The Michigan Daily -Wednesday, October 3, 1990 - Page 3
Challenges ahead
for new Germany
Bathroom
intrusions
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by Laura Lancaster
Two hours before East and West
Germany became one yesterday,
150 people gathered in the
Michigan League's Henderson room
to listen to a panel of experts
discuss the challenges faced by East
Germans in their reunited country.
History Professor Geoffrey Eley
said many fears and anxieties exist
in Germany because of the social
and political problems. The
Germans are "finding" themselves
in an obscure and real situation.
Accepting foreigners, obtaining
women's rights, and finding a new
sense of identity plagues the East
Germans, said Eley, who has
written several books on Germany's
history.
"The German unity process will
happen throughout the nineties -
not just overnight,"Eley predicted.
"Future events remain unpre-
dictable."
East Germans will enjoy new
freedoms fromaunification, but they
will lose some rights that used to
be protected by East German law,
said Assistant Law Professor
Matthias Reimann. The West
German Constitution will now be
law in all of Germany.
He explained that East German
laws allowed abortions during the
first trimester. "But West Germany
by profs
restricts abortions because it is an
infringement on the fetus's right to
life," he said.
The united Germany will still be
separated culturally as well as
legally for most of the nineties,
said Patricia Simpson of the
Department of Germanic
Languages. She added that East
Germans are unable to trust the
police and avoid them even if they
are being harassed by skin heads.
Rackham graduate student Rick
Chamberlin said radical political
factions have proliferated
throughout Germany since the
downfall of the Communists last
year.
'The German unity
process will happen
throughout the
nineties- not just
overnight... Future
events remain
unpredictable.'
- Geoffrey Eley
History Professor
"It's true about the skin heads
and neo-Nazis. I witnessed a fight
between guest workers this summer
when I was in East Germany. I
didn't notice it as much three years
Law school Assistant Professor Matthias Reimann addresses a
crowd of about 150 on the eve of the reunification of East and West
Germany in the Henderson Room of the Michigan League.
alarm'
by Annabel Vered
Three separate incidents of ha-
rassment at Bursley Residence Hall
over the weekend have scared female
residents from showering alone.
Someone entered the showers,
took the women's clothing, tried to
grab the women, and then left, said
Julie Steiner, coordinator of Sexual
Assault Prevention and Awareness
Center (SAPAC).
In one case, the intruder turned
off the lights in the showers and
proceeded to take a woman's clothes.
Another woman saw a hand reach
over the shower, and a man grabbed
a woman in a third incident.
When the women screamed, the
person ran off.
The University has been pursuing
an investigation into the matter.
. "As far as we can guess, it's the
same man. But we only have a de-
scription from one of the three
women," Steiner said. "It's impor-
tant to consider that we don't know
if this personis coming into the
building from the outside or is work-
ing or living inside the building."
Bursley Building Director Caro-
line Gould was unavailable for
comment.
In response to the incidents,
Housing Security Services is in-
creasing security at the residence
hall. Housing Security Services Su-
pervisor Robert Leverett said, "We
do have extra secur y going around
and are putting locks on all the bath-
earlier," said Rick Chamberlin, a
Rackham graduate student studying
German.
However, leftist political
groups have also spread in East
Germany. Through the combined
efforts of German feminists, the
Green party and New Forum, a
group called "Andersdenkend,"
which means "opposition," has
been formed to stand for peace and
human rights for the East Germans,
Simpson said.
The group is interested in repre-
senting the average East German
who is struggling to find his or her
position in the new country, she
said.
The reunification may have an
unexpected effect on the University
with more talented German students
studying on campus. Last year 48
West German students and one East
German student studied at the Uni-
versity.
"It would be interesting to see
what happens next year, whether or
not more students will come next
year," said Amanda Gordan, a coor-
dinator at the International Center.
women
A
room doors."
Locks are being installed in the
sixteen female bathrooms.
Resident advisors and other staff
are conducting meetings with resi-
dents to discuss the incidents. Resi-
dent advisors refused comment.
"It really bothers me. People
have been taking showers at the
same time. We're having a hall
meeting about it tonight," one Burs-
ley resident said.
"A lot of people are doing a lot
of things. We at SAPAC have been
meeting with residents and staff,
talking about how they can protect
themselves," Steiner continued,
"There's nothing we can say that
would 100 percent protect them,
however... People are very afraid and
are very angry, and they have a right
to be."
"I'm scared half out of my mind,"
Deanna Winton, a first-year student
in the School of'Music and in the
School Engineering, said. "Scared
because this place is supposed to feel
safe."
When told of the measures being
taken by the University, Winton
said, "I think that is a big step in the
right direction in terms of what they
should be doing."
Another resident said, "It's actu-
ally good that something like this
happened. It's making the women
more aware and they are taking extra
precautions now."
*Voters drive to register more students
by Scott Sagel
Students who want to influence
the policies that will affect life in
Ann Arbor now have an opportunity
to have their political views heard.
In an attempt to increase the
number of registered voters in Ann
Arbor, the student coalition known
as Student Vote '90 has been con-
ducting a voter registration drive
,since the start of the semester and
will continue until October 9.
Student Vote '90 consists of ap-
proximately 50 registrars, many of
whom are affiliated with other polit-
ically active campus groups.
Students can decide the outcomes
of the gubernatorial, Senatorial,
Congressional, and regental elections
- including positions on the Uni-
versity's Board of Regents. Posi-
tions in the state legislature and
Washtenaw County District Court
will also be contested.
The group's original goal was to
register 5,000 students, a figure
which appears to have been too
lofty. The new objective has been
reduced to 3,000 people, a more rea-
sonable expectation, said LSA junior'
Dana Miller, the student coordinator
for the drive.
"Since this is not a presidential
election year, students are generally
not as concerned about voting,"
Miller explained.
Miller encouraged students to reg-
ister in Ann Arbor instead of their
hometowns. "If you are interested in
furthering the democratic cause, vot-
ing on important races and issues
here in Ann Arbor is essential."
Groups which are supporting the
drive include College Democrats, the
Involved Michigan Political Action
Committee, and the American Civil
Liberties Union.
Registrars stressed that by voting
in the November elections for the
Board of Regents, students can di-
rectly influence the implementation
of policies on campus concerning
the quality of education and the depu-
tization of campus security.
Miller said it was these salient
issues, and the question of abortion
rights, that motivated her to become
politically active on campus
Although the drive is aiming to
achieve the highest possible number
of registrants, a main target is to at-
tract first-year students, said LSA
junior Jenny Marx, one of the
drive's registrars.
"This is (first-year students') first
chance to get involved in the Ameri-
can political system," she said.
Kirsten Silverman, an LSA first-
year student who was previously reg-
istered to vote in West Bloomfield,
Michigan, decided to register here
because, "The policies here in Ann
Arbor are going to affect me for the
next four years and I want my voice
to be heard."
Those students who are interested
in registering can do so in several
places. There will be a booth in the
Diag between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for
the remainder of the week. Booths
will also be stationed in residence
halls including Alice Lloyd,
Couzens, South Quad, Mary
Markley, and Mosher Jordan.
Bush attempting
to garner support
THE LiST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
External Relations
Comm. chair resigns
Meetings
"Undergraduate Math Club" -
4:00 p.m., 3201 Angell Hall
"Women in Communications"
- 8:00 p.m., Anderson Room,
Michigan Union
"Latin American Solidarity
Committee - 8:30 p.m., 4th
floor Michigan Union
"EQ/RC Social Group for Les-
bians, Bisexuals, and Gay Men"
- Call 763-4186 for information.
"AIESEC General Meetings"
-6:00 p.m., 1276 School of Busi-
'ness Administration
"Native American Student
Association" - 7:00 p.m. East
Quad Front Desk
"Revolutionary Workers
League" - 6:30 p.m., Michigan
Union
"National Association of En-
vironmental Professionals-UM
'Student Chapter" - 5:30 p.m.,
1046 Dana Building
"School of Slavonic and East
European Studies at the Univer-
sity of London" - 4:00 p.m.,
CREES, 204 S. State
"U of M Biological Society" -
3:00 p.m., 4th floor Nat. Sci
Building
"Engineering in Medicine and
Biology Society" - 4:30 p.m.,
3437 EECS
Furthermore
Impact Dance Theater Audi-
tions - 6:30 p.m. Michigan
Union Ballroom
Brown Bag Lunch - Juan Mari
Tnm. Wrr-%A dMoo -T mll
May Department Stores Co. -
Campus Inn
Employer Presentation: AEtna
Life & Casualty Company -
5:00 p.m. CP&P Conference
Room
Film: "Religion vs. America" -
7:30 p.m., 1276 Business School
Speeches
"The Ethnic Scene in the USSR
Today" - Dr. Igor Krupkik, 4:00
p.m., Room 200 Lane Hall
"Islam In Focus" - Video
Lecture,1:00 p.m., Crofoot Room,
Michigan Union
"Working in Poland: M.B.A.
Students Reveal the Trials and
Tribulations of their Summer
Jobs" - Noon, Lane Hall Com-
mons
"Design, Synthesis and Char-
acterizations of New
Cyanoazacarbon Derivatives:
Electron Acceptors and Materi-
als Based on 4, 5-Dicyanomida-
zole and 4,4',5,5'-Tetracyano-
2,2'-Biimidazole" - Mr. Paul
Apen, 4:00 p.m., 1640 Chem.
Building
"Ion Bombardment Glow-
Discharge Furnaces for Atomic
Emission Spectroscopy"'- Ms.
Suzanne Tanguay, 4:00 p.m. 1650
Chem. Building
"The Right to Self-Determi-
nation: the Case of Puerto Rico
in the United Nations" - Juan
Mari Bras, 7:30 p.m., Henderson
Room, Michigan Union
"Historical Introduction to
Tahnninav anA Meicine" -
by Christine Kloostra
Daily MSA Reporter
Michigan Student Assembly's
External Relations Committee
(ERC) Chair Stephanie Simon re-
signed from the assembly at last
night's meeting.
Simon, an LSA representative,
said she is resigning for academic
reasons.
"Stephanie has a lot of experi-
ence... It's a big loss," Tony
Barkow, ERC vice chair said, adding
that he hopes Simon's replacement
is "competent and someone I can
work with."
"She would have done a good
job. I hope we can still do a good
job without her," Barkow said.
The LSA Student Government
(LSA-SG) will appoint someone to
fill Simon's seat on the assembly,
and MSA will hold an election to
replace her as ERC chair.
As her last function as chair of
the committee, Simon introduced the
University's new Michigan Colle-
giate Coalition (MCC) Governor
Patty Feller. The governor serves as
the University's representative at
MCC meetings. MCC, a student
lobbying organization, represents all
of Michigan's colleges and universi-
ties.
Simon, a junior, was appointed
to MSA in January by the LSA-SG
after the bungled fall election in
which the results for LSA represen-
tatives were invalidated by the Cen-
tral Student Judiciary (CSJ). The
CSJ is the judicial branch of the as-
sembly.
Simon's resignation takes effect
immediately, although she said she
would be available to assist with the
committee until a replacement is
elected.
The ERC represents students' in-
terests - such as increased financial
aid and lower tuition - on the state
and federal level. An election will be
held at next week's meeting.
for budgel
WASHINGTON (AP) - Presi-
dent Bush moved to rally public
support yesterday for a plan he
called the nation's "last best chance"
to control the federal deficit after Re-
publican lawmakers told him the
package was in trouble in Congress.
Opening a campaign for the
$500-billion package of tax increases
and spending curbs unveiled on Sun-
day, Bush scheduled a10-minute
evening televised address. He also
planned to press for the package in
speeches around the nation, said
spokesperson Marlin Fitzwater.
"There's a lot of people who dis-
agree with this. A lot of people have
trouble with it. And they need to be
convinced. And we'll do our best, "
Fitzwater said.
Rep. Newt Gingrich, the No. 2
House GOP leader, said that more
than half the House Republicans
were opposed or leaning against the
package but that it would eventually
win congressional approval because
of administration lobbying.
Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.)
agreed, saying, "I'd guess right now
it would be narrowly defeated. By
tomorrow, it would be narrowly
passed... People are being moved,
one-by-one."
The budget package would raise
taxes on gasoline, alcohol,
cigarettes, boats and furs while
trimming benefits to farmers and
Medicare recipients. It also would re-
duce tax deductions for people who
earn more than $100,000.
Earlier yesterday, Bush sought to
1package,
win over a group of House Republi-
cans who were either undecided on
the package or leaning against it
Some 35 members came, though
the White House indicated about 60
had been invited.
"I'm undecided. So's the nation,'
said Rep. Robert Dornan (R-Calif)
after the first of three sessibns be-
tween Bush and GOP lawmakers.
Bush, giving a preview of ibe
evening television address, told-a
group of business leaders at the
White House that he knew the
deficit-fighting package would rb-
.quire sacrifices.
"This budget agreement is opr
last best chance to get the federal
budget deficit under control," Bosi
said.
"To all the people that disagree
and the people on the sidelines that
are rushing out and having their
press conferences and the critics,-let
me say this: You can pick the paik-
age apart but you cannot realistically
put a better package together."
He also apologized to the busi-
ness group that in the course of fM-
ing the compromise he had absn-
doned his call for a cut in the capital
gains tax.
"The philosophy I was elected oh
runs out of gas in terms of votes-i
the United States Congress," Bush
said.
Fitzwater said Bush would do
what it took to build support for 4he
plan, even if it meant "twisting arms
and cajoling" Republicans.
r
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Here's your chance to get your picture
in the 1991 MichiganEnsian yearbook
Our photographer will be here _
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