Ninety-nine years of editorial freedorn Vol. IC, No. 35 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, October 26, 1988 Copyright 1988, The Michigan Daily MSA votes for U Council BY STEVE KNOPPER The Michigan Student Assembly took the first step yesterday toward reconvening the University Council - the panel that writes student conduct rules. In a three-page document written by MSA and fac- ulty officials, MSA proposed that the council - a nine-member committee of students, faculty, and ad- iministrators - meet for the first time since last year. Many say the University must reconvene the coun- cil to give students and faculty input on conduct rules so the administration does not impose more rules of its own. For example, the University's Board of Regents bypassed the council last spring when it accepted rules against student discriminatory conduct. Under MSA's proposal, the new council would em- ploy a neutral mediator to handle disputes. Out of the two-thirds majority necessary for council votes, at least one member each from the student body, faculty, and administration must be included. In the past, MSA generally appointed council members who voted against proposals with punish- ments for student non-academic conduct. This position led to much dissent on the council. In recent years, faculty and staff members have left meet- ings in frustration because neither side was willing to compromise. But by passing the proposal, MSA has moderated its historical stance on the code of non-academic con- duct. Instead of simply saying "no code," assembly members have said they want to cooperate with the administration and faculty in writing conduct rules. Last night, MSA members debated over specifics in - the proposal. Communications Committee chair Rob Bell, an LSA sophomore, argued against the rule that two students must approve all council proposals. Such mow a rule, he said, "sounds like we're trying to stack the Step by cards again. It's going to make the administration more Bob Curlis, f reluctant." pany, Inc. w But the rule passed, because other representatives They hope to said one student vote on a proposal does not necessarily represent the student body. MSA's proposal to start the council must still go before faculty and staff officials for revisions before the council can reconvene. To reconvene the council, the faculty's Senate Advisory Committee for University Affairs and the University's executive officers must BY KRISTINE approve the proposal and appoint members. The Michigar SACUA chair Beth Reed said the faculty members place a proposa may be chosen within two weeks, and Assistant to the November balk University President Robin Jacoby said staff members November 15 an may be selected this week. compensation. LSA senior Julie Murray, chair of MSA's Student Communicati Rights Committee, said she hopes MSA can appoint the officers may members in mid-November so the council can meet by members. He c late November. president last ye Murray said the new council would discuss how to financial pressure enforce the University's new student protest policy. Assembly Pi Currently, if a student violates the policy, the Univer- other universities sity must create temporary rules to enforce it. The Michigan Forum says rape may be socialized Riots mar S. African elections JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and clubs yesterday to scatter crowds protesting segregated local elections. Anti-apartheid leaders urged blacks to boycott the vote, but without violence. About 7,000 local offices nationwide are at stake in the elections Wednesday, the first time people of this racially separated nation will have cast ballots on the same day. The 26 million blacks vote only locally and have no voice in national affairs. President P.W. Botha's ruling National Party is expected to lose ground in white elections to the- staunchly pro-apartheid Conservative Party, which opposes the govern- ment's tentative moves toward re- form. Fewer than 500,000 of the 2.4 million registered blacks are expected to vote, despite an ambitious gov- ernment promotional campaign. Low turnouts also are anticipated in townships populated by people of mixed race, officially called, "coloreds," and those known as Asians, who are predominantly of Indian descent. A chamber of the na- tional parliahnent, with little power, was created for each group in 1984. About 21 percent of the registered black voters cast ballots in the last black municipal elections in 1983, roughly the same as the number expected this time. Critics say figures for blacks will be virtually meaningless because so few are registered and no local candi- dates represent major organizations opposed to the official apartheid policy of racial separation. Most leading opposition groups are banned and activists generally view black town councils as sub- servient to the government con- trolled by South Africa's 5 million votes. "If we were asked to vote in today's township conditions, we would not do so," the nation's largest daily newspaper, the independent Star of Johannesburg, said in an editorial. "Whatever statistics are squirreled out to justify the legitimacy of elected black councils, they will have no effect on reality." Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other black anti-apartheid leaders have defied rules of 2 1/2-year-old state of emergency in advocating a boycott. Botha's government seeks a See Election, Page 2 V step ALEXANDRA BREZ/Daily front, and Freddy Myers of the Ohio Building Restoration Com- ork on waterproofing the steps in front of Angell Hall yesterday. have the restoration completed by Christmas. I 5A officers request salary LALONDE n Student Assembly voted last night to i to pay its executive officers on the ot. Student voters, who will vote on nd 16, will have the final say on officer ons Chair Robert Bell said that paying be crucial in retaining important MSA ited the resignation of MSA's vice- ear and the treasurer this year and said e was a key reason for their departure. resident Michael Phillips said many s compensate their officers. m State University student government pays its officers $1000 a term. Assembly members did not specify the amount of money its officers would re- ceive. Phillips said the pressure and commitment of being an officer would be lessened if financial pressure was alleviated. He said he had to ask himself, "Am I going to stay on as MSA president when I can't pay my rent?" If the proposal is passed, payment would begin November 29 - the start of the next term of office. One member expressed concern that the proposal would look like MSA representatives were using their positions to further their own personal goals. The ex- ecutive officers are in office until the spring, and there- fore would benefit from any salary implementations. In other business, a proposal to withdraw MSA from the Campaign for a Democratic Campus (CDC) drew heated debate and failed by wide margin. The proposal, submitted by Phillips, accused CDC of being "dominated by the traditional rich, white, middle class, liberals... [they lack] sensitivity to people of color, women's, and lesbian and gay concerns and issues ." Many representatives said that the reason for lack of participation by minorities was caused by their heavy involvement in other groups. See MSA, Page 2 BY SCOTT CHAPLIN Rape isn't just a women's issue, it's a men's issue too, said Danny Rosen, a peer educator who helped facilitate a discussion following the presentation of the film Men's Lives before an audience of 40 in the Michigan Union's Anderson Room last night. The film, presented as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Week or- ganized by the University's Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, focused on the development of sexist attitudes at various stages of a man's development. According to the 1974 film, boys learn to be competitive and aggres- sive. In high school sports, such as football, they learn that it is ad- mirable to ignore pain and to prove their masculinity through physical feats. Often these boys try to appear masculine and look to girls for ap- proval. The media reflects and perpetuates society's image of what is mascu- line. Often in the movies, it is the strong silent male who succeeds in "getting his woman" by the use of physical force. These images have a very strong effect on young children, enforcing an attitude that when a woman says "no," she really means "yes". Rape and sexual assault are not necessarily perpetrated by physical coercion; sometimes women are emotionally coerced out of fear, said SAPAC organizer John Ifcher, an LSA senior. "We have a rape culture which See Rape, Page 2 Housing division suspends official BY MARTIN OTT University Housing Information Director Leroy Williams was sus- pended with pay Friday after police arrested him in a raid on an alleged Detroit crack house last week. Williams, an 18-year University employee, faces felony charges of possession of less than 25 grams of cocaine. He was arraigned last Friday in Detroit and released on a $5,000 personal bond pending a preliminary examination this Friday. University Associate Director of Housing Archie Andrews said Williams was suspended until an in- dependent University investigation could be conducted. Williams could not be reached for comment yesterday. But he told the Ann Arbor News Monday that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. "I had nothing on my person, the police report says that," Williams said. Williams' attorney, Thomas Quarterman, refused comment on the case, adding that it would be unfair ,o hi lett es;ea .a nvi;,,ra- ALEXANDRA BREZ/Daiy Jeff Michael, left, leads a discussion on the film "Men's Lives" as part of Men's Day during Sexual Assault Awareness Week. To his left are John Ifcher and Danny Rosen. All three are members of the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Center. Typhoon sinks ship in Philippines, killing 485 MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Rescuers said yesterday they had found only 15 survivors from the 500 people on a ship sunk by Typhoon Ruby, which hit shore with 140 mph winds that flattened thou- sands of homes and took at least 97 lives. Darkness and bad weather forced an overnight suspension of the search for survivors of the Dona Marilyn. i l 1 _ 7.ZA. Ruby sweeps through land to take at least 97 lives Ruby's center passed about 50 miles east of Manila early yesterday and swept into the Tarlac, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija provinces, the archipelago's main rice-growing re- gion, the national weather service reported. President Corazon Aquino visited flooded Marikina, the hardest-hit dis- trict in the Manila area, yesterday and Philipine helicopters rescued hun- dreds of people stranded on rooftops and in trees by the flooding Marikina river. Island and another small island, and four people were found alive in the water.