The Michigan Daily - Monday, December 7, 1992 - Page 3
GEO rallies to
support contract
negotiations
by Kenneth Dancyger
Daily Staff Reporter
Teaching assistants (TAs) and
graduate students whistled, shouted,
and sang "I've got the U-M GEO
Blues" on the Diag Friday to raise
support for contract negotiations
with the university administration.
"We're trying to get what we de-
serve," said Graduate Employees
'(The negotiations) will
start off with non-
economic issues. In
January we'll start
speaking about a pay
raise and reduction in
class sizes.'
- Rachel Lazerotti
GEO rally organizer
Organization (GEO) contract negoti-
ating team chair John Curtiss.
Contract negotiations between
the administration and GEO began at
a short meeting last month and con-
tinued Friday.
Administration and GEO repre-
sentatives only discussed clarifying
the language in the current contract.
"(The negotiations) will start off
with non-economic issues," said
rally organizer Rachel Lazerotti. "In
January we'll start speaking about a
pay raise and reduction in class
sizes."
The current contract - which af-
fects approximately 1,700 TAs and
staff assistants at the U-M - expires
in February.
Salary and health care issues will
be left off the agenda until 1993.
Curtiss said health care is proba-
bly the most important issue in the
contracts.
Women's Studies Steward Joan
Sitomer added that GEO must be
"strong and organized" and not in-
timidated by the university adminis-
tration in trying to get health care to
the bargaining table.
"It's your union and my union -
let's get out there and make it
strong,".she said.
GEO president David Toland
noted that TAs at many universities
across the country want a union, and
the U-M is only one of the few that
already has one.
"(The) State University of New
York (SUNY) wants a union - (it
would be) the largest union in the
country, encompassing every SUNY
in the state - over 40," Toland said.
He added that University of{
California-Berkeley and -Santa Cruz
TAs also want to form unions and
are now on strike.
Judith Levy, a member of the All
Campus Labor Council - which has
come out in support of GEO - said'}
a strike is not on the GEO agenda
yet, but a successful strike would
disable the U-M.
'(The) State University
of New York (SUNY)
wantsaunion-(it
would be) the largest
union in the country,
encompassing every
SUNY inthe state -
over 40.'
- David TolanoJ
GEO president
Curtiss added that a contract is
only as strong as GEO.
"We have to complain, fight, and
grieve," he said.
The next bargaining session be-
tween the administration and GEO is
scheduled for Monday, Dec. 14. The
agenda has not yet been decided.
M tCHLLE GUY/Daily
Cubist greeting card
Dr. Cary Lynn Siegel poses with a mannequin for a traditional Christmas card photo shot by her husband and sister-in-law.
U-M inieren tostudents bearing
by Michaell Crews
Some people think being a U-M
admissions officer has as many
perks as being a member of the U.S.
Congress.
People imagine frantic high
school seniors mailing scrapbooks,
poetry, videotapes, food, cars,
money or U-M paraphernalia to the
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
in an effort to bolster their chances
of acceptance into the student body
of this prestigious learning
institution.
However, Associate Director of
Admissions Donald Swain said he
receives few creative items.
"Generally, we don't receive
such supplements with the student's
application. Some students have sent
in poetry or homemade T-shirts cov-
ered with U-M memorabilia, but we
basically ask students not to submit
items that have not been solicited on
the application."
Swain said his office bases ad-
missions mainly on applicants' aca-
demic records.
He identified the following crite-
ria as most important when review-
ing applications:
academic transcripts;
standardized test scores;
student essays;
high school guidance coun-
selor comments concerning the ap-
plicant; and,
the requirements for the de-
sired school of study.
Swain said admissions officers
evaluate the quality, number and dif-
ficulty level of high school courses
taken. The admissions office tries to
find out if the student challenged the
school curriculum.
Scrapbooks, poetry, videotapes,
food, cars, money and U-M para-
phernalia are conspicuously absent
from this list. However, Swain said
the admissions office may review
videotapes of students if the high
school counselor suggests it, and if
the tape may be relevant to their
choice of school.
Many students said they think the
extra effort taken by students for
admission is unnecessary - maybe
even ridiculous.
LSA sophomore Michael
Redmond said, "I didn't feel that I
needed any extra push for my admis-
sion. I was confident that I was ac-
cepted, so I saw no necessity for
extras."
Adult entertainment club's amateur night lets contestants reveal all
by Angela Dansby
Daily Staff Reporter
"Good evening... please welcome
our amateur contestant, Madeleline
... her measurements are 'likeable,
lveable and squeezable.' Her fa-
vorite habit: 'Having perfect sex
with a perfect stranger.' Next is
Jessica ... Her favorite sexual posi-
tion is 'any way she can' and her fa-
vorite bedtime clothing is 'nothing at
all..' Next is Cherry .. Her sexual
fantasy is 'to be completely satisfied'
and her favorite habits are 'whipped
cream, ice cream, but no cherry..."'
. These were the words of the em-
cee last Wednesday night at Deja Vu
- Ypsilanti's adult entertainment
club - as he introduced the six
contestants in the club's weekly am-
ateur competition.
Women from the Michigan/Ohio
area have the opportunity to dance to
tto two-and-a-half minute songs on
stage. Usually, the first song is for
teasing and the second is for reveal-
ing, club manager Rob Willis said.
The competition pays $25 to all
who participate, $200 to the winner
and potential permanent positions to
those who impress recruiting
management.
"Thirty percent of recruitment
comes from amateur night," Willis
said.
After all contestants have per-
formed, they line up on stage and are
called out individually to be judged
by the audience. The most popular
contestants, as dictated by the vol-
ume of the crowd, perform a final
"hustling round" where they do ev-
erything they can to generate the
most yells and applause in order to
win.
Willis said the women develop
their personal style through their
choice of music, costuming, hair
style, dance movements and attitude.
"Attitude is very, very impor-
tant," Willis said.
Theatrics on stage are the key
factors - dance selection, costumes,
creativity, mystique, ability to capti-
vate, he added.
"All it is is strictly fantasy,"
Willis said.
With walls adorned with mirrors
and Nagel paintings, the club creates
its own world of illusion. Multi-
colored and fluorescent lights - re-
flecting off silver lam6 curtains and
dancing poles on center stage - add
to the fantasy.
"I look at it as an art - not just
as a bunch of naked women," ama-
teur contestant "Madison" said.
"You have to be able to dance."
"There is a big difference be-
tween a stripper and a showgirl,"
Willis added. "A stripper simply
takes her clothes off, but a showgirl
is an artist and performer - she cre-
ates a theatrical fantasy."
Others do not share this opinion,
however.
"Though I always use those terms
- artist and performer - I know
deep down what it is I'm really
doing ... I'm taking my clothes off,"
amateur contestant "Cherry" said.
Most women do it solely for
money. Regular performers make an
average of $500 a night, Madison
said.
"It's a great opportunity to make
money," she stated. "It got me out of
being on welfare. Welfare only pays
$300 a month - you can't live off of
that, especially when you have a
child to take care of.
"There are a lot of single parents
in the business," she added.
Nineteen-year-old Madison has
been dancing since she was two, and
working in showclubs for a year.
She circulates clubs in the mid-
Michigan area, picking up $200 here
and there by winning amateur
competitions.
Though the contestants are sup-
posed to be amateurs, many of them
have had previous professional ex-
perience.
"It is hard work - you've got to
really work them," Madison said.
Most women have had some kind
of experience, usually in dance or
theater. However, they recognize
that being a performer is different.
"It's not theater," Cherry said.
"They don't want to hear what you
have to say, they only want to see
what you've got."
Performers also pointed out that
the stereotype that they are "sluts" is
a misconception.
"Some girls might be, but there's
a lot that really aren't," Madison
said. "I don't let anybody touch me.
One time, a man tried to lick me and
I kicked him with my boot in the
face. There was blood all over the
place."
Willis said security is a high pri-
ority at Deja Vu.
Performers must ask for permis-
sion to leave. They may not give out
or accept phone numbers nor have
any associations with guests - or
they are fired immediately.
They must have escorts (not
clientele) when leaving. Bottoms are
only allowed to be removed on
stage, never on the floor or on
couches.
"Safety is the No. I priority, on
and off the stage," Willis said.
"I am a very classy guy and this
is a classy club," he continued.
"There are a lot of dos and don'ts in
this business. I watch how the girls
perform on and off stage. Etiquette
is very important."
Men must keep their arms
stretched out behind couches when
"being entertained," and under no
circumstances may clients touch the
performers. There are roving
bouncers at all times to make sure
clients do not break this rule, Willis
said.
"Security is great here," Cherry
said. "I don't want some guy touch-
ing me."
In addition, bouncers are specifi-
cally trained how to greet and screen
people, Willis said. If there is a sus-
picion, people are frisked and/or
asked to leave. Intoxicated persons
are never allowed inside.
"You must size up people very
quickly," he said.
Furthermore, Michigan law says
that no alcohol may be served in
full-nude clubs. This cuts down on
rowdiness in the crowd.
"Luckily, with no alcohol, I don't
have to deal with that," Cherry said.
"Their well-being is very impor-
tant to me," Willis said. "You have.-
to look at them eye to eye - they're -
human beings. I do a lot of counsel-
ing. I play the role of friend, father,
confidant, advisor, motivator.
"We're one big family here.
Everybody here cares about each
other. Some people have no place-
else to go and we take them in. You-
don't find too many places like this,"
he added.
__9 ,
Student groups
" Environmental Action Coali-
tion, meeting, School of Natu-
ral Resources, Room 1040, 7
p.m.
Q Indian American Students As-
sociation, board meeting,
Michigan League, Room A, 7
pm.
Q Newman Catholic Student As-
sociation, Administration/Fi-
nance, 6p.m.; Bible Study, 7:30
p.m.; RCIA, 7 p.m.; Vigil Mass,
5:10 p.m.; Worship Commis-
sion, 7p.m.; Saint Mary Student
Chapel, 331 Thompson St.
Q Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club,
practice, CCRB, Martial Arts
Room, 7:45-8:45 p.m.
U U-M Ninjitsu Club, practice,
L.M. Building, Wrestling Room
Events
U Guild House Writers' Series,
writers reading from their own
poetry works, Guild House
Campus Ministry, 802 Monroe
St., 8:30-10 p.m.
U Hillel,Pre-Chanukah Party: Jew-
ish tales with Storyteller Laura
Pershin, Hillel, 1429 Hill St.,
7:30 p.m.
Q "The Future of Old Babylonian
Kish," seminar, sponsored by
Department of Near Eastern
Studies, Frieze Building, Room
3050,9-11 a.m.
Q "Reading Between the Lines,
Sideways, from a Distance,"
lecture, sponsored by Depart-
ment of Near Eastern Studies,
Rackham Building, Assembly
Hall, 4th floor, 7:30 p.m.
Q "The Christmas Story Seen
Q "Transition Metal-Main Group
Clusters: From Molecules to
Solids," inorganic seminar,
sponsored by Department of
Chemistry, Chemistry Building,
Room 1640,4 p.m.
Q "Water as a Tool of Empire,"
lecture, sponsored by School of
Natural Resources, Chemistry
Building, Room 1040,4 p.m.
Student services
Q Northwalk Nighttime Safety
Walking Service, Bursley Hall,
lobby' 763-WALK, 8 p.m.-1:30
a.m.
Q Psychology Undergraduate
Peer Advising, sponsored by
Department of Psychology,
West Quad, Room K210, 10
a.m.-4 p. .
FAST, FREE DELIVERY
9e
ama
503-3333
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