4v 41v
Ninety-seven years of editorialfreedom
V~r)TT ITk4P YVT'T - kTCn1 'I0
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - WEDNESDAY. APRIL 22.1987
COPYRIGHT 1987, THE MICHIGAN DAILY
IV
u~ vr.-...... ...... - ... . ..... .__ . . _. . . . of\..&, & &&
Gay
group
presents
demands
By EDWARD KLEINE
University administrators agreed
to go ahead with several demands
made by a campus gay rights
group, including adding "sexual
orientation" to the University's
non-discrimination logo.
Members of Lesbian and Gay
Rights on Campus (LaGROC) met
with University Vice President for
Student Services Henry Johnson on
Friday to discuss their demands.
Although nothing is definite,
LaGROC members are calling the
meeting a victory because the
University will consider the
demands.
Office of Affirmative Action
Director Virginia Nordby, who also
attended the meeting, said the
University was considering most of
the demands, and would pursue the
demand for adding "sexual
orientation" to the University's
Non-Discrimination Logo. She also
said her office would provide
pamphlets on sexual orientation for
residence hall packets that LaGROC
requested.
Many of the group's demands
could not be met through Johnson
or Nordby and had to be referred to
other offices such as housing.
Johnson's office is in a position to
pursue eight of their 12 original
demands, LaGROC members said.
The group originally presented its
demands to University President
Harold Shapiro in March.
MEMBERS of LaGROC are
still pursuing other demands,
including the establishment of a
gay studies department at the
University, a required class on
tolerance and diversity, a clause in
the regental bylaws saying the
University will not discriminate
because of sexual orientation,
increased funding for lesbian and
gay programs, and requiring all
residence hall staffers to attend "gay
raps," in which they will listen to
gays and lesbians discuss their
experiences.
"I think that we're making
progress on a number of fronts in
See GAYS, Page 3
I scream . . . you scream ...
LSA sophomores Audrey Wright (right) and Candy Sterle eat ice cream in the Diag yesterday and enjoy the sunshine.
Talks continue for
'U'
nurses
) By EVE BECKER
University Hospital and medical center nurses
met with a state-appointed mediator last night in
an attempt to reach a solution in talks for a new
nursing contract.
The Professional Nurse Council has threatened
to strike if the seven-month old negotiations do
not end by April 28.
At press time, the talks were continuing and
officials on both sides were not sure if an
agreement would be reached.
The nurses' contract expired September 30,
and has been extended on a week-to-week basis
since then. The nurses' union voted in February
to authorize a strike when necessary in order to
place pressure on the University to close
negotiations.
Issues which have remained unresolved include
the nurses' call for: increased staffing, transfer
and promotion based on seniority, permanent
work schedules, and a salary increase which
would include the period since the contract ended
in late September.
HOSPITAL officials will not comment on
the issues, because they are in the process of
bargaining. Officials say they hope negotiations
will close soon, but are not now formulating
emergency plans to handle a strike.
In 1981, nurses walked off the job for three
weeks for the first time in the hospital's 112-year
history. The issues discussed then were largely
the same as those being discussed this year.
Nurses complained that they were understaffed,
working excessive overtime hours, and often
changing shifts three times a week.
The hospital operated at 60 percent capacity
during the strike, and non-emergency services
were cut back. The hospital reassigned
administrative nurses to patient care duties and
hired temporary registered nurses.
Hospital officials estimated that 50 to 60
percent of nurses participated in the walk-out.
"There's nothing we can really say right now;
it would be speculation," said John Turck,
director of public relations for the University
hospitals.
He said that a strike now would cause different
problems than it caused six years ago because
nurses now have increased technological duties.
"Nursing functions have changed to a certain
extent. Nursing has continued to advance. More
and more things have become technologically
oriented," Turck said.
Police officer keeps Ann Arbor informed
Suomala heads PR dept.
By STEVE BLONDER
Sergeant Jan Suomala is more
than the Ann Arbor Police
Department's public relations
officer. He peers out at you from
behind his desk after going through
the day's police reports. He answers
the questions of college students
who call and ask if the latest break-
in was anywhere near their
apartment.
Suomala's official titles are
Administrative Services Division
Property and Records Supervisor
and Assistant Coordinator of the
Office of Disaster Preparedness. In
nglish, Suomala said, this means
'm the keeper of the records."
He has been involved in almost
all stages of police work over his
31-year career. During that time, he
has been a foot patrol officer, a
detective, and now, Records
Supervisor.
Profile
"I like dealing with all of the
people, and dealing with the
media," Suomala said. His call list
includes many radio stations and
newspapers, television stations, the
Red Cross, and all of the area
schools.
Suomala's co-workers describe
"JP" or "Sarge" as a pleasant man
'rubadubb dub,"'she said.
SHE ADDED that Suomala
tells great mother-in-law jokes, but
refused to elaborate.
According to Evelyn Suomala,
the most unique thing about her
husband "is his sense of humor."
She added, "People are intimidated
by him. You have to really get to
know Jan, though."
Records Clerk Cathy Reese added
that Suomala does more than just
administer the department; he's also
a great teacher.
"He's easy to understand. If
someone has a problem, he'll sit
down and explain the problem and
correct it. He's also a great listener
and is willing to work out
problems," Reese said.
The 52 year-old Suomala and his
family have lived in Ann Arbor
since 1953 when his father took a
job working for a nearby auto
factory. "I know half the town and a
lot of them know me," he said.
While walking the beat in the
1960s, Suomala met a lot of people
with whom he has maintained
contact.
CURRENTLY, one of his
four children, a senior at Pioneer
High School, lives in the family
home. Their children range in age
from 17 to 31. Suomala has one
granddaughter about whom he
constantly raves: "She's my little
Suomala wrestler," he once said.
An another part of Suomala's
; :-.-nlvnn n :l.;.-fnnt.a e :,- ti
Daily Photo by DANA MENDELSSOHN
Dogging it
LSA senior Phillip Seiden loves to skate to work, but he usually doesn't
get stopped by a dog, as he was yesterday in the Diag.
Students reme-mber
Ar-menian genocide
By HEATHER ROSE
The University's Armenian Students Club is holding a vigil on
the Diag today in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were
killed by Turkish soldiers in the early part of this century.
Armenian communities across the country recognize April 24 as a
day of commemoration. The expulsion of Armenians from their native
Turkey began 72 years ago and lasted five years.
According to Jenny Gurahian, a graduate student in anthropology,
the vigil is "a remembrance on the part of Armenian students," she
said. Gurahian said most of the 200 Armenians on campus and across
the nation had relatives who died in the genocide. "We all have
grandparents telling the stories of the horrors so it's in our lives now
to do what we can."
The ceremonies will continue Thursday night with a requiem
service in honor of the dead. A classical guitar concert playing of
traditional Armenian songs will follow. The concert, Gurahian said,
was planned because "we destroy culture as much by only
See VIGIL, Page 14
Daily Photo by DANA MENDELSSOHN
Sergeant Jan Suomala, Ann Arbor Police Department public relations of-
ficer, who has been with the force for over thirty years, has seen
dramatic changes take place in the city-most of it due to the University.
BAM to
hold nwon
hag rally
By EUGENE PAK
Black Action Movement
members will hold a noon rally
today on the Diag to inform the
University community about the
INSIDE
Students should take pride in
their accomplishments in the
past year.
OPINION, PAGE 4
Need to recuperate? Catch next
week's May Festival concerts.
ARTS, PAGE 10
The Michigan baseball team
hosts Cleveland State in a
douheheader this afternoon at
fierce rivalry exists between her
husband and daughter-in-law law
whenever Michigan plays against
her alma mater, Ohio State.
An avid sports fan, Suomala
also follows Michigan basketball,
officers don't try to scare people,
but try to help.
ONE OF the most frustrating
incidents Suomala remembers is
hearing a mother tell her child,
"You better be good or the