IF T v3 TODAY Mostly sunny; High: 77, Low: 54. TOMORROW Partly cloudy; High: 83, Low: 56. A century of editorial freedom Northside takes five. See ARTS Page 5. Vol. Cl, 145 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, September 11, 1991 Copight @19 'U' officials 'say they are satisfied with Union policy *by Henry Goldblatt Daily Administration Reporter I A4 - q- A -1 -ik 'U, defends gov't billing procedures University administrators said they were satisfied with a new policy that went into effect this weekend, banning non-students and students without identifica- tion from the Union Friday and Saturday nights be- tween 9:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. "For the most part people were able to get to what they wanted to do," said Vice President for Student Services Mary Ann Swain. The modification was an addition to the Student 'Sponsored Events Policy which began last September. Under this policy students were required to present identification before entering an event and have plan- ning meetings before parties to discuss safety and pro- visions. "We can anticipate people will be drinking and we want to make sure we take reasonable precautions so that everyone is safe," Associate Vice President for Student Services Royster Harper said. She added that the administration is trying to tell as *many students as possible about the policy change be- fore this weekend to prevent the problems experienced by students using the facility last weekend. "We are sending a Letter to the Editor to the Daily. We are trying to get signs up and contact any student groups which had scheduled functions," Harper said. There is still some confusion within the adminis- tration regarding which nights the policy will be en- forced. Alan Levy, housing program director, said the policy will be °n effect Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Harper and Swain said the policy will definitely be enforced Friday and Saturday nights, but Thursday nights are up in the air - depending on how See UNION, Page 2 by Bethany Robertson Daily Administration Reporter A University administrator de- nied that more than $300,000 was incorrectly billed to the U.S. gov- ernment for University research costs, as charged in a report by the Department of Health and Human Services that was obtained by the Associated Press yesterday. "There are some charges they have identified that are correct, but the vast majority of them are incor- rect," Executive Director of University Relations Walter Harrison said last night. Harrison was reacting to an AP story that reported the University had incorrectly billed the govern- ment $8.3 million for "inappropriate or questionable ex- penses." Harrison called the AP story un- true. After discussions with University administrators last January, the University agreed not to claim $6 million of the disputed costs, Harrison said. Of the remain- ing $2.3 million, 15 percent, or ap- proximately $345,000, is still being questioned, Harrison said. That 15 percent is the portion of the general and administrative expenses that is billed as research-related costs. The government routinely helps universities defray the indirect costs of conducting research - such as lab upkeep -- that are not linked to any specific projects. During 1988-89, the fiscal year in question, the University reported $330 million in general and admin- istrative expenses. When federal au- ditors began examining University costs, they challenged more than $8 million of the total as being incor- rectly billed. "What the audit report says is that the $8.3 million should not have been included in the general and administrative costs," Harrison said. The University will hold a press conference today to discuss the alle- gations. "We will sit there for as long as it takes to explain this," Harrison said. Some expenses included in the original $8.3 million that the report labeled as "unallowable" or "inappropriate" include: Production and airing of a Rose Bowl halftime advertisement about the University; Food and beverages for the Big Ten Dinner of July 28, 1988, and bartending services the previous day; Design, production and the printing of thousands of pamphlets about student discrimination; Funding for the United Coalition Against Racism; Lobbying activities; Newspaper subscriptions, and; Flowers for receptions and other purposes. The campus busing system is one claim the University is disputing, said Harrison. The report charged that only students use the bus sys- tem, and therefore it should not be billed as a part of research costs. But Harrison said faculty, researchers, and many others use the buses. "In fact, the auditors themselves used the buses when they were here," Harrison said. Audits of several universities' billing practices were launched af- ter Stanford University was accused last March of billing the federal government $180 mllion for "in- appropriate" research-related costs during the 1980s. Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) was a part of the Congressional investi- gations as chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In a statement released to the AP yes- terday, Dingell said the University's charges were typical of "expenses completely unrelated to the conduct of vital scientific re- search." "Nevertheless, I am deeply dis- appointed that the University of Michigan appears to have had the same cavalier attitude toward spending the public's money." g jg g g MICHELL"' "U"/'aiy Sink or swim Charley Sullivan, coach of the women's varsity crew team, tries to convince prospective rowers that his team is not all wet yesterday afternoon on the Diag. BGA: Un by Rob Patton Daily Staff Reporter * Representatives of the Black Greek Association (BGA) are call- ing the new policy requiring Uni- versity I.D. for entry to Union events misguided, saying it hurts not only their organization, but other organizations and businesses which use the building. The policy affects the BGA be- cause the fraternities and sororities in that organization hold most of their social events in the Union, said BGA President James Green. "We're one of the groups most affected because we don't have our lon I.D. p own houses," Green said. "The par- ties in the union are our main source; of money," he added. That money is used for commu-: nity service projects, the main func- tion of the BGA, Green said. The BGA will lose money be- cause many of the people who came and paid admission to the parties were students from other schools, Green said. Under the old system, students were required to show a; student I.D. to enter the parties, though not necessarily a University I.D.. With the loss of these patrons, the BGA will barely have enough1 olicy is misguided money to cover its expenses, Green stituted with malicious intent. sad. "They probably think they're doing Wendi Adams, a member of this in our best interest, but they Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and don't know how they're-hurting Vice President of the BGA said she us." was surprised by the decision. "We thought the old policy was going pretty well. There were no prob- lems since it was instituted," she said. The old policy was instituted af- ter an incident last September in which four students were knifed and one shot when a fight broke out at a Union event, she added. Adams and Green stressed that they did not feel the policy was in- "We'd like to work with the administration on solving this," Green added. However, Green said he was dis- appointed that the University did not attempt to contact the BGA about the program until last Friday, the same day it was instituted. "This came as a big surprise to us," he said. "We have to notify the Union See BGA, Page 2 The Associated Press tributed to the report con- . IFC executive board pushing for approval of BYOB policy by Jami Blaauw Daily Staff Reporter At a meeting Sunday, the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Council's executive boards unani- mously endorsed the creation of a "Bring Your Own Beer" policy. The policy would affect all Greek houses - and parties - if ap- proved by the entire Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils later this term. "The decision was in response to overwhelming support from house presidents in the Greek system as a whole," said IFC President Matt Commers of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Although the specific prohibi- tions have yet to be formulated, it will prohibit kegs and joint alcohol purchases by fraternities and sororities, Commers said. "Hopefully, this will remove the Greek system from the chain as a supplier of alcohol for the campus," Commers said. "This will put the responsibility in the hands of the individual and not the Greek system." During the next six weeks, the BYOB proposal will be considered by Panhellenic and IFC panels, re- have national house mandates that require only BYOB parties. "Last term each fraternity was supposed to try one BYOB party be- fore the end of the term," Commers said. "We wanted to seek a level playing field for the fraternities with national mandates." Enforcement for the new policy will ensure that some fraternities do not find loopholes around the policy, Commers said. Commers said he does not expect rush numbers to decrease. "Rushers £hould be looking for brother or sisterhood rather than an alcohol source and hopefully this policy will encourage this," he said. "The Greek system is a social or- ganization devoted to community service, " Commers said. "Serving -alcohol is antithetical to its com- mitment to promote health and safety of community behavior." First gay frat in state established at, MSU Supreme Court Associate Justice nominee Clarence Thomas is surrounded by photographers prior to the start of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. Thomas shirks abortion issue in hearing by Gwen Shaffer Daily Higher Education Reporter Michigan State University stu- dents, seeking to broaden social op- portunities for members of the gay community, have chartered the first gay fraternity in the state. The new fraternity, Delta Lambda Phi (DLP), was established on the same principles as any other fraternity - to foster brotherhood and fun among men with similar in- terests. "This provides people with an nnnnrtuinitu to he rwnPn1v Qa and our constitution. I don't know how other members of the Greek system will deal with it. IFC supports (DLP) - I think it is progressive and ambitious of them," said MSU IFC Executive Vice President John Beardslee. "(DLP doesn't) want to appear to have a sex club that appeals only to gay men. They are probably going to try to participate in more main- stream activities," Beardslee added. DLP's crest combines both gay and traditional elements. It is a tra- WASHINGTON (AP) - Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas told senators at the open- ing of his confirmation hearing yesterday he believes the tional adjudication," Thomas told Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) the panel's chairperson. Thomas said he had written ex- tensively in favor of a natural said: "I do not think at this time I could maintain my independence as a member of the judiciary and com- ment on that specific case." "We'll want to learn what you I