crimes, arson, or assault,
but stressed that efforts should be made to secure the
rights of protest and dissent.
Hudgins attended the University during the unrest
of the '70s and sees a need for increased student
involvement in University affairs. She does not,
however, endorse a proposal that would secure a
position for a student on the Board of Regents.
"My principle concern is representation through
constituency, and I'm not convinced that others
wouldn't argue for representation if we gave a spot to
a student," she said.
Gary Frink
By REBECCA BLUMENSTEIN
Republican regental candidate Gary Frink sees
himself as a challenger with ideas, such as to create a
campus police force, that would make him a major
contributor to the board.
Frink, a University law school graduate, intends to
propose that the Uni
versityeestablish its own
police force in order to
increase security on
campus. Michiganis the
only college in the state
whose campus security ..M
force cannot carry guns or
arrest alleged lawbreakers.
"I think this is the only
way the University can
solve its increasingly se-
vere problem with security," says Frink.
As a private attorney, Frink says that he has seen a
need for a new emphasis upon trade, especially due to
the University's proximity to Detroit. Frink calls for
the creation- an International Trade Institute at the
University.
"This is the absolutely the perfect place to
establish it, and I'm sure that private funds could
finance it well," he says.
In addition to his ideas for change, Frink says he
would continue to make University finances a
priority.
"It's one of the great priorities of the regents to
assure...that the price of in-state education doesn't
become unaffordable," Frink said. He didn't mention
his priority upon out-of-state tuition.
Frink has run for congressional office before, and
considers himself experienced with political office.
Frink was last a student at the University in 1939,
and currently resides in St. Clair, Mich. Although he
has been away from the University, he said he has
devoted plenty of time to getting caught up on
today's student concerns and issues.
Frink strongly supports a code of non-academic
conduct to regulate behavior outside the class room.
"I think that the University needs a buffer between
the students and the judicial system in Ann Arbor -
and I also don't feel- that students have the right to
take over the Administration Building for one reason
or another," Frink says.
Concerning the appointment of a student
representative to Board of Regents, Frink feels that
although student input is important to decisions at
the University, a separate position for a student on
the board is not needed.
"If a student wants to and is qualified enough, he
could secure a nomination through the normal pro -
cess," Frink said.
Up hill battle
Lucas hopes to 'make history'
By STEPHEN GREGORY
Although recent polls show a
grim outlook for Republican
gubernatorial candidate William
Lucas to "make history" by
becoming the nation's first black
governor, he continues his
campaign with the same vehemence
exhibited when he placed his bid
last August to challenge Gov.
James Blanchard.
A major plank of the Lucas
campaign platform concerns
reducing the state's crime rate,
especially in southeastern Mich -
igan. In comments at a Lucas-Blan -
chard debate two weeks ago, Lucas
compared the violence in Detroit to
that of Belfast, Ireland and Beirut,
Lebanon. Lucas said Detroit's high
crime rate had reached "emergency"
proportions.
To abate the problem, Lucas
advocates a state police takeover of
the Detroit Police Department
unless the Detroit police decrease
the crime rate by Jan. 1.
Lucas also supports building
temporary prisons to house the
criminals who he says his tough
policies would uncover.
Harlem-born Lucas has served as
an FBI agent, a teacher, a social
worker, and a sheriff, and he is
currently the Wayne County Ex -
ecutive. Last year Lucas made a
highly publicized jump from the
Democratic Party to the Republican
Party, and now Lucas enjoys the
support of President Reagan, who
visited Detroit earlier this month to
stump for him.
Turning to higher education, Lu -
cas favors an increase in state
support for colleges and universities
"particularly in the area of
research." Lucas feels increased
support for research will generate
more jobs and stimulate economic
development.
He opposes pressuring state uni -
versities and colleges to freeze their
in-state tuition, which often means
higher tuition for out-of-state
students. Lucas said the regents of
the institutions have the re -
sponsibility to set the rates. "If
they raise those rates too high, they
will find they will not have
students coming to those schools,"
he says.
On the subject of taxes, Lucas
stands fast on cuttirg the state
income tax from 4.6 percent to 4
percent. He also favors lowering
business taxes which he says will
lure businesses to Michigan. Lucas
would also support limiting prop -
erty taxes to 2.5 percer't of the mar -
ket value.
Lucas says he is proud of his
"Right to Life" stance and his
opposition to state-funded abor -
tions. "I don't believe anyone, rich
or poor, has thi right to take a
human life," he says; The only cir -
cumstance in which Lucas feels an
abortion is accelable is when the
pregnancy threa ns the mother's
life.
Lucas support revamping the
state's welfare system, and prom -
ises "no more free lunches" if he is
elected. Lucas sail as governor he
would give every welfare recipient
either an educatioi or job training
to get them off welFare.
Daily Photo by ANDI SCHREIBER
Republican guberbatorial candidate William Lucas speaks at Cobo Hall earlier this month. Lucas says he
would make fighting crime a top priority if he is elected.
Blanchard rides 'comeback state' theme
By LAURA A. BISCHOFF
Gov. James Blanchard tagged Michigan
the "comeback" state and has worked for the
past four years to balance the budget, lower
unemployment and improve the State's
credit rating on Wall Street- making the
"comeback state" an appropriate label.
In order to balance the budget, Blanchard
raised income taxes to 6.35 percent in 1983
with the backing of the legislature and the
tax rate has since been rolled back to 4.6
percent under legislation.
'Poor women are entitled to nake the same choice as rich
women.'
-Gov. James Blanchard
vowed to take serious measures to combat it.
Blanchard, on the other hand, has con -
centrated on expanding the state prison
system. There will be 5,000 more cells by
the end of this year, he said.
He calls for sentencing drug pushers to
life in prison with no parole and stopped
early prison releases due to overcrowding in
late 1984.
Blanchard has not ruled out gun control in
Detroit, but he said existing laws should be
enforced first.
governor, state funding for higher higher
education has increased by 45 percent.-
He also pressured the Board of Regents to
assistance. Blanchard has not pushed for
increases in welfare grants since 1983, and
there are 230,000 fewer people on public