The Michigan Daily - Monday, November 18, 1991 - Page 3
I
Football
victory
sparks
CMU riot
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.
(AP) - Student rioting after a
Central Michigan University foot-
ball game reflects a nationwide
problem of alcohol abuse at institu-
tions of higher learning, a Central
Michigan spokesperson said yester-
day.
"It's bigger than this university;
it's a huge national problem," said
Rae Goldsmith, director of media
relations at Central Michigan.
Authorities said 33 students
were arrested after an estimated
3,000 people rampaged through sev-
eral blocks of off-campus student
housing Saturday night. Damage was
estimated in excess of $100,000,
Trombley said.
The mob overturned cars and
burned at least four, possibly six or
seven, Public Safety Directr
Martin Trombley said. They ran-
sacked apartments and assaulted by-
standers, he added.
Between 80 and 100 officers
from ten jurisdictions responded to
the violence, Trombley said. Six of-
ficers received minor injuries, in-
cluding one who was bitten. An un-
determined number of other people
also were injured, none seriously,
authorities said.
The incident followed the
Central Michigan football team's
27-17 victory Saturday afternoon
over rival Western Michigan.
Violence has followed the Central-
Western game for more than a
decade but has intensified this year
and last, Trombley said.
"This is an event billed as
Western weekend, and it's known by
people all over the state,"
Trombley said. "It's used as an ex-
cuse for people to come here and
carry on like fools, get drunk and
become very riotous."
Officials in Mount Pleasant, a
city of 23,000 about 120 miles
northwest of Detroit, will ask the
City Council to pass a resolution
requesting that the university stop
scheduling home games against
Western Michigan, Trombley said.
Last year, police made 50 arrests
during a similar riot following the
Central-Western game, Goldsmith
said.
"Fewer than half of those were
CMU students," the spokesperson
said. "The reputation of the event
seems to be attracting people from
outside the area."
Students to pick
a Golden
by Robin Litwin
Bright orange boxes set up at key
locations around campus mark the
start of the nomination process for
the Golden Apple Award, given by
students to the best undergraduate
teacher.
The winner of the award receives
a reception, a trophy, a plaque in
their honor placed in the Union, a
monetary stipend, as well as the
chance to give their ideal last
lecture.
These activities as well as the
nomination process are coordinated
through a group called Students
Honoring Outstanding Undergradu-
ate Teaching (SHOUT). SHOUT is a
student-run organization made up of
various University leaders.
The group began as an initiative
of Hillel two years ago, and is now
sponsored by Apple Computers,
various student organizations in-
cluding Mortar Board and Order of
Omega, as well as Hillel.
The award is aimed at a teacher
who has demonstrated superior
teaching skills and has tremen-
dously influenced the undergraduate
community.
"The purpose of SHOUT is to
Apple
recognize outstanding undergradu-
ate teaching from the students' per-
spective," said Jen Austin, chair of
SHOUT. "Such a large emphasis is
placed on research. This award re-
wards and encourages teaching."
Publicity chair of SHOUT
William Land said, "The purpose is
to stimulate students, influence
them, and get them enthusiastic
about learning-to let students know
they have a voice in getting profes-
sors recognition and respect."
One main goal of SHOUT is to
increase student input. The first
award was given last year to profes-
sor Drew Westen, and since then the
group has created a new logo, more
banners and more fliers.
"We are trying to target as many
students as possible to get a wider
base of who students feel their best
professor is," Land said. "We want.
to create a more active voice by they
students for the students."
The nomination process will
continue through Dec. 6, and ballots,
will be available at any residence;
hall, major computer centers, the:
graduate and undergraduate li-a
braries, as well as other major stu-
dent locations.
Perry Masonry
Bob Crandall of Boss Construction does cement work on the walls of the Law Quad Saturday.
MSA courtintds Progressive
Party innocent of libel charges
Ochoa fined $450 in
year-old chalking case
by Purvi Shah
Daily MSA Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly
Election Court decided in a 3-1 vote
Friday that the Progressive Party
was innocent of libel charges
jointly filed by independent candi-
dates Brian Kight and Robert Van
Houweling.
Both cases heard by the court
during this semester's election have
dealt with allegations against Pro-
gressive Party fliers. The Progres-
sive Party had also suggested that
the Conservative Coalition (CC)
had violated campaign code stipula-
tions by interviewing potential
party members in MSA chambers.
The Progressive Party posters
questioned by Kight and Van
Houweling stated that their cam-
paign literature was made from re-
cycled materials and no fluorescent
colors.
Kight and Van Houweling al-
leged that voters would falsely per-
ceive this statement to entail that
their fluorescent-colored posters
were not constructed from recycled
materials.
Kight and Van Houweling stated
that the posters "damaged our char-
acter and reputations as candidates"
and demanded that the Progressive
Party clarify their posters and re-
imburse each of them $10 to pay for
additional posters drawn up to re-
fute Progressive Party's statements.
The court found that the Pro-
gressive Party was guilty of "libel
per quod" but did not meet the three
standards applicable to libel con-
cerning public figures. The three
standards are that the statement in
question must be false, the defen-
dant acted with the knowledge that
the statements were false, and that
the defendant did so at the time of
publication.
Chief Justice Larry Skolnick
said there was not adequate evidence
to prove the necessary three charges.
He added that although it is vital to
hear every case to ensure that elec-
tions run smoothly, political mo-
tives sometimes intersect with
"true" infractions.
"I think any infraction or allega-
tion is important enough to come up
to the court," he said. "We hope
that people are bringing up these
cases for the right reasons and not
for political publicity. I don't think
that was the issue in this case."
Some candidates argued that the
recent string of charges were politi-
cally-motivated and diverted the fo-
cus from the real issues in the cam-
paign to petty party attacks.
Todd Ochoa, Progressive Party
campaign co-manager, argued that
candidates were filing charges be-
cause a $5 fine to vice-presidential
candidate Angie Burks succeeded in
hurting the Common Sense party
last year.
"I was very happy that the shal-
lowness of their attack was ac-
knowledged by the court," said
Ochoa, referring to the court's de-
termination of Progressive Party's
innocence in the libel case. "Maybe
this will keep candidates and parties
from using suits for exposure."
But Kight argued that in his case
specifically, the court had not been
used manipulatively. "I suppose it
was generally a fair decision,"
Kight said. "It obviously wasn't a
frivolous case because at least one
justice felt that we had proven it to
the higher standard. We certainly
didn't do this just for publicity."
While Van Houweling still felt
the posters misrepresented his envi-'
ronmental concerns, he thought that
benefits might have resulted.
"I think (the case) will hope-
fully clarify the fact that our
posters were recycled. The only rea-
son I went to court was because they
didn't remove it," he said. "The
court decided it was a problem. They
did misrepresent me, just not strong
enough to find them libelous to the
higher standard of public officials."
In a case heard Nov. 10, Progres-
sive Party was fined $10 for men-
tioning the opposing party, CC,
without using a disclaimer and for
obstructing a CC poster by overlap-
ping tape.
Progressive Party campaign co-
manager Amy Polk claimed the
charge that CC had violated code
stipulations by interviewing candi-
dates in MSA chambers was never
formalized because her party re-
fused to engage in mud-slinging.
But LSA Rep. Brett White said
that a case precedent indicated inter-
viewing could not be deemed as
campaigning.
"The Progressive Party was
found guilty of our charges. I really
wish they would have filed because
they would have lost," agreed CC
campaign co-manager Julie Davies.
"We would have won the case. It's
just a matter of bad press."
But Polk did not believe that the
court cases would have a negative
effect on election returns. She said,
"I think that people can see through
that and hopefully will think criti-
cally about who they are going to
vote for."
by Chastity Wilson
Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor Circuit Court
fined LSA senior Todd Ochoa $450
and sentenced him to six months
probation Friday in a year-old case
involving chalking on campus.
Ochoa, a member of the Stu-
dent's Rights Commission of the
Michigan Student Assembly, was
arrested on Nov. 10 of last year and
charged with malicious destruction
of property.
He was accused of chalking "No
Cops, No Guns, No Codes" on the
cement pillars in front of Haven
Hall and the Dow Chemical Build-
ing, in opposition to the deputiza-
tion of the University police.
At Ochoa's appeal on Friday,
Judge William Ager upheld a previ-
ous ruling, sentencing Ochoa to a
$450 fine and six-months probation
period. The University said the
clean-up cost $350.
Ochoa pleaded no contest to the
charges, but defended his actions,
saying they were protected under
the First Amendment.
But Assistant Prosecutor David
King argued that Ochoa's defense
was not valid. He said the case "does
not involve speech, but conduct."
In ruling against Ochoa, Ager
said that "defacing is anything that
has to be removed or cleaned up."
Ochoa said that his main concern
was that this case could set a prece-
dent so that the University could se-
lectively "quell voices dissenting
to its opinion" or against Univer-
sity President James Duderstadt's
idea of "political correctness".
At Ochoa's first trial the charges
against him were dropped. Prior to
the charges being dropped, Ochoa
was to be fined $50, $25 for each
pillar that was chalked on.
He was recharged about two
months later. Ochoa says the charges
were delayed until attention was fo-
cused away from the case.
Ochoa's attorney, Eric Jackson,
agreed. He said the case was handlW
in a "subtle" way. "It drags, it's
boring, it's technical and people
don't understand ... I don't think
it's unintentional."
Ochoa criticized the precedent set
by the case. "The law doesn't allow
students to organize and express
themselves," he said.
THE
LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Meetings
Enact, weekly mtg. SNR,
1040 Dana, 7
0
p.m.
Indian American Student Associa-
tion, weekly board mtg. All members
welcome. League, mtg rm C, 8 p.m.
U-M Greens, weekly mtg. Union, Tap
Room, 5 p.m.
Support Group for Women Who Are
or Have Been in an Abusive
Relationship. First United Methodist
Church, 3-4:30
Women in Communications. Men and
women welcome. 2050 Frieze, 6 p.m.
Hindu Students Council. Topic:
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 & 4. MLB,
B115A, 8 p.m.
Shadow Program, mass mtg. Angell
Aud C, 7 p.m.
Undergraduate Philosophy Club.
Topic: Ethics, Science, and Freedom.
2220 Angell Hall, 7 p.m.
International Program in Seville,
Spain and Santiago, Chile, informa-
tional mtg. 443 Mason, 5 p.m.
Speakers
"Food, Forests, and Factories:
Technology and Development in
Southeast Asia," Linda Lim. 1014 Dow
Bldg, 3:30-5.
"Design and Construction of
Molecular Assemblies with Very
Large Optical Nonlinearities," Tobin
Marks. 1640 Chem, 4 p.m.
"Glass Ceiling: Barriers Against
Asian Americans in the Workplace,"
Thomas Fujita. East Quad, 52 Greene, 8
p.m.
"Haiti in Crisis: Political Chaos and
Social Change," Michel Rolph-
Trouillot and Jean-Claude Martineau.
Robert Hayden Lounge, 105 W.
Engineering, 4 p.m.
"Fundamentalist Protestants and
"Nationalism vs. Civil Society:
Paradoxes of Transition," Dr. Ferenc
Miszlivetz. Lane Hall Commons, 4 p.m.
"The First Black Physicists: Bouchet
and Imes," Ronald E. Mickens. 335 W.
Engineering, noon.
Furthermore
Safewalk, night-time safety walking
service. Sun-Thur, 8 p.m.-1:20 a.m. and
Fri. and Sat. 8 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. Stop by
102 UGLi or call 936-1000. Extended
hours are 1 a.m. -3 a.m. at the Angell
Hall Computing Center or call 763-
4246.
Northwalk, North Campus safety
walking service. Sun-Thur 8 p.m.-1:30
a.m. and Fri. and Sat. 8 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Stop by 2333 Bursley or call 763-
WALK.
Guild House Writers Series, Jan
Worth and Keith Taylor. Guild House,
802 Monroe, 8:30-10.
English Department Coffee Hour, ev-
ery Monday. Haven 7th floor lounge, 3-
4:30.
U-M Ninjitsu Club, Monday practice.
IM Bldg, wrestling rm, 7:30-9.
U-M Women's Lacrosse Club, Mon-
day practice. Oosterbaan Field House,
9-10:30. Call 996-3392 for info.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors. An-
gell/Mason Computing Center, 7-11.
611 Church, 7-9.
U-M Taekwondo Club, Monday
workout. CCRB Martial Arts Rm,
6:30-8.
Ethnic Greek Dancing. Union,
Anderson Rm, 7:30.
"What Direction Should Israel Take
Next?" current events discussion.
Hillel, 8 p.m.
The Yawp literary magazine is accept-
ing manuscripts and artwork in 1210
Angell.
*"
SPRING ITERM IN
NEW HMIHIRE
m.f
NEW ENGLAND LIIEPATURE PROGRAM
Earn credit as you study
Thoreau, Emerson, Frost,
Hawthorne- in their
native habitat.
MASS MEETING&SLIDE SHOW-
Thursday, November 21 st
8:00p.m.
Aud. C Angell Hall
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CALL 761-9579
Silver
Jewelry
Sale
0L
r
A
Handmade in Thailand
November 18-22
Monday - Friday