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Ninety-eight years of editorial freedom
Vol. XCVIII, No. 122 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Thursday, March 31, 1988 Copyright 1988, The Michigan Daily
MSA
to tell high
schools of racism
By LISA WINER
The Michigan Student Assembly will
inform Michigan high school students about
racism at the University t h r o u g h
advertisements in their school newspapers, as
part of a resolution passed 22-6 at the
assembly's Tuesday night meeting.
MSA passed the resolution in response to
University President Robben Fleming's
policy on discriminatory acts, a disciplinary
procedure for racist and sexist acts passed by
the University's Board of Regents earlier this
month.
In addition to placing ads in newspapers,
the resolution also mandates that MSA advise
the Ann Arbor City Council and state
legislature to monitor the racial situation on
campus, and demand that the council and state
legislature take steps toward institutional
change and protection of student rights.
VIRTUALLY ALL MSA members
supported the resolution, but some were
confused about the motivations behind
targeting ads about the University to high
school students. MSA President Michael
Phillips said he wishes to better inform high
school students about the University's racism
problem.
The University administration consistently
pinpoints University students as the cause of
racist acts on campus, Phillips said.
"You read the administration's propaganda,
and you don't really know what's going
on...We want to counter this glossy
propaganda," Phillips said. "Our purpose is
positive - not to hide, gloss over racism,
sexism, homophobia. It's just being honest
- that's what (the administration) hasn't
been."
Although the content of the advertisements
has not been decided, they might inform
students about racism on campus and explain
that some organizations on campus are
working to fight it, Phillips said.
"WE WISH TO ATTRACT more
progressive students to work against racism,"
Phillips said.
But Phillips' motives for placing ads in
high school newspapers differ from the
motives of a task force created to coordinate
opposition to the code.
"(The ads) are to tarnish the University's
image," said Henry Park, sociology graduate
student and head of the recently established
task force.
If the University's reputation is damaged,
the administration may be more apt to work
toward change, said MSA rep. Gretchen
Walter, a first-year LSA student. "The only
thing the administration cares about is how
they look to the outside world," she said.
"(HIGH SCHOOL students') parents are
going to ask questions... They're going to
want to know about discrimination and first
amendment rights," said MSA rep. Brian Brad,
an LSA sophomore.
See MSA, Page 2
Playing ball? Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
Lyssa Sperlich, 5, and her brother, Cade, 2, enjoy climbing on the
bleachers at Ray Fisher stadium more than they do watching the
Michigan baseball game. It's the first game they've attended.
Three vie for 4th
By PETER MOONEY
As a member of the Ann Arbor City
Council, David DeVarti (D-4th Ward)
works within the system. Yet he still
considers himself an activist.
For example, most candidates cam-
paign door-to-door passing out fliers
promoting name recognition. But De-
Varti's campaign material also includes
plugs for a variety of issues he supports,
including ballot referenda on rent control,
improving the roads, and buying more
parkland.
As a former University student, PIR-
GIM activist, and chair of the local
Democratic party, DeVarti has long been
involved in politics. DeVarti says this
experience distinguishes him from the
other candidates.
DEVARTI also owns Sportsguides,
which publishes the Cinema Guide and
De Varti free programs distributed at University
. ..activist incumbent athletic events.
Ward council seat
CityQ
ELECTION 8
But his Republican opponent, banker
Mark Ouimet, contends DeVarti's back-
ground is more a detriment than an asset.
"David is a professional politician. His
life has been focused on running for a
council seat in the 4th ward," Ouimet
said.
Adding spice to an already highly
competitive race is Libertarian David
Raaflaub's campaign. Though Raaflaub is
not expected to win, he could affect the
outcome by diverting votes from Ouimet
or DeVarti.
THE WARD has never elected a
Democrat. DeVarti was appointed to the
seat when Republican Gerald Jernigan
was elected mayor last year in the middle
of his two-year term.
But the ward has given strong support
to DeVarti in two previous campaigns for
council, in which he came within 100
votes of unseating incumbents.
Rent control has attracted attention
from all of the candidates running for
council this year. The issue will appear
on Monday's ballot as Proposal C, and if
passed, would limit rent increases to costs
associated with inflation, utility rates,
capital improvements, and property taxes.
"I am a strong supporter of it (rent
control). I think the private sector has not
met its responsibility to provide hous-
ing," DeVarti said. He cites tenants who
have complained to him about rent in-
creases far over the inflation rate and peo-
ple who have been forced to move to Yp-
silanti because they couldn't their rent.
See Ward 4, Page 2
Byrd:
Meese
must go,
Another aide
may resign
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Majority Leader
Robert Byrd yesterday called Attorney General Edwin
Meese, "the crown jewel of... sleaze" and urged him to
quit, but President Reagan reiterated his support for his
old friend, the focus of an 11-month-old criminal
investigation.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General. Charles Fried, who
ranks fourth in the Justice Department hierarchy, refused
to give an immediate answer when Meese personally
urged him not to join two other senior department fig-
ures who resigned Tuesday, department sources said.
ON TUESDAY, FRIED, who argues the gov-
ernment's position in Supreme Court cases, told the As-
sociated Press that the resignations had prompted him to
reassess his own future. He said he needed time to think
the matter through.
Congressional reaction against Meese was strong the
day after the resignations of the No. 2 Justice Depart-
ment official, Deputy Attorney General Arnold Burns,
and the head of the department's criminal division,
Assistant Attorney General William Weld.
Of Meese, Sen. Bob Packwood of Oregon said, "you
finally reach a place where there is a cloud of suspicion,
that you think you owe it to the president to remove
yourself."
BURNS AND WELD RESIGNED because they
were concerned that Meese's continuing legal difficulties
were damaging the effectiveness and credibility of the
Justice Department, department sources said.
Meese said again Tuesday night he won't resign.
The criminal investigation of Meese launched last
May 11 by independent counsel James McKay is contin-
uing and so far has delved into his involvement through
longtime friend E. Robert Wallach with scandal-plagued
Wedtech Corp. and a $1 billion Iraqi pipeline.
McKay widened the probe this week by subpoenaing
payroll records and ether documents of the Washington
chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society in connection
with a $40,00-a-year job Meese's wife, Ursula, got with
the charity in 1985. Investigators are examining Wal-
lach's role in helping Mrs. Meese get the job.
"Mr. Meese has become the crown jewel of the
sleaze factor in Reagan administration history," Byrd (D-
W. Va.) told reporters.
TAs nab
alleged
vandal
By CATHY NICHOLS
Two University teaching assis-
tants organized a stake-out Monday
y # Ynight to catch the persons responsi-
ble for defacing a political cartoon
posted on the door of Economics TA
Mark Greer.
The TAs caught an individual
tearing down the cartoon and re-
strained him while calling campus
security. After the incident, the se-
curity officers filed a harassment re-
port against the suspect and an as-
sault report against Mark Weisbrot
and Andreas Georgiou, the econo-
mics TAs who apprehended him.
Neither party has pressed charges.
The assault involving Weisbrot
and Georgiou is on record with the
See Vandal, Page 2
Baseball team
swings past
Western
BY PETER ZELLEN
Yesterday, the Michigan baseball team swept a
doubleheader from Western Michigan in a day that in-
cluded seventh inning comebacks, a grand slam home
run, and milestones.
The Wolverines won the first game 6-5 but had to
fight for it the whole game. Pitcher Ross Powell took
the mound hoping to improve on his declining stand
with the team. Instead he was met with control
problems and an early exit.
The Broncos loaded the bases in the first inning
with no outs and proceeded to score two runs on two
consecutive groundouts. Michigan countered with a run
in the bottom of the inning on Bill St. Peter's RBI
single.
WITH THE bats in Western's hands the Broncos
went on to score another run next inning. Then the
Wolverines came back to tie the game with two runs
on no hits. Two walks, two wild pitches, and a ground
out put the notches in the scoreboard and knocked
Western's pitcher, Chris Skryd, out of the game.
Michigan scored again in the third, taking a 4-3 lead
into the fourth inning. Unfortunately though, the left-
handed Powell walked three batters in a row in the
inning. Coach Bud Middaugh had decided that he had
seen enough and replaced Powell with the veteran Mike
Ignasiak.
Ignasiak allowed the Broncos to tie the game on a
sacrifice fly by right fielder Matt Mieske but then got
out of the inning.
Michigan took the lead in this see-saw game once
again at the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by
Eddie Woolwine. The tide however, went the Broncos'
Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
Members of the "Talk to Us" theatre troupe discuss sexism at yesterday's SAPAC brown bag lunch.
Troupe acts
By VICKI BAUER
A woman walks into a dorm cafeteria,
and a male student harasses her - "Hey
baby, nice ass. Hey baby, nice legs. Hey
baby..."
Rnt eiiddenlu hbth stiudents freeze-
s out sexual harassment
The seminar, sponsored by the
volunteers of the Sexual Assault
Prevention and Awareness Center, was
the fourth of five weekly discussions
about identifying and combating sexism
wanted to shut him up. I didn't know
what else to do. I first thought of a gun."
LSA senior Lisa Sheffel, one of 70
members in the audience, said she once
had a similar experience.