Court to examine 'damage awards WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court yesterday set the stage for an important ruling on the constitutionality of enormous puni- tive-damage awards that have become increasingly common in a range of lawsuits. Thejustices agreed to decide whether such awards that far exceed actual damages violate a constitu- tional ban on excessive fines. At stake are huge sums of money awarded in a variety of lawsuits. The court is studying the issue in an appeal by Browning-Ferris Indus-3 tries Inc., a waste collection busi- ress with headquarters in Houston. The company was ordered to pay $6 million to a Burlington, Vt., com- petitor that accused the Texas com- pany of undercutting its prices in an effort to drive it out of business. The high court last May declined to decide the constitutionality of such enormous punitive-damage awards in personal injury and breach- of-contract cases. Left unresolved was the legiti- macy of skyrockrting punitive-dam- age awards. The justices announced yesterday that they will now tackle the issue, with a decision expected in July. ;- sN.1 HOUSE OF WINGS "44'Self Service with coupon kinko's the copy center 540 East Uberty Open 24 Hours 1220 S. University Open 24 Hours Michigan Union Open Early - Open Late - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, December 6, 1988 - Page 5 LSA forms search panel for dean BY STEVE KNOPPER LSA Dean Peter Steiner an- nounced to the LSA faculty yester- day that he has formed a search ad- visory committee of nine faculty members and two students to name his replacement. Steiner announced last month that he would leave office by Sept. 1, 1989. University searches for new officials generally take about a year to complete. Committee member Brian Shull, a Rackham graduate student, said he was asked last Wednesday to serve on the committee. Because the committee hasn't met, Shull would not predict when a new dean could be selected. Shull said the new dean should be "someone who's going _to want the school to stay within the top 10" who will maintain strong research, teaching, and undergraduate educa- tion programs. Geological Sciences Prof. William Kelly, chair of the new committee, was unavailable for comment last night. Steiner will leave office after serving three years of a five-year term, as he promised when he ac- cepted the deanship in 1986. The committee that chose him was com- prised of nine faculty members and three students. Associated Press President-elect George Bush gestures as he opens meeting with University presidents yesterday in Washington. Included is University president James Duderstadt. understood that and agreed to help can aspire to the best that our educa- P re s. Bush by setting carefully "the tion system offers," said Schmidt Continued from Page 1 educational priorities and the science "We expressed our great concern research priorities in the country." at the shortage of well-educated peo- limits on federal resources and the "We discussed the essential im- ple in science and engineering in this need to make hard choices about the portance of maintaining the open- country," Schmidt said, who cited federal budget to bring the deficit ness and accessibility of higher edu- the dearth of minorities in these under control." He said the presidents cation so that all our young people professions. Babcock Continued from Page 1 nifies something great about the opportunities for women in sports. "Traci has showed us that it is possible for young women starting out in sports to achieve high levels of achivement in both athletics and academics," said Foster. "She has helped to disspell the stereotype that all athletes are dumb jocks." Babcock, who plans to continue her running at Cambridge, has had her achievements and personality rub off on the cross country team the past four years. "Traci has been kind of like a mother to us," said women's cross country co-captain Mindy Rowand. "She's always there if one of us has a bad day. Not only is she #ri incredible athlete, but she's also a great team leader. It's phenomenal what she's accomplished." Phyllis Ocker, Associate Director of Athletics for Women, also' expressed much pride in the fact that an athlete had been awarded tie scholarship. "This to me is what college athletics are all about," said Ocker, "The scholarship honors both a great-, student and certainly a great athlete. Traci is the epitomy of what we would like our athletes to be." I I II THE LAND CEFORE TIME IMI 12;30, 2:05, 3:40, 5:15, 7:00, 8:35, 10:10, 11:40 Wait Disney's OLIVER & COMPANY ®] V2:15, 1:50, 3:25, 5:00, 7:00, 8:25, 10:00,11:35 I, ' 11 FRESH HORSES 12:40, 4:40, 7:20, 9:30, 11:40 gpilj HIGH SPIRITS 12:45,.2:50, 4:50, 7:25, 9:25, 11:30ll ii A CRY IN THE DARK 12:35, 2:50,5:00, 7:30, 9:50, 12:10- IRON EAGLE 11 1:05.,3:00, 5:10, 7:40 E L ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS 1:00,215, 5:20, 7:15, 9:20, 11:20 1I I I! A