444 Copyright 1990 Vol. C, No.14 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Tuesday, September 25,1990 The Michigan Daily Bush declares conditions for sanctions will remain intact WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush said yesterday that South Africa's campaign to abolish white supremacist rule is irreversible and assured President F.W. de Klerk the United States won't impose new conditions for lifting economic sanc- tions. "These conditions are clear-cut and are not open to re-interpretation. And I do not believe in moving the goalposts," Bush said, referring to the require- ments South Africa must fulfill before the sanctions will be suspended. The sanctions were imposed in 1986 over then President Reagan's veto. Bush also said all political groups in South Africa "have a special responsibility to support the process of peaceful transition." - That statement appeared aimed at African Na- tional Congress leader Nelson Mandela, who refused during a meeting with Bush in June to foreswear vi- olence. U.S.S.R market MOSCOW (AP) - The move away Supreme Soviet legislature voted ning systen yesterday to move toward a Western- technologi style market economy and gave Pres- shortages of ident Mikhail Gorbachev sweeping sumer good new powers to make the switch. Insteadc Despite warnings by some law- three plansI makers that the special powers weeks, the would make Gorbachev a virtual committeet monarch, the legislature passed a port back by resolution allowing him to issue de- Despitet crees on property, wages, prices, the make the s national budget, the financial sys- viet's votej tem, and law and order. has commit Gorbachev promised to exercise ket-based sy the powers with care. "It's a respon- from seven sibility," he told the legislature. "It's economics. not a tea party." The mos After rancorous debate, the law- written by makers were unable to agree on a Shatalin, c specific, step-by-step program to tral plannin adopts eCo from the central plan- m that they blame for cal backwardness and f housing, food, and con- s. of choosing one of the presented in the past two Supreme Soviet set up a to combine them and re- y Oct.15. disagreement on how to witch, the Supreme So- marked the first time it ted the country to a mar- ystem and was a departure decades of Communist st radical reform proposal, y economist Stanislav alls for junking the cen- ng system and moving to iomy a market economy within 500 days by selling factories to private owners and breaking up collective farms. The most conservative proposal, backed by Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov, would leave the govern- ment in control of most of the econ- omy while moving gradually to al- low free enterprise. Gorbachev has backed a compro- mise that contains many elements of the 500-day plan, but would not move as fast. He also wants a na- tional referendum to decide whether to return land to private farmers. Before and during the Supreme Soviet's meeting, protesters gathered outside the Kremlin and at Pushkin Square in downtown Moscow to condemn the decision, to give the See U.S.S.R., Page 2 Secretary of State James Baker, left, escorts South African President F.W. de Klerk to a meeting at the State Department in Washington yesterday. No South African head of state has visited Washington since 1945. Experts talk of Mideast crisis ' by Ken Walker Dr. Jill Crystal and retired Admi- ral Stanley Fine lectured an audience of roughly 50 people last night on the background of the Persian Gulf crisis. W The presentation was the first of four in the "University and Commu- nity Teach-In on the Persian Gulf Crisis," sponsored by a variety of local and University groups. The groups hope to draw upon the ex- perts at the University and elsewhere to cultivate a better understanding of the Gulf crisis among local residents and students. Crystal, an assistant professor of political science at the University, has lived and studied in Kuwait, and teaches and researches Near Eastern politics at the University. She is the author of the recent book, Oil and Politics in the Gulf: Rulers and Merchants in Kuwait and Qatar. Crystal sought to explain the back- ground of the political interactions in the Gulf. She pointed out that the regional borders created by European colonial- ism prior to World War II often bore little resemblance to the actual divi- sions among Middle Eastern peoples and cultures. As a result, Crystal said, "Many states in the region do not exercise very much territorial control very far beyond their capi- tals." "Generally, states in the region have a problem developing ideologi- cally acceptable ideas to tie their people to the European structure," See CRISIS, Page 2 City property tax ,increase defeated by Donna Woodwell Daily City Reporter The proposed override of a state law which limits property tax in- creases failed by a margin of 58 per- cent to 42 percent in a special elec- tion in Ann Arbor yesterday. The Ann Arbor Board of Education wanted to use the additional revenue to make up for a $4 million budget shortfall. Schools Superintendent Richard Benjamin said he was disappointed by the results. "The next step is to try and figure out all of the different reasons for voting no," Benjamin said. The deficit is the result of a $4 million cutback in state education funds this summer. The Board of Education has already cut $1.5 mil- lion from their budget and had hoped the other $2.5 million would be made up through increases in prop- erty taxes. "It (the cutback of state funds) comes at a time when students are needier than ever," Benjamin said. "They need a good education to compete in a competitive market." Since the proposal failed, the board must begin to make further cuts in the school system's $95 mil- lion budget. Programs facing cuts include the schools' art and music programs, extra-curricular activities budgets, and sports programs. However, Benjamin conceded, 'There were good reasons not to vote yes." "Many voters believe a no-vote will send a message to the state to reform the educational funding pro- cess," he said. The state's funding cutbacks are a part off the 1990-91 State School Aid Act which will shift $50 mil- lion in funds from school districts in more affluent areas to poorer ones. The Board of Education is joining with 20 other school districts in a See VOTE, Page 2 Junior Greg Tornga prepares for rush at Theta Delta Chi. Rush began Sunday and continues until Thursday. Fraternities welcome second dry rush by Matthew Pulliam For a second semester, the Interfraternity Council (IFC) is enforcing a policy of "Dry Rush," a ban on alcohol at official rush functions. Ken Kelly, IFC fraternity coordinator, is optimistic about the effects of dry rush on the fraternity pledging process. "The, purpose of dry rush is to remove the effects of alcohol from the membership process. Alcohol is not permitted at any official Rush function. We are very much in favor of recruitment without alcohol," Kelly said. According to the official IFC rush rules, "All rush activities between 4 p.m. on Sunday through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday during the week of rush will be conducted without alcohol." Compliance with IFC rules is mandatory, with possible fines of $1,000 resulting from infractions. The policy of an alcohol-free rush week has not had an adverse affect on rush activities, said LSA sophomore and Delta Upsilon member Ron Hessler. "Dry rush hasn't changed a great deal at (Delta Upsilon). It is better to have a candidate's judge- ment unimpaired by alcohol," Hessler said. Sigma Chi Social Chair Burt Engel echoed Hessler's opinion. "It's not making a big difference. We're still getting good guys, and it's an easy transition. Although alcohol was present, rush was not ever a party," he said. Sigma Nu President Dan Behm said that dry rush hasn't hurt his fraternity. "I don't think that wet rush had a place in the past. It's had no adverse effect on attendance." Sigma Phi Epsilon Member Carlos Gerbi said that dry rush has improved the rushing process. "It takes the attention away from the alcohol and focuses more on the pros of fra- ternity life," he said. Though many of the fraternity members supported dry rush, some noted the positive effects of alcohol in a rush setting. "When rush was wet, it made it easier to talk to rushees... they were less nervous. Now you get-a more honest opinion of what someone is really like, even though it's a little more difficult to talk," said Beta Theta Pi Member Josh Aaron. A Sigma Chi Member, who requested that his name not be used, said, "(Alcohol) can be an icebreaker... or make for a much more casual, laid-back conversation. It's sometimes a good thing to loosen people up but it can be abused or taken-to See RUSH. Page 2 Faculty, students debate diversity course by Amanda Neuman Daily Staff Reporter Faculty and students debated the pros and cons of the four proposals for a graduation requirement on di- versity yesterday in the first of two scheduled public forums. The debate over a mandatory course on ethnic and racial issues began in 1987 when students in the United Coalition Against Racism (UCAR) presented the demand for such a course to the administration. Elizabeth Douvan. professor of said. Douvan added that she has tried to raise the issue of racism in her classes by adding relevant literature to the course material. She said her students seemed curious and relieved to have the chance to discuss such issues. English Prof. James Gindin lob- bied for Proposal B, also written by the LSA Curriculum Committee. This proposal would require courses to examine the culture and/or experi- ence of a group in any society that lum Committee proposals, he said. Speaking in opposition to any requirement was Philosophy Prof. Carl Cohen. He presented three ma- jor arguments rejecting all the pro- posals. Cohen first objected to the "overestimated efficacy" of the re- quirement. "To make obligatory some course... is likely to not only be unproductive, but counterproduc- tive," he said. Cohen also opposed the coercive element of a course requirement. "It prepared presentations. McDonald responded with counter-objections to each of Cohen's arguments. He said the faculty proposal is effective and "encourages discourse of important issues in society." McDonald disagreed that the re- quirement is coercive. "Let's not as- sume that our students resent this kind of information," he said, adding that many of his students are curious about issues of diversity. One student who spoke in favor of Proposal A said a requirement w" x' > .