ainting fetches $39.5 . . LONDON (AP) - An anonymous buyer yesterday paid $39.85 million for Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflower," a dazzling yellow work the artist once had hoped to sell for $125. The price was more than triple the record for an auctioned painting. The bid of 24.75 million pounds, accepted by telephone, came on the 134th anniversary of the birth of the Dutch artist. Van Gogh committed suicide in 1890 at the age of 37, unable to sell his paintings. The price stunned the packed saleroom at Christie's auction house. Art buyers and enthusiasts from around the world had gathered there expecting a record, but not of these proportions. Christie's wouldn't disclose the buyer's identity or even the country the bid came from, but there were rumors that the buyer was in Japan. Christie's had sent the picture on a tour of Tokyo, New York, and Zurich. "I am 99.9 percent certain it was from Japan," said New York dealer Jacob Baal-Teshuva, who watched the auction. "There are only 10 to 15 people in the world, and the Getty Museum, who can afford that kind of money. It was a. fantastic price, mind-boggling. Nobody expected it. We thought the top might be 18 million pounds ($30 million)," he said. In Malibu, Calif., spokeswoman Lori Starr of the J. Paul Getty Museum said the museum was not the purchaser. After the sale, Christie's threw a party with a cake decorated with a replica of the painting to honor Van Gogh. The artist born March 30, 1853, lived on handouts from his brother, Theo, an art dealer who had said the money was coming from sales of the artist's work. Van Gogh killed himself after he found Theo's home stacked with his unsold paintings. I The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 31, 1987 - Page 5 Protest Gays begin awareness week with Diag march By ALYSSA LUSTIGMAN Fifteen members of Lesbian and Gay Rights on Campus (LAGROC) began Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week yesterday with a demonstration on the Diag. Group members said they were trying to increase their visibility and raise student support for gay rights. Carol Wayman, an LSA senior and group member, hopes the awareness week will publicize the existence of 3,500 gay students on campus. "If people are surprised to hear that fact, then it shows that many gays are forced to hide the fact that they are gay," Wayman said. LAGROC was regrouped two months ago, in response to in- creased harassments of gays. Way- man said many University gays have been "beaten up, or subjected to anti-gay jokes in classes by both students and professors." She added, "There is no freedom of speech for gays on this campus. Our flyers are ripped down as soon as they are put up, and we are subject to ridicule." The group is also holding an open house on the third floor of the Union today,.a talent show tomor- row, a rally on the Diag at noon Thursday, and Blue Jean Day on Friday. On Blue Jean Day, members of LAGROC would like people to show their support for gay rights by wearing jeans. "Gays are as common as blue jeans," said one protestor, who wore a paper bag over his head and asked to be unnamed. "I'm wearing the bag symbolically for all of those homosexuals that can't afford to jeopardize their positions." The group met with University President Harold Shapiro last week and presented a list of demands promoting gay rights. They asked the administration to remove lan- guage they consider discriminatory from the University logo and bylaws, create a gay discussion session during orientation, redis- tribute minority peer advisors so that 10 percent of them are gay, and coordinate gay and lesbian groups in dormitories. Associated Press Papal preparations Vendors display posters and flags at the site where Pope John Paul II will deliver an open air Mass tomorrow. The Pope is arriving in Montevideo, Uruguay today for the beginning of a two-week tour of Uruguay, Argen- tina, and Chile. Resarher says more Blackis needed in sciences Wayne population declines KALAMAZOO (AP) - He was captain of his college football team, student body president, a summa cum laude valedictorian, a Danforth Fellow who earned a doctorate in pharmacology at the University. He has been a radio announcer, a college professor, college admin- istrator and college president. Since 1968, he has been awarded three honorary degrees, two of them doctors of law. Currently, he is director of Central Nervous System Diseases Research at the Upjohn Co., a position he earned after only seven years with the Kalamazoo-based pharmaceutical company. Through all these successful achievements as a black scientist in what is a predominantly white profession, Roy Hudson maintains a grasp on what it's like for other Blacks who are struggling for success. Hudson is keenly aware of the disproportionately low number of blacks with doctorates, with the problems some black students face at white colleges and universities. And he is increasingly aware of a rise in the number of incidents in a nation that has marked 30 years of civil rights advances. These racial incidents, he asserts, are an offspring of the Reagan Administration's tacit approval of racist behavior while slashing federal programs aimed at helping Blacks and low-income people close the social gap. "Unless society allows for some catching up," said Hudson of programs such as affirmative action, "the system will replicate at the status where it is already fixed." President Reagan, he said, is not a backer of affirmative action. And the president's administration's practices "have done a great deal to reduce social consciousness," a major factor in the rise oftovert racial incidents in recent months. "We tend to be law-abiding people," Hudson said. "but if our leaders even hint at easing the social consciousness, we respond." DETROIT (AP) - Four Michigan counties were among the areas of the nation showing the greatest population loss from 1980- 86, Dun & Bradstreet Corp. said Monday. Ranking among the 15 counties having the largest popluation declines were Wayne, Saginaw, Jackson, and Berrien counties, the New York business information company said. No Michigan counties ranking among the 15 nationally showing the greatest popluation increases, Dun & Bradstreet said. Passover Meals Passover runs from Tuesday, April 14 to Tuesday, April 21. The first Seder is Monday, April 13 and the second Seder is Tuesday, April 14. Hillel will serve lunch and dinner each day of Passover. Reservations and payment for Passover Meals are due by noon Thursday, April 2 at Hillel, 1429 Hill Street. For more information, call Hillel at 663-3336. VETERINARY MEDICINE: AN OPTION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS Computer users find Stasteless jokes on MTS I POLICE NOTES (Continued from Page 1) own." Van Houweling compared the item to books of tasteless jokes which are commonly sold on newsstands and in bookstores. He said people are not forced to buy the books and likewise are not forced to participate in the "Bad Jokes" item. The item is preceded by a disclaimer from the author which describes the type of jokes it contains and warns people who may be offended to avoid the item entirely. On Saturday morning Bakal put a temporary freeze on item 118 so that no more jokes could be added until planners are able to review complaints about "Bad Jokes" and make a decision on its future. An alternative item has been created in the network for students who wish to comment either favorably or unfavorably about item 118. Police Notes Break-ins Ann Arbor Police are inves- tigating a Saturday morning break- in on the 1300 block of South University, according to Sgt. Jan Suomala. He said a purse and its contents were taken by an intruder who entered the building through an unlocked door. The police are also investigating a robbery on the 700 block of South State Street that occurred between 3 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday. A turntable valued at $175 was stolen -by Steve Blonder SCIENCE " MEDICINE * ANIMALS .Jt1ERiN4 s' } f CENTER FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN STUDIES vERfNq'P & A i *,% c %, ,. I.,- I Are you between the ages of 18 and 24? You may qualify for a fellowship to PROJECT OTZMA A YEAR OF LIVING, LEARNING AND WORKING IN ISRAEL AT A COST TO YOU OF ONLY $75Q* Meet with a representative from Otzma and learn about this exciting program at an information meeting on Tuesday, March 31st, 7 pm at Hillel, 1429 Hill Street For more info, contact Hillel, 663-3336 In Michigan a project of the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit. *Funded by the Jewish Welfare Federation and Jewish Agency for Israel. THE DEADLINE FOR ALL SPRING AND SUMMER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS IS APRIL 1st. Applications should be returned to: 5208 ANGELL HALL 747-3560 '.-.-. A veterinarian can combine these interests to tailor a career selected from a wide range of opportunities that include biomedical research, private practice (including specialties), wildlife and zoo medicine, and more. TO LEARN MORE, MEET A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE Thursday, April 2 - 3 - 5 p.m. CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT Preprofessional Division 3200 Student Activities Building TIME IS RUNNING OUT - .FOR THE ANNUAL COMPUTING CENTER SURVEY! Your chance to make yourself heard about computing on campus ends April 4th! To run the survey, type SURVEY at the "Which Host?" prompt on any microcomputer connected to UMnet. Directions are available at Campus Computing Sites. Running the ~--+ 7 Be Our Guest at The University of Michigan-Dearborn Students in good academic standing are invited to take advantage of spring and summer by enrolling in course- work at our easily accessible campus. We offer University of Michigan credit through a full array of Spend a Summer in a Land of Miracles. Our first was 5,000 years ago- our latest, maybe 10 minutes ago. You'll findyourself in a land of giants- surrounded by their thoughts and their footsteps- and have fun, too! Summer programs for High School and College Students- Tennis/The Arts/Kibbutz/Touring! Study/Archaeology Religious Programs For more information, contact or write: Beni Schwartz (313) 661-1000 Arich Blau (313) 994-0033 or AZYF ISRAEL PROGRAM CENTER 515 Park Avenue, New York, 10022, (Between 59th and 60th Street) day and evening classes. Spring/Summer Term Registration Term Length Spring Half-Term Registration April 29-30 May 4-August 31 April 29-30 Xffn- A T~ ,o.,'