4 Page 2-- The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 7, 1987 LSA considers strike contingency plans (Continued from Page l) the legal ramifications of a strike. enrolled, have paid tuition, and are more than 80 sections - most of them about the situation at Michigan. The professors said LSA Associate entitled to finish their courses, take them composition courses - Under the conditions of their Dean for Budget Carolyn Copeland their exams, and receive grades for taught by TAs. visas, foreign students with an F-1 requested contingency plans from the term. We will do everything visa, the most common, are not department chairs without providing necessary to achieve that result," Some faculty members have allowed to work while a strike is in information on the results of Steiner said at LSA's faculty expressed support for the TA progress. University labor attorney crossing the picket lines. meeting yesterday. demands, which include a full IN BRIEF Compiled from Associated Press reports C William Lemmer said the Uni- versity would not take action to revoke visas if foreign students do cross picket lines. He questioned the authority of such a regulation over an illegal action, like a TA strike. "The University of Michigan is going to have a bad name across the country if they don't start treating us better," said GEO Vice President Diane Meisenhelter. GEO PRESIDENT Alice Haddy stressed the importance of large attendance at tonight's general membership meeting, where the GEO leadership will seek a con- firmation for a strike if negotiations fail. According to Prof. Thomas Markey, German professors unan- imously voted to demand in writing "It's unprofessional - a blow in the face of the law," Markey said. He added that a poor economic package has diminished the quality of the University. "Our quality of German department graduate stu- dents has slipped," he said. Twenty-four history department faculty members sent a petition to Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost James Duderstadt sup- porting TA compensation at the level of peer institutions, according to Belinda Davis, a history TA. MEANWHILE, LSA Dean Peter Steiner urged faculty mem- bers, in the event of a strike, to help undergraduates finish their courses. "(LSA's) position is that every effort must be made to minimize the cost. They (undergraduates) are Steiner added that TAs should not be treated differently than graduate students who pay the full tuition. English Prof. Eric Rabkin, who teaches English composition classes, doubts professors can effectively evaluate all the papers that TAs grade. "The people not in the GEO can't grade 5,000 more English compositions," said Rabkin. "WE WILL MAKE every effort to make sure that under- graduates receive credit for the work they've done," said English Depart- ment Chairman John Knott. He would not disclose the department's plans to help undergraduates in the tuition waiver, a salary increase that would cover the effects of the new tax law and increased costs of living, class size limitations, and paid TA training. Interim Chemistry Chairman M. David Curtis believes the Univer- sity administration should realize that if TAs here do not get an increase in pay, currently about $416 per month, they will go to other universities that offer a higher salary. Most TAs pay around $400 per month for rent as well as most of their tuition, but administrators stress that they receive a much better education than they would at other Big Ten schools that offer more benefits. Students worry over possible effects of strike Reagan will consider treaty OTTAWA - President Reagan said yesterday there are "no quick and easy answers" for curbing acid rain, but he agreed to consider a Canadian proposal for a treaty requiring lower pollution levels by an agreed date. Reagan made his surprise offer in a speech to Parliament after Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney told the same audience, "In this matter, time is not our ally but our enemy. The longer we delay, the greater the cost." The agreement to consider holding negotiations on the issue allowed the two leaders to wind up a 24-hour visit by Reagan on an upbeat note. Earlier, both sides predicted there would be no agreements, and U. S. officials said privately that a treaty was not the correct way to combat pollution, particularly since various technologies are being explored to fight it. GM lays off 6,200 workers DETROIT - General Motors Co. said yesterday it will temporarily lay off more than 6,200 workers as it converts assembly plants to make new models and adjusts its production to meet slumping auto sales. The No. 1 automaker also said about 2,200 workers on indefinite layoff will be recalled at its Van Nuys, Calif., plant, which will take over for production lost due to the Aug. 26 closing of GM's Norwood, Ohio, facility. The Van Nuys plant, which makes the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, will be idle from April 30 to May 8, to reduce the inventory of those unsold cars, said Nettie Seabrooks, a spokeswoman for GM's Chevrolet-Pontiac-Canada group. About 700 workers at the company's Leeds, Mo., plant will be placed on indefinite layoff as the company reduces the number of Chevrolet Cavalier, Buick Skyhawk, and Oldsmobile Firenza models it makes. Meese denies-he blocked probe of Iran-Contra affair WASHINGTON - Attorney General Edwin Meese denied yesterday that he blocked an investigation into alleged gun-running to the Nicaraguan Contras last year when Congress was preparing to debate resumption of aid to the rebels. Meese, speaking at a news conference, also rejected suggestions that then-National Security Adviser John Poindexter had urged him to shelve the investigation. He acknowledged, however, that he had kept abreast of the.probe, discussing it with the U. S. attorney in Miami, Leon Kellner. Meese's handling of the investigation is one of several matters relating to the Iran-Contra affair in which the Justice Department's activities are coming under increasing scrutiny. Blanchard proposes $200 million in state tax rebates DETROIT - Gov. James Blanchard yesterday proposed giving $20( million a year in state rebates for local property taxes while raising taxes on items ranging from insurance policies to lottery winnings to get the money back. The proposal, called the "10-20 Property Tax Cut Plan," would make up the lost revenue by closing loopholes in other taxes. The tax cut works out to an average of $100 a year for each of about 2 million homeowners that would benefit. 4 ---I I1 (Continued from Page 1) If the strike lasts until the end of the semester, grades will be deter- mined according to the policy of each academic department. "I think the TAs deserve what they're fighting for and if everyone goes to classes it won't help their cause," said LSA sophomore Lauri Anderson. She is not planning on crossing a picket line unless she has an exam. supports the TAs. "Unless we really stand up for what they're fighting for, we won't receive the education we're paying for." "They should be striking," said LSA sophomore Scott Layman. "Last semester, I had a TA who had to have two jobs to support himself and as a result he did a poor job as a TA. It was an abuse of education." Laura Schmidt, an engineering sophomore, feels it depends on the individual case. "Some of my TAs HICAGO AT IIT NAYS TO: are doing fine, while some are just not making enough. Those are the TAs that have a legitimate gripe." Several students who supported the strike said that if the TAs want more money, the funds should not be raised by raising tuition or cutting back on staff. Most felt that the money should be taken from professors salaries. Even if a strike occurs and the TAs picket most University build- ings, fall registration will probably remain unaffected. "Picketing by CRISP would be a big mistake. It would be like putting the students against the GEO," said Associate Registrar Doug Woolley. Woolley was here 12 years ago when a TA strike closed down classes in February, 1975. "Since all tuition was due by the end of March, there will be no problem with students not paying tuition." I [ SA freshman Kari Caira also I - r SUMMER IN CI FOR 131 V Get a head start 2 Fill prerequisites 2 Make up a course Q Speed up graduation 14 - 131 undergraduate or graduate courses to choose from " 8 week summer session-June 15 to August 8 " Day and evening classes " Convenient locations-Main Campus, lIT West and Extension Centers " Ample FREE parking You can register by mail. FOR INFORMATION CALL TOLL FREE: A CLASS ACT SENIOR PLEDGE PROGRAM Outside lllinois 1-800-448-2329 Ask for: Mary Edwards ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 3300 South Federal Street Chicago, Illinois 60616 MI Kenneth E. Higgins Madelyn Nichols Andy Rubinson Suzanne Buist Joanne Cannella Robert Clauser Scott Downie Debra Facktor Barbara Felix Bridgette Forkin Richard Frenkel Renee Giachino Chris Hesseltine Kreg Keesee Maureen Mooney Shereen Rothman Jaleh Shafi Darell Thompson Valissa Tsoucaris $ V1 i v o0SC otps. EXTRAS Candidate runs for anything BLACKWELL, Texas (AP) - R. L. Smedley Jr. is a little wary of election days. The last one dropped him into a City Council seat he wasn't even seeking. And then he got shoved into the mayor's seat by default. There's another election coming up Saturday and "I'm hoping they don't write me in again," he said. In 1985, two people filed for two seats on the City Council in the town of 280 people, no one filed for mayor, and Smedley didn't file for anything. On election day, he cast his vote and left town to visit relatives.; While he was gone, he got more votes as a write-in than the candidates on the ballot. A write-in mayor was also elected. "I called later that evening to see who won, and found out I'd been: elected," he said. A year later, after abolishing the city police department, the mayor and a councilmember resigned. The four remaining members had to choose a new mayor and they wanted Smedley. "We begged him to move up," said councilmember Joel Shipp. "I don't know why people don't run," Smedley told the San Angelo Standard-Times. "Maybe it's because we really don't have anything going on. Vol. XCVII - No. 128 The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967 X) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms. Subscription rates: September through April-$18 in Ann Arbor; $35 outside the city. One term-$10 in town; $20 outside the city. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and sub - scribes to Pacific News Service and the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. 14 4 A Phone: 763-7420 Attention All Subscribers - Out-of-towners U of M Departments A residents In town . .........$5.00 Out-of-town ........ $7.00 Follow The Daily through Spring and Summer. 13 issues (excluding June 26th & July 3rd) Fridays only 4 Editor in Chief................................ROB EARLE Managing Editor.........................AMY MINDELL News Editor..............................PHILIP I. LEVY Features Editor..........................MELISSA BIRKS NEWS STAFF: Elizabeth Atkins, Eve Becker, Steve Blonder, Rebecca Blumenstein, Jim Bray, Brian Bonet, Dov Cohen, Rebecca Cox, Hampton Dellinger, Martin Frank, Pam Franklin, Stephen Gregory, Edward Kleine, Steve Knopper, Vibeke Laroi, Carrie Loranger, Michael Lustig, Alyssa Lustigman, Jery Markon, Andy Mills, Tim Omarzu, Eugene Pak, Melissa Ramsdell, Kristen Salathiel, Martha Sevetson, Wendy Sharp, Louis Stancato, Steven Tuch, David Webster, Rose Mary Wunizin Opinion Page Editors..................PETER MOONEY HENRY PARK OPINION PAGE STAFF:Muzammil Ahned, Tim Bennett, Paul I Ionsinger, Tim Iliuet, Lisa Jordan, Josh Levin, Jeffrey Rutherford, Steve Semenuk, Caleb Southworth, Arlin Wasserman, Mark Williams. Arts Editors .............REBECCA CHUNG SET] I FLICKER Books ...........SUZANNE MISENCIK Features......................... 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Business Manager..................MASON FRANKLIN Sales Manager.....................DIANE BLOOM Finance Manager .......REBECCA LAWRENCE Classified Manager...................GAYLE SHAPIRO Assistant Sales Manager....... .ANNE KUBEK Assistant Classified Manager...........AMY ElGES DISPLAY SALES: Karen Brown, Irit Elrad, Missy Hambrick, Ginger Heyman, Denise Levy, Wendy Lewis, Jodi Manchik Laura Martin, Mindy Mendonsa 4 I I I 11