a . 'm*"~~~". . . . ..C'.le :.Y.:. .....................,...... M.,.f.'.".'...""".& OPINION 4 ARTS 5 SPORTS 10 s MSA should axe *its recognition process 0 Albany Softball team faces Western Michigan e Midtganailt! Ninety-nine years of editorial freedom Vol. C, No. 138 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Tuesday, April 24, 1990 TheMchigan Gaps exist among by Mark Katz Daily Minority Issues Reporter The University is graduating cer- tain minority groups at lower rates than their white and Asian peers. According to statistics compiled by the Office of Affirmative Action, Blacks graduated from the University at a rate which was half that of white and Asian students in 1988. Whites and Asians graduated at a rate more than 10 percent higher than Hispan- ics. The rates are derived from the number of students who enrolled in 1984 and who graduated in four years. Administrators say the disparity is the result of an overall problem the University. has with retaining minorities. "The University has been focus- ing on recruitment, but I think a lot of effort has got to go into reten- tion," said Dr. John Matlock, Direc- tor of the Office of Minority Affairs. "If you don't do that, you have a re- volving door." Many factors affect the Univer- sity's ability to retain minorities, said Vice Provost for Minority Af- fairs Charles Moody. Problems stem from a lack of financial aid, inade- quate support services for minority students, a proportionately low number of minorities in staff and faculty positions and the Eurocentric nature of the University curriculum, Moody said. Affirmative Action statistics indicate thatc groups charted rienced the m in their grad 1980 and 1988 In 1988, B five and six y higher numbe years earlier,a Blacks gradua slightly decrea The Unive commitment t ity students ha tions neededt graduate, som "There has to' proach and co lock. However,l minority graduation of the three minority sociate Director for Administration nancial aid is a large part of the , Hispanics have expe- for the Comprehensive Studies Pro- problem. t ost significant increase gram (CSP), emphasized the need to "One of the primary reasons I uation rates between contextualize the University's mi- (students leave the University with- li R. nority retention rate among peer in- out graduating) is money," said LSA 3lacks graduated after stitutions. "Michigan is doing aver- junior Latrice Dixon, a steering g ears in only marginally age or better than average relative to committee member of the United I rs than they did seven any university comparable to Michi- Coalition Against Racism. i and the percentages of gan based on the backgrounds of in- Students are often given enticing n ating after four years coming students," he said. grant offers for their first year, but in sed. Sixty-one percent of all whites subsequent years the amount of fi- C rsity has not made a who enrolled in the University in the nancial aid is often decreased, Dixon C o ensuring that minor- fall of 1984 graduated after four said. If students don't fit into a spe- i ve all the accommoda- years, while only 28.7 percent of cific need-based category, they are on to stay in school and Blacks who enrolled that semester their own to pay for school; by ju- ne administrators say. graduated during the same time pe- nior and senior year, many Blacks be an institutional ap- riod. students have to take more hours ofc rates "(The University) has to look at he reality of the financial situations for students of color and their fami- ies," Moody said. Another reason for low minority graduation rates is the hostile envi- ronment on campus and inadequate nstitutional resources to help mi- norities deal with the climate, say students and administrators. In many cases, a negative perception of the campus climate causes some minor- ty students to say, "Is it really worth it?" Matlock said. The CSP functions as a minority support service, providing intensive courses, counseling, tutoring and en- richment efforts to students in their first two years. See GAPS, Page 2 mmitment," said Mat- Dr. Ralph Story, As- While many factors contribute to the low minority retention at the University, some say insufficient fi- work-study and often must find em- ployment outside of the University, she said. i fi r. Greek proble by Diane Cook Daily Women's Issues Reporter system m of se lations chair. te Fraternity member Sam Walker, th an LSA sophomore, said the envi- m ronment at fraternity parties centers sh around sexual relations. "It's a meat market in every sense ab of the word. If you approach some- re one, you're hitting on them," he be said. w "When you bring men and sl faces xism nd to come out," he said. "They ink that it's their role to have too uch to drink, go to a party and eep with someone." Schafer and her friends had heard bout awards at fraternities which warded fraternity members' sexual ehavior, such as the "brick of the eek" award for the member who ept with the "ugliest" woman, or "It's like a date. The fraternity calls the sorority (members) and asks them to a party, then the sororities pick and choose," said Sigma Kappa member and LSA sophomore Mau- reen Schafer, describing the Greek system's social gatherings. "It's getting women together with men on a date. It's not saying, let's get together and make friends, it's saying let's get together for a blind date. And what happens at the end of the night on that date? You used to get a good night kiss, and (then you would) leave," Schafer said. "It's not a person-to-person sit- uation anymore." Although fraternities and sorori- ties still maintain date-like relations, some members of the Greek system say the dynamic of this relationship, which many people call sexist, is detrimental to both sexes. "There is blatant sexism within the Greek system, simply because people are living in same-sex envi- ronments," said Jonathan Fink, In- terfraternity Council (IFC) public re- 'It's great to go to the parties and meet people and make friends. But it's a tough environment to do it in' - Maureen Schafer Sigma Kappa member and LSA sophomore women together and put them around a keg, you are only dealing with them in terms of sexual relations, Schafer said. "It's easy to get to- gether with the guy you've been talking to that night, rather than get- ting together for lunch the next day." Walker added that fraternities breed sexist attitudes. "When you get any group of males together, those kind of atti- tudes about women as sex objects scoreboards which tally up sexual encounters. Walker said he has heard about scoreboards and awards at houses but he did not know which houses gave such awards. Schafer said one example of this sexism was when members of ier sorority were invited to a party at Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Several of the women noticed "S.A.P. applies See GREEK, Page 2 Yearbooks are in Senior Ron Lumaque picks up his yearbook from the Student Publications Building. The yearbook office is open from 9a.m. to 5p.m. throughout the summer. Bill threate fundrig for MX rl n ns In i by Christine Kloostra Daily Government Reporter Funding for the MX rail garrison (MXRG) - which will carry MX missiles through Ann Arbor during times of national emergency - will be blocked if a bill introduced by U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D- Michigan) passes Congress. The bill, introduced last Friday, proposes to eliminate all funding for the project in fiscal year 1991 - an estimated $1.62 billion. "We wanted to stake out our po- l* sition early in the budget process," said an aide to Senator Levin, adding the bill has seen "good support in the Senate." The Michigan Coalition to Stop the MX, a group created in Novem- ber 1989 to oppose the deployment of the MXRG, strongly supports Levin's bill. "Senator Levin's courage and vi- sion show concern and responsibility dfor both global and local security," said Jackie Victor. spokesperson for poses the resolution, does not feel the bill will effect the votes of coun- cil members on the resolution. "However the vote comes out, (it) will be symbolic," he said. Ann Marie Coleman (D-First Ward) agreed it was unlikely any council members would change their votes as a result of the bill, but strongly supported the legislation. "It's clear that... with (Jernigan's) attitude it won't pass here so hope- fully Senator Levin's bill will make all the difference," she said. The council has not determined when it will vote on the resolution. Current U.S. Air Force plans for the MXRG involve MX missiles traveling over commercial railways in seven states during times of na- tional emergency. The National Campaign to Stop the MX recently revealed that a classified Defense Science Board (DSB) report recom- mends part of the MXRG should be in motion on commercial rail lines GM Sunrayce USA, 1990 Race Route FINISH: .ECenter C lumb nap 0--s - Fra Nash om ry Talla ssee Note: Race runs July 9-18 ST RT and stops in the capital city Epcot Center, of each state it traverses. riando Solar car team to race 32 schools across U.S. Germans take giant stride to reunification EAST BERLIN (AP) - West Germany agreed yes- terday to give East Germans a bigger share of Western wealth as their struggling nation is merged with its rich neighbor. In a surprising concession, West Germany said it would exchange each virtually worthless East German mark paid to workers and pensioners for one strong West German mark. The 1-1 rate would apply to wages and pensions and to savings accounts of up to 4,000 marks ($2,300), said Dieter Vogel, spokesman for West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. The East German government had demanded the 1-1 rate to protect workers from higher living costs in a unified Germany and the loss of huge subsidies that ex- isted in the former socialist system. East German political factions applauded the wage concession but criticized the limit on savings accounts. Kohl made the proposal the day before he was to meet with East German Prime Minister Lothar de Maiziere in Bonn to discuss their differences over reuni- fication. It came amid reports that the number of East Ger- mans fleeing their crumbling economy for West Ger- many is continuing at a rate of more than 4,000 a week. Under the West German economic proposal, an- nounced after Kohl met with his Cabinet, personal sav- ings of more than 4,000 marks would be traded at a 2-1 rate. by Ian Hoffman Daily Staff Writer If everybody deserves one day in the sun, then the University's Solar Car team is lucky. They get nine. More than a year of preparation will come to a head for the University's Solar Car team this July 9 when the GM Sunrayce departs from Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida. and LSA junior. "But a project such as this one builds in a lot of leeway to the timeline," she added. "I think we'll be all right." "It gives you an appreciation of how long it takes to build a car in real life," said Justin Beres, project systems coordinator and an engi- neering junior. "We've actually had to hand-