Group attacks anti- rent control lawsuit The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, February 9, 1988- Page 3 Gorbachev says Afghan pullout possible inl Ma By PETER MOONEY The battle over rent control in Ann Arbor will continue today when tenant advocates retaliate against a lawsuit filed by landlords last week. The suit, filed by Citizen's for Ann Arbor's Future, says a proposal to limit the extent that landlords can raise rents should not appear on the city election ballot this April because city requirements for bringing proposals before voters does not conform to state law. But Ann Arbor Citizens for Fair Rents, the group which collected signatures to put the proposal on the ballot, will issue a statement opposing the lawsuit which they consider an attempt to divert attention from the rent control issue. "I DEFINITELY would call it stalling and harassment," said Citizens for Fair Rents member Vicki Wilson. The battle will be waged largely in the courts, as lawyers for the city and the landlords debate whether the lawsuit is valid. The hearing date has not yet been set. represents Citizens for Ann Arbor's Future, said the Washtenaw County Circuit Court should follow the precedent set in Herp v. the City of Lansing, which he says requires the city to follow state law when certifying petitions. UNLIKE the state, the city does not require groups to put their names on their petitions, to notarize signatures they collect, or to collect signatures from 5 percent of the city's registered voters But City Attorney Bruce Laidlaw has argued that the state Home Rule Act, which delineates powers held by city governments, only applies to proposed charter amendments and attempts to overturn bond issues, not ordinances such as the rent control proposal. The Herp case, rather than indicating that the city must follow state law, "clearly indicates the contrary," Laidlaw said. If a restraining order is upheld, the rent control ordinance could be kept off the ballot even if the city appeals, MOSCOW (AP) - Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said yesterday that the Kremlin would begin pulling its troops out of Afghanistan on May 15 and complete the withdrawal with- in 10 months if U.N.-brokered talks on the conflict reach a settlement. Gorbachev also said his country wants no say in who governs Af- ghanistan or its politics after the estimated 115,000 Soviet troops battling Afghan guerillas come home. "The Afghans themselves will decide the final status of their country among nations," Gorbachev said. Afghanistan's future "is none of our business," he added. Gorbachev's remarks left the future of Afghanistan's Marxist pres- ident, Najib, in serious doubt. The Soviet leader's statements were the clearest indication yet that he is moving rapidly to extricate; his country from the conflict he *.-has termed "a bleeding wound." The Kremlin sent troops, tanks and military hardware into Afghan- istan on Dec. 27, 1979, and presided over the replacement of one Marxist ruler by another. Doily Photo by DANIEL STIEBEL The eleventh hour A group of students tries to cram in a few extra minutes' worth of reading while waiting for 11:00 classes to begin at Angell Hall yesterday. 'U' chemical weapons research spurs debate Attorney Robert Henry, who Henry said. Students may have to takei (Continued from Page 1) "We get so few non-science majors taking chem. for distribution," said chemistry depart- ment chair David Curtis, "that it's hard to evalu- ate how they really do." But the curriculum committee feels that even non-science majors must have a rigorous scien- tific background to be considered well educated. "Read the New York Times for two weeks and note the information that's dealt with. It's tech- nology; it's science. Given that society places such a heavy emphasis on science - how can our students be graduating without it?" Griffin said. SOME FACULTY fear that Griffin's pro- posal will either force students to take "less rig- orous, less substantial" science classes or do poorly in difficult courses. But the science de- partments are hoping to avert this problem by developing courses targeted specifically at non- science majors. "I don't think we should make students take courses and then not give them appropriate courses to take," Curtis said. He added that Chemistry 100, being developed for next winter, "won't be a fluffy course," but more nat. sci. will concentrate on the methodology and con- cepts used by scientists rather than quantitative calculations. Biology department chair Charles Yocum suggested LSA offer an integrated course that would combine elements of biology, chem- istry, and physics. "The history department and the English de- partment don't have 'major' and 'non-major' courses. Maybe we should think about getting away from it," Yocum said. GRIFFIN said the emphasis on improving distribution requirements is a nationwide trend. "We're frankly a little behind the times," he said. Groups debate Fleming's proposal at forum (Continued from Page 1) "Research that would kill or maim human beings shouldn't be going on at the University. It's morally and ethically repulsive," Weine said. In addition to Bernstein, several other professors are conducting research that many construe will be used in chemical warfare. Associate Research Scientist Oksana Lockridge is studying the basic molecular structure of cholinesterase, a chemical that she believes is a defense against nerve gas. Lockridge maintains that her research, although it has military. applications, is being done to help society. "For the general population, (cholinesterase) would be a defense against insecticides and pesticides," she said. Associate Research Scientist Willfried Schramm is researching "biosensors that would significantly contribute to the rapid and simple detection and identification of conventional toxins and biochemically active substances," according to documents from DRDA. S C H.R A M M said, "I am not working on anything that has an effect on humans." MSA Peace and Justice Committee Co-Chair JackieVictor said the discovery of an antidote to nerve gas, although created with a defensive motive in mind, would give the United States or some other nation a first-strike capability. Victor said having an antidote would permit a country to attack using nerve gas without fear of similar retaliation. "Usually, when defensive weapons are built, it's part of offensive strategy," Victor said. DRDA Project Representative Neil Gerl criticized those who are angry about the chemical research. "You have people who pick at key words - they see 'nerve gas' and they think it's bad," he said. "It's just got the wrong buzzwords ;in there." POLITICAL SCIENCE Piof. Raymond Tanter, who has called himself a "defender of academic freedom," backed the researchers.""I don't think people should sit ;in judgment of others and say, 'Do this kind of research, but not that kind Af research,"' he said.1 Tanter's research project examining alternative forms of armns control outside of formal treaties Was rejected in 1985 under the old research policy guidelines. (Contiaued from Page 1) that's about it." He said he would receive a report about the forum, which he would add to other comments he has received on his draft. "Fleming has taken so much pride in writing this document," Weine THE ST What's happening in Ann Arbor today Speakers Michael Schoenhals - "The Propaganda Appara- tus," brown bag lecture, noon, Lane Hall Commons Room. Center for Chinese Studies. Dr. Michael Prisant - Department of Chemistry, University of California-Berkeley. "Studies in Transition State Spec- troscopy," 4:00 p.m., room 1300 Chemistry Building. Dr. Joel Cooper - lung transplantation- techniques, 8:00- 10:00 a.m., Catheine McAuley Health Center Education Center Auditorium. Rabbi A. Jacobovitz - Question and answer session on the philosophical connection be- tween a Jew and the land of Israel, 8:30 p.m., Pond Room, Michigan Union. Ken . Cousino - professional engineer. Society of Christian En- gineers Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., room1014 Dow building. Bring your own sack lunch. Meetings Indian American Students Association - General meet- ing, 5:15 p.m., Michigan Union Grill. Center for Eating Disorders - Support group meeting, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. 2002 Hogback Rd., Suite 13. For further informa- tion call the Center for E a t ing Disorders hotline: 971-0606. Hebrew Speaking Club - 5:00 p.m., 206 Angell Hall. College Semester Abroad with the School for Inter- national Training - 3:00 p.m., International Center. Tours - French language study abroad program, 4:00 p.m., MLB commons, 4th floor. Florence Summer Program - 5:00 p.m., 180 Tappan Hall. Microsoft Word, Part II (IBM PC compatibles) - 8:30 a.m., 3001 SEB. Registration required. 763- 7630. MacDraw - 10:30 a.m., 3001 SEB. Registration required. 763- 7630. Microsoft Word Style Sheets (IBM PC compatibles) - 10:30 a.m., 3001 SEB. Registra- tion required. 763-7630. Macintosh Basic Skills - 1:00 p.m., 3001 SEB. Registra- tion required. 763-7630. Introduction to Program- ming in dBASE III Plus - 1:00 p.m. 3001 SEB. Registration required. 763-7630. , Introduction to TEXTEDIT, Part III - 1:30 p.m., 2065A Frieze building. Registration re-j quired. 763-7630. MTS Editor Patterns, Part I - 7:00 p.m., 4003 SEB. Registration required. 763-7630. Michigan's Amiga Com- puter Resource Organiza- tion (MACRO) - 7:30 p.m., 2011 MLB. Furthermore Revolutionary History Se- ries - "Not a Disproof of Marx: Russia Shows the Limits of 'Socialism in One Country,"' 7:00 p.m., 118 MLB. Presented by SPARK. Just Friends - Traditional and contemporary folk music, 8:00 p.m., The Ark, 637 1/2 S. Main. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. MSA Workshop on El Sal- vador - 7:00 p.m., 126 East Quad. Bound to Strike Back - Film profile of South Africa's free- dom movement, noon, West Lec- ture Hall, Medical Science II Build- ing. University Lutheran Chapel - Dinner and Devotions, 6:00 p.m., BiblehStudy on "Family," 7:00 p.m., choir, 8:00 p.m., 1511 Washtenaw. University Band and the University of Michigan Percussion Ensemble - joint concert, 8:00 p.m., Hill Audito- rium. said. "It seems like he could have been here to represent it." Weine said he left messages for Fleming and Vice President for Student Services Henry Johnson yesterday to remind them of the fo- rum, but they did not return the calls. "Frankly, I think it's just a mistake" that no other administrators were present, Schwartz said. "I think I pretty accurately represent what views the administration may have about this policy." Schwartz said that while "there's a lot that's not good about the proposal... it's a difficult task to eradicate discrimination from any society. Unfortunately, the University is not excluded from that. Because society has chosen not to deal with discrimination problems doesn't mean the University doesn't have to deal with the problems." But, said Rob Bell, panel member and vice chair of MSA's Student Rights Committee, Fleming's proposal "violates very seriously the First Amendment rights of people in this community. It allows for punishments of the written or spoken word." Philosophy Prof. Peter Railton, chair of the University's Civil Lib- erties Board, a committee of students, staff, and faculty members, said conduct codes at other schools "permit quite broad powers to university administrations, which may have a chilling effect on civil liberties." But members of the audience objected to what they said were one- sided views expressed on Fleming's draft. "I was kind of disappointed," said Julie Steiner, director of the University's Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. "The panel was made up of people in opposition, though they had different reason for opposing it." MSA, at the forum, also distributed its proposed alternative to Fleming's draft. The proposal, completed Sunday by the Student Rights Committee, would impose absolutely no University punishment on non-academic conduct unless a student is convicted by civil courts. It would also involve a mediator for student complaints, and an Office of Discrimination Prevention and Awareness for counseling and education. Are you between the ages of 18 and 24? You may qualify for a fellowship to PROJECT OTZMA i na year in IsraeL living-working-studying-traveling Y/ '' Experience... a kibbutz ulpan-Youth Aliyah village- ATTENTION BSN CLASS OF 1988. The Air Force has a special pro- gram for 1988 BSNs. If selected, you can enter active duty soon after graduation-without waiting for the results of your State Boards. To qualify, you must have an overall "B" average. After commis- sioning, you'll attend,.a five-month internship at a major Air Force medical facility. It's an excellent way to prepare for the wide range of experiences you'll have serving your country as an Air Force nurse officer. For more information, call USAF NURSE RECRUITING 1-800-423-USAF TOLL FREE '""" -. - } 4 Project Renewal neighborhoods- "adoption" At a cost to you of only $750* by an Israeli family A slide show and Information about Project Otzma will be presented on Thur. Feb. 11 at 7pm In the Michigan Union Room 2209 A-B For advanced registration and more information call 11663-3336 In Michigan a project of the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit Funded by the United Jewish Charities of the Jewish Welfare Federation and the Jewish Agency for Israel Albert Terrace 1700 Geddes Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 =v Phone# for Albert Terrace (313)761-1717 Affordable Rates! .jrjA Late Registration at UAC, 2105 M. Union Financial Planning Magic Sports Massage Speed Reading Tarot Cards a 1 . i