Ninety-seven years of editorial freedom
VOLUME XCVII - NO. 73 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1987 COPYRIGHT 1987, THE MICHIGAN DAILY
r'U' seeks ideas
F to improve
1r undega lie
Interim Pres offers $1 million
By REBECCA BLUMENSTEIN know best what exactly is needed," he said.
This week interim University President James A committee of students, faculty, and ad-
Duderstadt will announce a new initiative to allocate ministrators will choose the best ideas submitted.
$1 million to create programs he hopes will im- The decision will be made by May 1.
- prove undergraduate life. "If we don't have enough good ideas, we are not
He is soliciting suggestions from students, going to feel pressured to use all of the money,"
faculty, staff, or administrators who propose a said Duderstadt. The $1 million will be allocated
"creative" way to improve undergraduate life. from the general fund of the University's budget.
"We'want to financially support creative ideas," Dudersladt is not worried that his plans may
said Duderstadt. He has set an April 1 deadline for discriminate against departments which may need
prosals. money, but do not necessarily submit the best
pro"I would not be surprised to receive some proposal. He said the money will go where it will
proposals from students or housing - they may See DUDERSTADT, Page 5
LSA may alter foreign
language requirement
By MARTIN FRANK February meeting. If adopted, the proposal will take
LSA faculty members yesterday passed a motion effect for all LSA students entering in the fall of
that could force all incoming LSA freshmen to take a 1988.
language competency test. The rule would change The Foreign Language Committee, a sub -
current policy allowing students to forego their committee of the LSA Curriculum Committee, re =
language requirement if they take four years of a viewed the language requirements which have been in
language in high school. effect since 1969.
A review of the University's foreign language The Foreign Language Committee found that in
policy was initiated in response to growing faculty most cases students who complete four years of high
concern that students are placing out of University school language study cannot match the proficiency
language reqjuirements when they should not be. of students who complete the four term requirement at
The faculty will vote on the proposal at its See LSA, Page 5
Doily photo by SCOTT LITUCHY
Buzzer Beater
Indiana's Steve Alford, shown here shooting over Antoine Joubert in the first half, beat Michigan with a last
second shot last night at Crisler Arena. For more on the Wolverines'85-84 loss, see page 9.
'U' official to back city housing restriction
By JERRY MARKON
A top University official plans to
speak out tonight in support of a
proposal that would severely restrict
housing for fraternities and sororities in
the North Burns Park area.
Vice Provost for Information
Technology Douglas Van Houweling
will outline neighborhood complaints
against group housing at a public
hearing before the Ann Arbor Planning
Commission. The hearing is at 7:30
p.m. in the City Council chambers.
Van Houweling, who lives at 920
Lincoln St., is president of the North
Burns Park Association, a neighborhood
group that has accused the Greeks of
causing noise, litter, and parking
problems. He will be the group's only
official speaker.
THE PROPOSAL, which has
been partially approved by the City
Planning-Department, would rezone the
area south of Hill Street and west of
Washtenaw Avenue to prohibit "group"
housing on 45 lots. It would not affect
21 existing fraternities, sororities, co-
operatives, and non-residential groups.
If the proposal is approved by the
Planning Commission - which
appears likely - it would then go
before the Ann Arbor City Council for
final approval.
Van Houweling was out of town
yesterday and could not be reached for
comment. His wife, Andrea, also a
member of the association, said he
"certainly has the students' best interests
at heart."
"I don't think it's against student
concerns," she said. "We would never
have chosen to live in a neighborhood
with students if we didn't like students
and enjoy living with them."
BUT REPRESENTATIVES of
the PanHellenic Association, which is
organizing to oppose the rezoning, view
Van Houweling's appearence as a
conflict of interest with his duties for
the University.
"I see a conflict of interest... I'm
suprised. I thought he was taking more
of a low profile," said Panhel advisor
Mary Beth Seiler.
Seiler said seven members of the
University's 20 sororities to show up.
"They should not keep groups out of
the neighborhood because of a behavior
problem," Seiler said. "This is a
'There isn't enough housing for students in Ann Arbor as it is.
Where are the students supposed to go?' a
-MaryBeth Seilerr
PanHellenic advisor
Greek system will speak at the public
hearing, including the presidents of
Panhel and the InterFraternity Council.
In addition, Panhel officials expect
representatives from nearly all of the
university community. There isn't
enough housing for students in Ann
Arbor as it is. Where are the students
supposed to go? Don't they have the
See GREEKS, Page 2
Betas
move into
revamped
$1 illionll
house
B'y LAURA STERN
After living four months in the
Bell Tower Hotel, compliments of
fraternity alumni, 20 Beta Theta Pi
members have left room and laun-
dry service behind to join other
fraternity brothers in their new
house.
Though delayed because of con-
struction, fraternity members have
completely moved into their new
house on the corner of East Mad-
ison and State Street.
Members of the fraternity -
which is the oldest on campus -
look forward to the semester with
their 18 newly-initiated brothers.
Founded in 1845, the Betas pur-
chased their property in 1891 and
later donated much of the plot to
the University to build South Quad.
Construction of the new house,
the fourth on that property, was
mostly funded by alumni con-
tributions. By its completion next
fall, the house will cost an esti-
mated $1 million and board 62 of
See BETAS, Page 3
i
Envoy Waite returns to Beirut,
seeks release of hostages
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - reporters. lease of Americans here. Waite said
Anglican Church envoy Terry "I think if we get some res- trading arms for lives cheapens
Waite returned to Beirut yesterday olution to this hostage crisis that human life.
to resume his efforts to gain the re- will be a step toward Lebanon ex- Waite has been credited with
lease of Americans and other periencing the peace that the people helping to win freedom for three
foreigners held hostage in Lebanon. here deserve." Americans who had been held by
"Signs have been given to me Waite, personal envoy of Arch- Islamic Jihad, a pro-Iranian Shiite
that now is a reasonable time to bishop of Canterbury Robert Run- Moslem group.
come back, and one is able to pur- cie, criticized secretU.S. arms sales Sixteen foreigners remain mis-
sue the contacts and hopefully to be to Iran, which the Reagan ad- sing in Lebanon -- six Americans,
able to try and work a resolution to ministration says was made at least five Frenchmen, two Britons, one
the problems we face," Waite told partly in an effort to help win re- Italian, an Irishihan, and a South
Korean.
State St merchants INSIDE
Elliot Abrams' comments on
Central America show the made -
quacy of Reagan's foreign
policy.
By VIBEKE LAROI tration of high demand and low OPINION, PAGE 4
supply. Ann Arbor is in the middle After seeing his new movie
"Everyone thinks State Street is of a boom and the national econ- 'Wisdom,' Arts encourages
golden," says one local realtor. omy is doing well, according to autuer Emilio Estevez to get
And according to merchants, rent is local merchants. smart and get out of showbiz.
skyrocketing due, to high demand "Over the last few years, Ann ARTS, PAGE 7
and the new tax law. Arbor has become a prime location
Things aren't the way ,they used for business and residents, so n one of two games over the
to be on State Street. Music Mart supply and demand come into the w eog vr
was evacuated, a handwritten picture," said Karl Malcolm, com - weekend.
"closed" sign sits in the window of mercial sales manager of Thorton SPORTS, PAGE 9
Sneakers 'n' Cleats, and Escoffier Dalitz, a realtor company which
moved leases property on State Street.
The main reason for the eva - "Everybody thinks State Street W EATHER
cuation of stores is high rents, is golden."
although some stores faced prob - Many stores, however, are not
lems such as mismanagement and able to survive high rental rates. Morning fog, then partly sunny
building inadequacies. Rent doubled in the past three with a high near 40.
State Street is a classic illus - See RISING, Page 2
'"iy p"otoobySC^""LITUC"Y
An unidentified carpenter works on the front staircase of the Beta Theta
Pi fraternity house. He said work would take about a week to complete.