Gro iq By STEVE KNOPPER Did your landlord raise your rent? A citizens' group formed last spring - Ann Arbor Citizens for Fair Rents - has of- fered a solution: rent stabilization. The group is working to put a new or- dinance on next April's election ballot and will try to collect student signatures tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Michigan Stu- dent Assembly Chambers of the Michigan Union. To put rent stabilization - a rent- control method in which landlords can in- crease rent each year based on the inflation rate - on the ballot, the AACFR will need 5,000 signatures. advocates "Rent stabilization," said A A C FR member Ken Garber, an Ann Arbor resi- dent, "is an attempt to balance the right of the landlord to make profits with the right of the tenant for affordable housing." The meeting will include a discussion of the rent stabilization proposal and why students are important, and two speakers, according to AACFR member Anna Rock- hill, a Rackham graduate student. She said the group ultimately hopes to get 8,000 to 10,000 signatures of registered Ann Arbor voters, including up to 5,000 students. Rent increases have gone up anywhere from 10 to 20 percent in recent years, sometimes more than five times the current inflation rate, according to Garber. "Many people are'being forced to move elsewhere, or make sacrifices in order to live in Ann Arbor," Garber said. "You cannot have a stable life, because you don't know when you will have to pack up and move." According to Jen Faigel, coordinator of the Ann Arbor Tenant's Union, rent in- creases have been 19 percent higher on campus than off. "Students can't afford to live here anymore," she said. "They're moving farther off campus." But Severin Borenstein, assistant pro- fessor of economics and public policy, dis- rent c agreed that rent control will improve the current housing situation. "Rent control should be aimed at poor people; here, it's aimed at students. "Basically, I think it (rent control in general) is a loser," Borenstein said. In Berkeley, where rent control has been in effect for 10 years, "it led to a great decline in the quality of apartments; since they can't raise the rents, landlords respond by refusing to keep up care," he said. Boston, Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Jersey City have also adopted rent control plans. ontrol City Councilmember Dave De Varti (D- Fourth Ward), said he supported the AACFR's proposal. "I think it's reason- able," De Varti said, adding that when he spoke to apartment owners during his campaign two years ago, "I told them it was their responsibility to create a situa- tion that won't promote rent control." If the AACFR's ordinance gets on the ballot, De Varti added, it will be a "popular movement" instigated by the actions of "some unscrupulous landlords." See TENANTS, Page 3 ItdI at Ninety-eight years of editorial freedom Volume XCVII - No. 6 Ann Arbor, Michigan -Thursday, September 17, 1987 Copyright 1987, The Michigan Daily Emergency phones deemed a success By STEVE BLONDER After one year of operation, offi- cials say the University's emergency phone system has been successful in combatting crime; however, the phones are not used enough. The number of calls received on the phones has increased since their inception and Department of Public Safety records show that 128 legiti- mate -calls were received between January and September of this year. "(The system) has helped give the perception of safety on campus be- cause people see the phones and know that help is just a phone call away," Director of Public Safety Leo Heatley. "The phones can be used for any- one requesting assistance from the Department of Public Safety," said . In addition to legitimate calls, more than 330 false calls were re- ceived over the same period. Heatley hopes that the number of false calls will decrease. "It takes the time of the public safety officer to respond to an emergency situation." In the next few months the Uni- versity will install four new campus phones to make the total number of phones 65. The University's Telecommunication budget will cover the installation cost of the four new phones, which is approximately $3,600. The Department of Public Safety will pay the $31.50 monthly cost. "It's not any unsafer walking across the Diag than any other cam- pus. Our campus is as safe as any. But the potential for a problem is always there," Heatley said. The phones are "well-peppered" * around the campus, according to Steve Mayo, the University's administrative manager of telecom- munications. "You can pretty much leave one and see the next one." One major advantage of the phone system is that the public safety de- partment knows where a caller is and the response time by a security offi- cer has improved. Although the phones were initially installed in an effort to pre- vent sexual assault, Heatley says this is not their only purpose. The phones should be used to re- port any crime or suspicious situa- tion, as well as ask a question about a building. "These are general pur- See OFFICIALS, Page 2 Nominee Bork parries attacks from Democrats WASHINGTON (AP) - Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, parrying attacks on his integrity by Democratic senators, said yesterday he acted honorably and legally in 1973 when he fired special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. In a dramatic retelling of what Bork called "an enormous govern- mental crisis," he said that as soon as Cox was dismissed, "I did promptly act to safeguard the special prosecution. I understood from the beginning my moral and profession- al lives were on the line if some- thing happened to the special prose- cution force." The gripping sparring match be- tween Bork and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee occurred in the same marble-columned room that was the site 14 years ago of hearings that helped lead to President Nixon's political demise. This week the room is the setting for Bork's nationally televised confirmation hearings. The question on what has become known as the Saturday Night Mas- sacre marked an interruption in at- tacks - soon to resume - on Bork's political and judicial ideology as opponents sought additional grounds to defeat his confirmation. Liberal opponents of Bork, a 60- year-old federal appeals court judge, say if he is confirmed to succeed the recently retired Justice Lewis Powell he could push the closely divided court to the right for years, perhaps decades, to come. Supporters say he is clearly qualified to join the nine- member court. Bork spent much of Wednesday responding to questions about his views on such subjects as civil rights, abortion, and privacy. The proceedings generated few sparks as Bork spelled out in calm, measured tones his conservative le- gal approach that has evolved in a 25-year career as lawyer, Ivy League scholar, and judge. He acknowledged that some of his views "have evolved and changed," and he sought support for that by quoting Benjamin Franklin as say- ing, "Having lived long I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information or fuller consideration to change opin- ions even on important subjects." But Bork said he has never changed an opinion in order to win confirmation to a judgeship or for any other reward. In one example of a changed opinion, Bork said in 1971 that free speech protections apply only to political speech but has since said that approach was too narrow. Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON Mayor Dick Crawford of Tulsa, Oklahoma and two members of the Southeast Tulsa Jaycees present a 96 foot get-well card to Cecilia Cichan, the only survivor of the Detroit Metro crash last month. Tulsa mayor presents card to sole survivor of Metro air crash Constitution reaches 200th birthday today By LISA POLLAK It was no sight for cynics. The eighth floor of C.S. Mott Children's Hospital - which tem- porarily houses Northwest Flight 255 survivor Cecilia Cichan, her 1,877 gifts, 185,000 letters, and $130,000 in donations - yesterday made room for one more get-well card full of blessings and love. Of course, 96 feet of good-tidings are a lot of blessings and love. But not too much for Cichan, insisted Tulsa, Oklahoma Mayor Dick Crawford, who brought the giant card 893 miles from home, "just be- cause everyone there loves and prays for Cecilia." Neither skeptical reporters nor the rain which forced the ceremony in- doors could dampen the enthusiasm of Crawford and two Southeast Tulsa Jaycees who joined him in present- ing the card to Ann Arbor Mayor Gerald Jernigan. "This is a dream come true," said Tulio Remington, the Jaycee presi- dent who originally proposed the card. Touched by the "miracle" of four-year-old Cichan's survival, he organized the distribution of 24 four- by-four posters to stores and busi- nesses around Tulsa. The posters, signed by 8,000 Tulsans, were later connected with ribbon to create a winding, colorful display of sympa- thetic messages. "Of course, she probably can't read yet," Remington admitted. "But someday she's going to grow up, look at those little signatures and cute drawings, and see that a lot of people really care about her." He added that the Southeast Tulsa Jaycees may win a "Guinness" award for the world's largest get-well card. Remington and Crawford's speeches echoed the terms now syn- onymous with the lone crash sur- vivor: "inspirational," "stoic," and "miracle child." Jaycee volunteer Patti Helm eagerly pointed out the celebrity signatures of Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, and Air Supply that appeared with their promotional pictures on the card. "Air Supply was my favorite," Helm said, "we got to see their show free and everything." It was no sight for cynics. But if those doubting the sincere generosity of the human spirit were present. See BURN, Page 21 By STEVE SKLAMBERG Although to many University students today is just another Thurs- day, millions of Americans are cele- brating the United States Constitu- tion's 200 year anniversary today.. The majority of students polled did not know that the Constitution was ratified on Sept. 17, 1787. Of the students who did know when the anniversary was, many were thankful to the document for providing basic individual rights. Rocque Lipford, a first-year LSA student said many Americans are lackadaisical in their attitudes toward the Constitution. "I think that most people don't even give the Constitution a thought. Sometimes, when I'm do- ing something fun, I think to myself how the people in the Soviet Union must feel without the freedom to do what they want. This usually makes me happy to have mine." Dave Pack, LSA sophomore, also feels thankful to the first Congres- sional Assembly for writing the Constitution. "The Constitution means every- thing to me. It is the (law) of the land, and it lets me practice whatever religion I want, eat whatever I want, and do what I want to do in life." Mike Goodwin, LSA sophomore, said, "(The Constitution) affects ev- erything you do. I can't think of a thing that it doesn't affect." See CONSTITUTION'S, Page 3 INSIDE Reagan undermines peace effort in Central America. OPINION, Page 4i Bob Kalmbach's intriguing photography is honored at the alumni center. APTC aa7 Regents expected to approve presidential criteria By MARTHA SEVETSON The University's Board of Regents is expected to approve a list of criteria for the next Universi- ty president at their meeting today. Only regents have been allowed to see drafts of the proposed criteria circulated among them, but many have yet to read the final proposal. "I'm sure that most of what is in the drafts x.,1 hnv Pthe nnv-.nQ , znnnertino it hnt the nancial stringency without sacrificing the quality of excellence." According to Regent Thomas Roach (D- Saline), Shapiro has fulfilled all of the qualities in his eight years as president. In particular, University officials have praised Shapiro's re- vival of the economic status of the University despite cutbacks in state funding. Shapiro will nvmmii the nreeipcr o nf Prinetnn I Tniveritu "Obviously there were some things in them that could not be included," Brown said. "But I think they are very related." According to Brown, needs cited by the stu- dents such as "balancing the power structure of the University" and "No Code" did not translate into criteria for the search. The students' statement - a summary of stu- rdent rnnenc nvar the nnct frn, viar.e _ ,inc I.