Copyrigt 1 Th Ninety-eight years of editorialfreedom Vol. XCVIII, No. 92 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Thursday, February 11, 1988 Copyright 1988, The Michigan Daily Purse 11 's Contra vote irks opponents By ANDREW MILLS The primaries are still six months away, but candidates for the con- gressional seat now held by U.S. Rep. Carl Pursell (R-Plymouth) are wasting no time in exchanging ver- bal jabs. The latest controversy comes over last week's House vote to cut off aid to the Nicaraguan Contras. Pursell, one of 211 representa- tives to vote in favor of the aid, is now being criticized for his vote by both of his Democratic rivals, Uni- versity graduate student Dean Baker and State Sen. Lana Pollack (D-Ann Arbor). "It is outrageous enough that Pursell would vote to send 63 mil- lion dollars that's desperately needed up here to support terrorist thugs in Central America, but that he would make such decisions based on his anger over a leaflet, or to preserve his party position, is absolutely in- tolerable," Baker said in a statement. The leaflet Baker referred to is a mock-up of an article about Pursell in a ficatious newspaper, T h e Washington Herald-Tribune, entitled "Congressman linked to Drug-Tor- ture Ring." Pursell's press secretary, Gary Cates, said the leaflet was only a "very minimal, minimal factor"~ in Pursell's decision. Cates did acknowledge, however, that Pursell's desire "to preserve his See POLLACK, Page 5 Panama ,helped U.S. train Contras WASHINGTON (AP) - Panama's military leader, Gien. Manuel Antonio Noriega, provided military training for U.S.-backed Nicaraguan rebels after he met twice in 1985 with Lt. Col. Oliver North, a former top Panamanian intelligence official testified yesterday. North told Noriega in October 1985 that the Panamanian training bases were needed because U.S. laws at the time banned any direct U.S. Shelp for the rebels fighting Nicaragua's leftist government, Jose I. Blandon said through an inter- preter. Blandon, who was fired last month by Noriega as Panama's con- sul general in New York, also told a Senate Foreign Relations subcom- mittee that Vice Pres. George Bush used Noriega to send a warning to Cuban leader Fidel Castro hours be- fore the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983. Bush, who was asked at the White House if he ever called Nor- iega, replied "Nunca. Never." "Nunca" is the Spanish word for never. State to appeal divestment case High court may review ruling By ANDREW MILLS The state attorney general will appeal last week's ruling - which found unconstitu- tional a 1982 law requiring universities to di- vest from companies doing business in South Africa - to the state Supreme Court, an offi- cial in the attorney general's office said yesterday. The state Court of Appeals, in a unani- mous three-judge decision, ruled in favor of the University and found the law unconstitu- tional because it infringed upon the autonomy granted to the state's colleges and universities. The University initially filed suit against the state in 1983. Assistant Attorney General Paul Zimmer said the decision to appeal has been made, but since a brief needs to be written, the official appeal will not be filed until later this month. Attorney General Frank Kelley decided to ap- peal Tuesday. "We think that there are some further ar- guments that can be made," Zimmer said, though he refused to elaborate on what those arguments might be. The 1982 law was sponsored in part by State Rep. Perry Bullard (D-Ann Arbor),who appeared before the court of appeals to testify in favor of the state. Both Bullard and Rep. Virgil Smith Jr. (D-Detroit) filed amicus briefs on behalf of the state. According to an aide to Bullard, he will file another brief to the supreme court and will probably argue again before the court. "We applaud the attorney general in his ac- tion to appeal this (decision)," John Hansen, an administrative assistant to Bullard, said. Former University General Counsel Roderick Daane is handling this case for the University although he is now in private practice. Daane was not surprised at the deci- sion to appeal, but is confident of retaining victory in the supreme court. "I do think that the decision of the court of appeals is well reasoned and that it won't be overturned," he said. Regent Paul Brown (D-Petoskey) also ex- pected the appeal, but couldn't comment fur- ther, not having seen the court of appeals' opinion. The state must now file a leave to appeal with the supreme court. The court has two options: it can deny the appeal, in which case the appellate court ruling stands, or it can de- cide to hear the case and make its own deci- sion. The Attorney General has until Feb. 24 to file such a leave. Dolly Photo by JOHN MUNSON Thin ice Pat Hudson, a Brighton resident, ice fishes on Whitmore Lake for Muskie and Pike yester- day. Hudson says he fishes mostly, for sport. Students vie for dorm adviser positions By ELIZABETH STUPPLER Not everyone wants to move out of the dorm after their first and second years of col- lege. In fact, many juniors and seniors not only want to live, but also work in the dormitories. "Dorms are where the excitement is," Bruce Young, a current resident adviser in Adams House of West Quad, said. "Anytime day or night there is someone around to talk to. I also like the idea of making a difference." Pam Friedl, currently applying for an RA position, wants to develop a sense of community and increase the level of respect between residents. "People must have respect for each other on a lower level first if we ever want to increase respect to higher levels such as sexism and racism." As an RA, she thinks she could work towards this goal b y encouraging hall unity. , TjiHSI YSEAR, the University is faced with the task of hiring resident hall staff for the upcoming fall term. Over 350 people will be vying for 100 resident advisor positions. These employees will be the support system for thousands of students as they are bom- barded with a flood of new experiences and re- sponsibilities. John Heidke, associate director of housing, Andrea Knapp, coordinator of staff selection, and Marvin Parnes, assistant director for training and programing, explained the detailed process of the resident hall employee selec- tion. Anyone who want to be a RA has to go through a two step selection process consist- ing of two three-hour seminars that deal with a variety of topics relevant to the RA posi- tion. The first session consists of programing situations the RA will be expected to organize and run. The second workshop deals with is- sues on community living and problem solv- ing, Parnes said. During these classes the ap- plicants are observed by current staff mem- bers. When they pass this original screening, the applicants apply at the residence halls of their choice. The interviewing process varies at each different hall, but Parnes would not elab- orate because the hiring process is currently going on. AT THE END of the process, the housing choices candidate staff tries to balance the candidate of halls with the hall's choices of es. See HOPEFUL, Page 2 Health risks rank low By ALYSSA University stu ized as men and - smoke less of ten, and are less seatbelts than an In addition, they and tend to be ur ing to a study f Department of Pc The report, re the 38th Annual ence, tracked the risk factors by ag tion, and income physical activit obesity, and the belts, and alcoho The results r health improvem a decline in the p ers and overweig crease in the nt users, alcohol at cisers. "People know risks are, and h behavior. They ways," said Ra among students LUSTIGMAN director of the Michigan Department idents - character- of Public Health. women aged 18-24 "The leading killers today are not ten, drink more of- infectious diseases but those brought likely to use their about through varying behavior pat- iy other age group. terns," she added. Weiner estimated exercise frequently between 12,000 and 15,000 deaths nderweight, accord- from diseases induced by "risk be- rom the Michigan havior" were preventable. ublic Health. About 65 percent of 18-24 year- leased this week at olds surveyed said they had smoked Director's Confer- fewer than 100 cigarettes in their -se six basic health lifetime, compared to 32.8 percent of ge, sex, race, educa- adults aged 45-54. brackets. It studied But the category of 18-24 year- y, hypertension, olds was least concerned with seat- use of tobacco, seat belt use - 11.8 percent claimed 4. they never used them. eflected an overall Males aged 18-24 ranked highest ent in Michigan - among heavy drinkers (14 or more percentage of smok- drinks per week) at 13.8 percent. But ht adults, and an in- females aged 18-24 were the most umber of seatbelt frequent abstainers, at 48 percent. bstainers, and exer- w what behavioral ow to modify their can change path- j Wiener, acting Females aged 18-24 were most likely to be under weight - 29.7 percent were more than 10 percent below their ideal weight for sex and See DRINKING, Page 5 IN SID E.. 'Officials defend 'U' Doily Photo by KAREN HANDELMAN Al Wheeler, former mayor of Ann Arbor, has played an active role in promoting racial equality in the city. A Professor Emeritus of Microbiology, he was the first full-time Black faculty member of the University. First Black prof recalls fight minority By JIM PONIEWOZIK with wire reports The University of Wisconsin- Madison's announcement Tuesday of a multi-million dollar plan to com- hat racism and increase minority en- rograms sin's program. "We are not going to join in the old game of measuring our progress in terms of what other institutions do or don't do," he said. But Moody added that "compe- Rep. Carl Pxsel'srcut vote in favo of Conitra aid i inexcusable and he should jsijfy hbisacion to his constituency.OIN WCBN launches 88.3 hours;of special progrmngtday for its kNinth Annual Fudraiw's Bash. * for equality in Ann Arbor By DAVID WEBSTER In 1937, when Albert Wheeler first came to Ann Arbor, there were no signs reading 'White Only' or 'Colored Only.' But the attitudes that could promote the sity, was not discouraged. In 1952 he was appointed assistant profes- sor of microbiology, and became the University's first full-time gree from Iowa State University in the mid '30s. Then Wheeler came to Ann Arbor to attend the University's School of Public Health. At that time Black students ~C41 Z I 4 I I