The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, February 2, 1993 - Page 3
SAPAC holds men's dialogues
by Karen Talaski
Daily Gender Issues Reporter
As the Sexual Assault Prevention
and Awareness Center (SAPAC)
launches a mass meeting today for
Men's Dialogue Groups, student re-
actions to the program illustrate the
general confusion about gender
issues.
LSA junior Angela Cumming
defines a men's dialogue group as "a
bunch of men sitting around, watch-
ing football, and bonding with beer."
LSA senior Eric Farber joked that
men need dialogue groups to cope
with their subordinate position in
society.
"It's a forum for the oppressed
male minority to come together as
one to combat the forces of oppres-
sion that try to hold us back," he said
in a sarcastic tone.
But while Rahul Sharma -
Men's Outreach Programs
Coordinator for SAPAC - said he
understands the humor in these defi-
nitions, he is trying to dispel such
myths about the groups.
"Men's dialogue groups have two
real goals. The first is to enhance
and broaden the way men interact,"
Sharma said. "The second is to ad-
dress the issues of sexism and vio-
lence against women. The focus is
not to complain about how men have
been abused."
Sharma said most men can ex-
press themselves only with humor or
anger. The eight-week dialogue
groups will discuss this and other
subjects - including men and vio-
lence, homophobia and the effects of
race and ethnicity on sexism and
gender.
"Men have a different way of
communicating," Sharma said. "All
of us are trying to evolve and change
how we think about women and
other issues."
First-year Rackham student Brad
Davis, one of the group's facilitators,
said the groups can help men clarify
and express their thoughts.
"Some of the things men say
when women aren't around (can
only be discussed in a dialogue
group) because men are afraid to be
wrong," Davis said. "It's good to
have a forum to express and chal-
lenge ideas."
A2
A protects
by David West
The University and the Ann
Arbor community are moving for-
ward in efforts to protect the remain-
ing ozone layer despite a lack of
state initiative, according to a survey
recently released by the Michigan
Environmental Council.
The survey provides evidence
that businesses in Michigan are tak-
ing steps mandated by the Clean Air
Act to help halt the destruction of
the ozone layer.
Under the Clean Air Act
Amendments of 1990, all service
stations are required to recover and
recycle refrigerant chlorofluorocar-
bons (CFCs) as of Jan. 1, 1993.
Joe Kennedy, garage supervisor
at the University Transportation
Department, said the automobile
service is in full compliance with the
law.
According to the survey, releases
of Freon (CFC-12) from automobile
air conditioners are the single largest
source of CFC emissions to the at-
mosphere in the United States.
Lou Pocalujka, the Clean Air
exising ozone layer
Coordinator of the Michigan The University community has
Department of Natural Resources made a concerted effort to follow
said the state has a limited amount of EPA regulations.
money and resources to devote to Aiko Schaefer, organizer of
programs. He added that the CFC Green Corps of Michigan - the
laws do not require the state to im- group commissioned to investigate
plement or enforce any plan con- the state's compliance status - said
cerning the recovery and recycling Ann Arbor service stations were in
of CFCs. 100 percent compliance with the
"Michigan has one of the weak- law.
est air compliance and enforcement The Green Corps conducted a
records in the country," said Alex random survey in late November
Sagady, director of the which covered service stations and
Environmental and Occupational other automobile servicing busi-
Health Department of the Michigan nesses in the greater Lansing area,
Chapter of the American Lung Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Detroit. It
Association. "Michigan is way be- found that 81 percent of the facilities
hind in compliance and will proba- were in complete compliance at that
bly face federal penalties." time.
Renee Kuruc, an environmental "University and community vol-
scientist at the U.S. Environmental unteers played a big role in conduct-
Protection Agency (EPA), said ing this survey," Schaefer said.
Michigan's responsibilities for CFC Alison Horton, Michigan
recovery and recycling are now in Environmental Council's Air
the hands of the federal government. Quality Task Force co-chair, said,
Kuruc said the EPA will prose- "The high level of CFC recovery and
cute any institution that is not in recycling is an excellent demonstra-
compliance with the Clean Air Act tion of the Clean Air Act at work on
amendments. our air pollution problem."
Raise your hands if you're sure
Alyssa Stec and Lisa Darby, graduate students in the Dance School, warm
up yesterday in an advanced ballet class.
City Councll votes to
table housi~ng proposal
Faculty to
use page in,
Record as
newsletter
by Kenneth Dancyger
Daily Faculty Reporter
Calling for improved communi-
cation among faculty members and
administrators, the Senate Assembly
unanimously approved yesterday the
creation of a faculty page in The
University Record.
Director of Information
Resources and Chair of the Faculty,
Communications Committee Elaine
Didier said the free monthly page in
The Record was the best option for
faculty because the publication al-
ready has an established readership
among faculty.
The communications committee
will be responsible for publishing
the page and appointing an editorial
board of three to five faculty mem-
bers.
The approved plan will allow
faculty to utilize a page in The
Record for six to eight months.
Executive Director for University
Relations Walter Harrison will then
evaluate the page and determine its
effectiveness.
In other business, the Senate
Assembly considered the possibility
of adopting a new policy to protect
faculty from discriminatory harass-
ment, particularly hate speech.
The interim policy - now in ef-
fect - was drafted last summer in
response to a Supreme Court ruling
that invalidated segments of the
University's 1988 policy regarding
hate speech.
Some members of the assembly
claimed the clause in the policy al-
lowing the University to prosecute a
faculty member who creates a hostile
or offensive learning environment is
a violation of First Amendment
rights. They said it is sometimes
necessary to display controversial
views for the purposes of education-
The assembly determined the
policy is not acceptable in its current
form because of its vagueness and
ruled to appoint a committee to re-
view the policy.
by Jonathan Berndt
Daily City Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council
chose inaction as the best form of ac-
tion last night when it voted to table
a resolution supporting, but not re-
quiring, tenant representation on the
Housing Commission.
The resolution, proposed by
Councilmember Peter Nicolas (D-
4th Ward), would allow tenants to
recommend who should fill Housing
Commission vacancies.
"This serves as a resolution of in-
tent," Nicolas said. "My resolution
would try to empower tenants
through a democratic process, allow-
ing them to suggest to mayor and
council who they would like to see
on the board. This does not mandate
that council accept the individual
elected by his or her peers."
Councilmember Kirk Dodge (R-
2nd Ward) agreed this resolution
would help the process.
"While the government plays a
key role (in public housing) there is
only so much government can do,"
Dodge said. "This is just a small step
in giving people in public housing a
sense of involvement, of participa-
tion in the place where they live."
But Councilmember Larry
Hunter (D-1st Ward) disagreed,
claiming the process under which
the tenants would suggest their
representative was not defined.
"What election? How is it going
to be structured?" he asked. "I think
we should know the shape and form
of a democratic election."
Councilmember Bob Grady (D-
3rd Ward) thought the idea was
good, but the execution faulty.
"I believe the intention is well
taken, but good intentions don't al-
ways get you where you want to go,"
Grady said. "It is inappropriate for
City Council to be taking action ...
until we go through mediation. I
think it's poor timing."
He also said he shared Hunter's
doubts about the election process
Councilmember Peter Fink (R-
2nd Ward) said support of the prin-
ciples was all that was necessary to
support the bill.
"The resolution is a show of sup-
port for tenant management," Fink
said. "I think now is the time to
show our support."
Mayor Liz Brater held her own
reservations but said she supported
the idea.
Interest rates expected to remain stable
WASHINGTON (AP) -
Borrowers can expect relatively sta-
ble interest rates this year as the
Federal Reserve gives the new
Clinton administration time to put its
economic program into place, pri-
vate economists said yesterday.
The Fed's top policymaking
group, the Federal Open Market
Committee, was scheduled to begin
a crucial two-day meeting today.
Fed governors in Washington and
presidents of the Fed's 12 regional
banks were to meet behind closed
doors to set targets for the year's
monetary growth, and to construct
an economic forecast that Federal
Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan
will deliver to Congress Feb. 18.
Private economists predicted the
central bank was likely to leave in-
terest rates unchanged over the com-
ing months, and several analysts said
the Fed may be content to stay on
the sidelines the entire year.
The Fed last changed interest
rates on Sept. 4 when it reduced its
target for the federal funds rate to 3
percent.
Commercial banks' prime rate
has been at 6 percent for the past
seven months, the lowest level in 20
years. Analysts are not looking for
that rate to change for most of this
year.
Fixed-rate mortgages are ex-
pected to be more volatile, but ana-
lysts expect even those rates to stay
in a narrow band.
r The national average for 30-year,
fixed-rate mortgages dropped last
week to 7.86 percent, according to
the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corp. That was close to a 19-year
low set last September. Since last
fall, mortgage rates had been edging
up as financial markets grew con-
cerned that a victory by Democrat
Bill Clinton combined with a
Democratic Congress would lead to
soaring budget deficits.
Correction
The photograph of Kelly Carfora in yesterday's SPORTSMonday section was taken by Elizabeth Lippman. This
was incorrectly reported in yesterday's Daily.
Alleged suicide
attempt at Couzens
University Department of Public
Safety (DPS) officers responded to a
report of an alleged suicide attempt
at Couzens Residence Hall Sunday
after a University student told police
his roommate had cut his own wrists
with a Swiss Army knife.
Officers on the scene reported
"controlled bleeding" from approx-
imately six cuts on the victim's wrist
and neck.
The officers requested medical
and Ann Arbor Fire Department as-
sistance, as well as maintenance
units to clean up a puddle of blood in
the students' room.
The subject was transported to
the University Hospitals Emergency
Room to receive care for the lacera-
tions on his face and neck.
According to DPS reports, a sub-
sequent check on the victim found
him in stable condition.
Gas leaks reported
at Northwood II
Two incidents of natural gas
odors at the Northwood II Housing
Unit were reported Saturday,
according to DPS reports.
The first incident was reported by
joggers, who said there was a strong
odor of gas in the vicinity of 1697
Cram Circle. Officers could not lo-
cate the cause of the smell.
The second incident was reported
by residents in the area of 2204
Cram Place.
Family Housing Maintenance and
Michigan Consolidated Gas
Company (MichCon) units were
Police0
Beat69
immediately notified. MichCon em-
ployees located and fixed the leak,
which they said was not serious.
Woman robbed
after auto
breakdown
Two men - posing as good
Samaritans - robbed a woman on
Miller Road in Ann Arbor Saturday
night, according to Ann Arbor Police
Department (AAPD) reports.
The woman's car had broken
down when the men approached her,
and offered to help push the car off
the road.
Instead, one of the suspects
grabbed the woman's purse, which
was lying on the front seat of the car.
The men then fled the area, leaving
the woman stranded and purseless.
AAPD Sgt. Mark Hoornstra said
the woman filed a report with police
and will be asked to attempt to
identify the suspects from police file
photographs.
Malicious damage
to vehicles soars
AAPD reports show an unusually
high number of incidents of mali-
cious damage to vehicles over the
weekend.
Twenty-six cars and trucks all
over Ann Arbor had windows
smashed by vandals.
Police are unsure how the van-
dals broke the windows, but
Hoornstra speculated that the dam-
age might have been caused by a BB
gun.
He said the damage was esti-
mated at more than $3,000.
Student groups
Q The Christian Science Organi-
zation, weekly meeting, Michi-
gan League, check room at front
desk, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Q College Republicans, meeting,
Michigan Leauge, Henderson
Room, 7 p.m.
Q EnvironmentalIssues Commis-
sion, meeting for Earth Week,
Michigan Union, MSA Cham-
bers, 6 p.m.
0 Hillel, orthodox Shachrit ser-
vices, Hillel, upstairs lecture
room, 7:30a.m.; Shulchan Ivrit,
Michigan Union, Tap Room, 12
p.m.; Conference on the Holo-
caustMeeting, Hillel, 6:45p.m.;
United Jewish Appeal Cam-
paign, Hillel, 7-11 p.m.
Q In Focus, meeting, Frieze Build-
ing, Room 2420,6 p.m.
" Men's Dialogue Group, mass
meeting, Michigan Union,
Michigan Room, 7 p.m.
" Michigan Student Assembly,
weekly meeting, Michigan
Union, Room 3909, 7:30 p.m.
Q Outing Club, meeting, Michi-
gan Union, 4th Floor, 8 p.m.
Q Rainforest Action Movement,
mass meeting, Dana Building,
Room 1046,7 p.m.
Q Science Research Club, lectures:
The Old Order Amish - Flour-
ishing with an Eighth Grade
Q U-M Asian American Student
Coalition, meeting, East Quad,
53 Greene, 7 p.m.
Q U-M Shotokan Karate, prac-
tice, CCRB, Small Gym, 8-10
p.m.
Events
Q 1917: Revolution in Russia,
Spark: Revolutionary Discus-
sion Series, Michigan Union,
Crofoot Room, 7-8 p.m.
Q The Art of Conversation:
Speaking of God in a Pluralis-
tic Age, Michigan League,
Hussey Room, 11:30 a.m.-6:30
p.m.; 8-10:30 p.m.
Q Center for Chinese Studies,
Chinese Society UnderReform:
Reflections After a Five Year
Position in Beijing, Lane Hall
Commons, 12 p.m.
Q Elimination of the Spectral
Interfernces in the IR Spectra
of Cyanide, Phosphates, and
Sulfates Adsorbed at Platinum
Under Aqueous Electrochemi-
cal Conditions, thesis
colloquium, Chemistry Build-
ing, Room 1706, 2 p.m.
Q Graduate Student Teaching
Assistant Training Program,
Responing to Students, Mason
Hall, Room 429,7-9 p.m.
Q Maximizing Your Career Plans
lutions, Haven Hall, Room
4633, 7-9 p.m.
Q Taming the Past: Histories of
Liberal Society in American
Legal Argument, Thomas M.
Lectures, Law SchoolHutchins
Hall, Room 250,4 p.m.
U Thomas Lux, poetry reading,
Rachkam Amphitheatre, 4 p.m.
Q Welcome to Career Planning
& Placement, Student Activi-
ties Building, Room 3200, Ca-
reer Planning & Placement
Library, 10:10 a.m.
Q What Are You Going to Do
with Your B.A. in English?,
sponsored by Career Planning
& Placement, Michigan Union,
Kuenzel Room, 7:30-9 p.m.
Student services
Q Kaffeestunde, Department of
Germanic Language and Litera-
ture, MLB, 3rd floor Confer-
ence Room, 4:30-6 p.m.
Q Northwalk Safety Walking Ser-
vice, Bursley Hall, 763-9255,8
p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Q Peer Counseling, U-M Coun-
seling Services, 764-8433, 7
p.m.-8 a.m.
Q Psychology Undergraduate
Peer Advising, Department of
Psychology, West Quad, Room
K210, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
0b afewalkr gifetwWalkincv Ser-
Michigan Student Assembly Winter Elections Schedule
2/4 -polling site hours posted
2/10 -candidate packets available for MSA president, MSA reps, and
deputization oversight board
-deadline for filing peitions
3/2 -filing deadline for candidate declaration 5 pm
-filing deadline for party declaration 5:30 pm
-deadline for MSA action on referendum questions by 11:59 pm
3/3 -challenges to deceptive party names must be filed by 5:30 pm
3/5 -deadline for withdrawing petitions
-candidates' meeting/drawing for ballot order 7:30 pm
-campaign begins at 12:00 am
3/8 -deadline for candidate withdrawal