Solar car
team gets
$12,000
check
by Ian Hoffman
Daily Research Reporter
University President James Dud-
erstadt returned to his North Campus
$tomping grounds yesterday to ac-
cept a $12,000 check and a credit
card from Amoco Oil Co. for the
College of Engineering's Solar Car
Team.
Duderstadt accepted the check on
behalf of 110 University students
working on the project.
"This is the engineering equiva-
lent of putting a man on the moon,"
Duderstadt said after being handed
the three-foot long check. "This pro-
ject proves that the total classroom
dxperience cannot be conveyed
through the classroom or library
alone."
"We (Amoco) look forward to
rooting for the team and cheering
them on in the winner's circle," said
Michigan alumnus and Amoco Vice
President of International Develop-
ment George Nersesian.
After the check presentation, so-
lar car team members unveiled a
The Michigan Daily -Tuesday, January 23, 1990 - Page 3
E. German cabinet
boss to share power
BERLIN (AP) - Communist
Premier Hans Modrow agreed
yesterday to open his Cabinet to the
pro-democracy opposition, and
former leader Egon Krenz apologized.
for his role in past secret police
operations.
Modrow and Krenz spoke during
negotiations on East Germany's fu-
ture government with the opposition
groups, which immediately took up
Modrow's offer.
Pro-democracy activists took to
the streets in at least eight cities
after nightfall, with more than
100,000 demonstrating in Leipzig
against the Communists. The offi-
cial ADN news agency reported other
protests in Berlin, Cottbus, Dresden,
Halle, Potsdam, Schwerin and Suhl.
Modrow bowed to pressure to re-
build his 27-member Cabinet, which
previously excluded all but the
Communists and its traditional al-
lies.
The leadership, which replaced
Communist hard-liners last year dur-
ing a peaceful popular revolt, has
been trying to appease an opposition
movement that is upset with the
pace of promised reforms.
Modrow's move came one day
after the No. 2 figure in the Com-
munist Party quit and joined the So-
cial Democrats.
Until yesterday, reformist groups
such as New Forum, Democratic
Awakening and the Social
Democrats formally had resisted
joining Modrow's government,
partly out of fear that they would
then be held responsible by voters
for the economic mess left by four
decades of Communist rule.
The Social Democratic leader,
Ibranim Boehme, said a coalition
was possible "if all parties and
groups are prepared to enter the gov-
ernment on an emergency basis,
without weeks-long negotiations."
Modrow proposed the political
forces meet tomorrow to consider a
new Cabinet. But he did not make
clear which or how many ministries
might be offered to the opposition.
Communists hold 16 of 27 seats,
with the remainder divided among
four parties once allied with them -
the Liberal Democrats with four,
Christian Democrats with three, and
two each for the National Democrats
and the farmer's party.
East Germany's first free elec-
tions are to be held on May 6, but
broad differences between the Com-
munist-dominated government and
opposition groups have delayed eco-
nomic reform measures and hindered
the transition to democracy.
Krenz, who was ousted from the
leadership Dec. 3 and expelled by his
party Sunday, apologized for the "old
security doctrine" he imposed on the
country.
He appeared before the political
forum to answer allegations that he
helped falsify previous election re-
sults and misused the secret police
service for political aims.
The 52-year-old politician con-
ceded there had never been free elec-
tions in East Germany.
JULIE HOLLMAN/Daily
This quarter-scale model of the solar car that will race in the GM SUNRAYCE USA this July was unveiled yesterday
at a ceremony in the EECS atrium. At the ceremony President Duderstadt accepted a $12,000 check from Amoco Oil
Co. to be used to build the car.
quarter-scale model of the vehicle.
The black and yellow coach's full-
size relative is scheduled to be fin-
ished March 17.
Solar car project manager Susan
Fancy, a LSA and engineering se-
nior, answered questions about the
car at the ceremony.
"We expect to be able to attain
speeds of over 65 miles per hour,"
she said. However, because race
rules prohibit breaking legal speed
limits, the top speeds achieved dur-
ing the race will not exceed 45
m.p.h.
16th annual Minority Career Conference
is for all students, not just minorities
Pastor vows to keep
school records private
Sby Cherie Curry
Daily Staff Writer
Over 100 employers from across
the nation will be participating in
today's 16th Annual Minority Career
Conference - providing students
from all class levels and disciplines
with an opportunity to informally
discuss career opportunities.
The event is Sponsored by Career
Planning, and Placement and will be
held in the Michigan Union from 7-
10p.m today.
Various business, social, gov-
ernment and educational agencies,
including Ross Roy Inc., AEtna
Life and Casualty, and Xerox Cor-
poration, will be on hand to answer
questions, display literature, and
possibly make arrangements with
students for job interviews.
"Employers will be recruiting in
areas like engineering, business, and
liberal arts," said Kenneth Johnson,
minority student coordinator of Ca-
reer Planning and Placement. "No
one is excludedI. However, recruiters
come with the assumption that the
conference is focusing on minorities.
This year, the disabled are also in-
cluded as minorities."
While last year's Minority Career
Conference brought an estimated
500 students, this year's conference
is expected to attract hundreds more.
"I personally think there will be a
larger turnout just because we're go-
ing to have it at nighttime," John-
son said, noting there will be no
classes to hinder students from com-
ing.
Kyra Keene, an LSA sophomore,
thought last year's conference was a
good experience. "My communica-
tive skills were challenged by the
represented recruiters."
But some students who attended
the conference last year were not as
impressed.
"I thought it was a good experi-
ence, but it catered more towards up-
perclassmen," said LSA sophomore
Sherri Richardson. "As a freshman, I
didn't get as much out of it as I
would've liked."
Stressing that both graduates and
undergraduates have the opportunity
to obtain internships, permanent or
summer positions, Johnson added
the Minority Career Conference can
be advantageous in other ways.
"I think it's much more than get-
ting a job," Johnson said. "For the
prepared student, it's a chance of fur-
thering his or her success upon en-
tering the job market."
State house hopes to improve taxpayers rights
LANSING (AP) - A church
pastor threatened yesterday to fight
to the death against a Michigan law
requiring private schools to file an-
nual reports as the Michigan De-
partment of Education prepared a suit
to enforce that law.
The Rev. Paul Vanaman, pastor
of Dixie Baptist Church in Clark-
ston, said the lawsuit will have no
impact on his refusal to submit in-
formation on the operation of the
Springfield Christian Academy.
"I guess to the point of death," he
said when asked how long he will
oppose the effort to obtain the in-
formation.
"I know. that sounds rather dra-
matic, but I don't mean it to be.
This is a serious business with me
because it's a matter of conscience.
This is not something I can arbi-
trate."
Vanaman's school is one of four
Christian schools which failed to
meet Monday's deadline imposed by
Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Donald Bemis, for filing annual re-
ports.
Administrative hearings were held
in July and Bemis decided on
November 21 that the five schools
had violated the law and ordered them
to supply the information within 60
days.
The law permits the state to close
schools for violations.
Bemis said Attorney General
Frank Kelley's office will file a law-
suit in Oakland County Circuit
Court within the next several weeks
seeking the information on the
school's enrollment, curriculum and
teacher qualifications.
"The requirement to provide this
educational information to the De-
partment of Education has been
established by the Michigan Legisla-
ture. It is my obligation to imple-
ment this requirement to advance the
compelling interest society has -in
the secular education of all our
youth," Bemis said.
. LANSING (AP) - Dealing with
the taxman can be mighty intimidat-
ing, and lawmakers said Monday
they hope the state can adopt proce-
dures to ensure that taxpayers are
treated fairly and courteously.
The House Republican Task
Force on Taxpayer Rights release 4
20 recommendations after a three-
year study of how taxpayers are
treated by the Department of Trea-
sury. The panel did not review tax
rates.
State Treasurer Robert Bowman
commended the report, saying many
of its recommendations already have
been taken care of with new taxpayer
assistance programs. They include a
problems resolution office, a com-
puterized refund information system
and electronic filing system, and a
Michigan Tax Guide.
Rep. Richard Bandstra (R-Grand.
Rapids), chair of the task force, said
he wants to implement a taxpayer
bill of rights based on a federal
model adopted by Texas, Kansas,
Indiana, California and South
Carolina.
"Many feel they have been treated
unfairly during the tax process, espe-
cially in cases where there is a dis-
pute about whether taxes are owing
or the amount of tax that's owing,"
Bandstra said. "The tax administra-
tion' process can be complex and
time consuming, most find it to be
intimidating and unresponsive.
'The tax administra-
tion process can be
complex and time
consuming, most find
it to be intimidating
and unresponsive.
- Rick Bandstra
State Representative
"We recognize that there are go-
ing to be inevitable gripes about tax
collection. I can't think of a less
popular function of state government
than taking money from people."
GOT A BIG NOSE?
We're here to help.
It's a new Writs: Help e!
advice c/o Michigan Daily
column in 420 Maynard
the Daily. Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Bandstra said the treasury depart-
ment assumes guilt when it discov-
ers a possible taxpayer error and
sends a threatening note demanding
payment. He said the initial corre-
spondence should be a letter of in-
quiry rather than an intent to assess.
The burden of proof should be on
the department to prove the taxpayer
has made a mistake, rather than on
the taxpayer to demonstrate why the
department is wrong, the report said.
WANT TO REALLY
BLOW THEM
AWAY?
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Send a..PERSONAL!
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The report also recommended that
all correspondence regarding a delin-
quent account should be accompanied
by a brochure outlining the taxpay-
ers' rights, the creation of an inde-
pendent ombudsman, to help taxpay-
ers deal with the state, and the cre-
ation of a Taxpayer Grievance Coun-
cil.
Bowman said he would be op-
posed to giving delinquent taxpayers
extra time to pay.
M DAY-SA AY
8:30-100 -
1140 South University d
668-8411 Charley's
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
A I
Don't miss this
Meetings
AISEC - mass meeting from 7-
8:30 p.m. in Rm. 1276 of the
Business Ad. Bldg.
Iranian Student Cultural Club
- the non-political, non-religious
group meets at 7:45 in the League
Speakers
Great Writers Series - Harold
Kushner author of Who Needs
God? and When Bad Things Hap-
pen to Good People?, speaks at
7:30 p.m. at Hillel; tickets are
$10, $6 for students, available at
Hillel, Ticketmaster and at the
door
Edelman of Loyola University
(Chicago) speaks at noon in 3050
Frieze
Furthermore
Career Planning & Placement
Programs - Applying to Law
School from 4:10-5 p.m. in the
CP&P Conference Rm.; Federal
Government Job Search from
4:10-5 p.m. in 2235 Angell; Job
Search Lecture from 6:10-7
p.m. in the CP&P Conference
Rm.; O'Connor & Associates
Employer Presentation from 7-
9 p.m. in the Union Crofoot
Rm.; Minority Career Confer-
* Resume Packages
" Quality Thesis Copies
* Course Packets
" Fax Service
" Term Paper Copies
- Collating/Binding
" Passport Photos
" Color Copies
the copy center
Fh ---
golden opportunity
to save on a Balfour
College Class Ring!
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