The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 8, 1993 - Page 3
GEO to vote on
possible contract
y Kenneth Dancyger
Daily Faculty Reporter
Bearing gifts and words of praise for a job well-
done, Graduate Employees Organization (OE. ) offi-
cials asked union members last night to consider ratify-
ing the tentative contract agreement signed with the
University April 1.
The law-binding pact came after more than five
months of negotiations that included four contract ex-
tensions, a GEO strike-authorization ballot, two ses-
&ions with a state-appointed mediator and both factions'
retraction of several economic proposals.
"We believe this is the best contract we could get
without a strike," GEO Bargaining Committee Chair
Jon Curtiss told union members gathered in Rackham
Auditorium last night.
Ballots explaining the agreement were sent to union
members yesterday and will be collected and counted
April 21.
GlEO's ballot outlines the changes to the current con-
tract as follows:
O NM Union Dues - the addition of new text to the
GEO "yellow cards," which stipulate union
membership;
Union Rights - allowing GEO to speak for 10
minutes at the first teaching assistant (TA) meeting in
every department each semester;
Information - clarifying the information on lists
concerning TA salaries written in a University
publication;
u Employment Notification - clarifying language
on TA employment and re-employment documents;
* Membership Notification - informing TAs of
their union membership status on September and
January paycheck stubs;
Salary - raising salaries 3 percent each year of
the contract;
Registration Fee - capping the charge at $80;
and
Term of Agreement - approving the contract for
a three-year period until it expires Feb. 1, 1996.
Curtiss said he officially recommended that the
1nion ratify the tentative agreement.
)lowever, he added the 3-percent raise does not sup-
port a living wage and "it is going to be difficult for
TAs to get by. That is unfortunate for us and for the
University."
Speaking on behalf of the University, Executive
Director of University Relations Walter arrison said
he is also glad the factions camne to a settlement.
"It's in our best interest to settle (a contract)," he
said. "You always have to ... give up some things and
get something in return."
If TAs do not approve the tentative agreement, GEO
will elect a new bargaining committee and begin fresh
negotiations with the University or take the "no" vote as
an authorization to strike, said GEO Organizer Rachel
Lanzerotti.
Splish splash
LSA sophomores Leigh Schultenover and Jeff Finkelstein lounge in a hot tub on the Diag yesterday. The two
students were selling tickets for a raffle to benefit University Students Against Cancer.
Panel addresses sexual assault,
stereotyes of women of color
Rivers plans
to work for
by David Shepardson
Daily Government Reporter
With the Spring recess to expire at week's end, State
Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Ann Arbor) sponsored and co-
sponsored a "ton of bills" as she plowed through
legislation before the Michigan House reconvenes.
Rivers co-sponsored more than 70 bills and
personally introduced a half-dozen more. She plans to
introduce at least 12 more after the House returns to
session.
Throughout the session, Rivers expressed continued
frustration at the backup of the House Bill Services
Bureau, which prints and writes all legislative
proposals. Members waited in excess of two months to
receive finalized bills.
At the top of her agenda is a package of eight bills
on domestic relations, which Rivers helped formulate.
Among the specifics are provisions to pass the Family
Support Act, a guarantee of health insurance coverage
for victims of domestic violence, suspension of driver's
licenses for repeated offenses and loss of paternity
rights for offenders.
This package of bills has been referred to the House
Judiciary Committee, of which Rivers is currently a
member.
In addition, these bills were jointly referred to the
House Committee on Public Health. Mary Schroer, (D-
Ann Arbor), who represents northern Ann Arbor and
serves as vice-chair of the committee, predicted a
stalemate on many issues that Republicans are looking
to stall, especially those related to social reform.
Other Public Health committee bills Rivers has co-
sponsored include one that regulates mammography
procedures, another that creates set fees for procedures,
and a third to report data on treatment for breast cancer.
Rivers also introduced a bill to allow all registered
voters the right to vote by absentee ballot, without the
need to specify a reason. In addition, she has introduced
a bill to allow the public access to all legislative
histories - both during and after consideration of a
proposal.
Rivers has also co-sponsored a state constitutional
amendment that would provide for state
whistleblowers' protection - which would protect
employees in the state who report law breakers.
Despite this flurry of activity, Rivers has a long way
to go before matching former Ann Arbor Rep. Perry
Bullard's record.
In nearly 20 years in office, Judiciary Chair Bullard
authored nearly 250 pieces of legislation. Many of
them, including the Freedom of Information Act, anti-
stalking and pro-abortion rights legislation have been
copied by other states and the federal government.
by Lisa Dines
"I was not born Black and then a
woman. My genitals and my race
came at the same time," Elise Bryant
said last night.
Bryant moderated a panel discus-
sion that addressed people of color
and sexual assault. The panel -
sponsored by the University's
Sexual Assault Prevention and
Awareness Center - focused on
complications faced by women of
color when dealing with sexual as-
sault. Panelists attributed these prob-
lems to racism.
"Gender and race is a two-
pronged issue for African
Americans," Bryant said.
Speakers emphasized the impact
of stereotypes on the way white cul-
ture handles sexual assaults on mi-
nority women.
"(Latinos) are stereotyped as the
hot women who want to have sex,"
said Christina Jose-Kampfner, an
assistant professor of psychology
and women's studies. "Part of why
we are stereotyped this way is be-
cause we are 'the other."'
Pam Motoike, a psychologist at
University Counseling Services, ex-
plained to the group the danger of
following three stereotypes regard-
ing Asian American women.
The "china doll" image portrays
Asian American women as sexually
naive and easy to assault. This
stereotype contrasts with the myste-
rious "dragon lady" image that
makes Asian American women ap-
pear willing to sexual advances.
The third and most common
stereotype portrays Asian Americans
as the model minority, and depicts a
culture in which problems like sex-
ual assault do not exist.
"All these stereotypes work to-
gether to silence us within our com-
munity and make us invisible to
those outside our community,"
Motoike said.
Melissa Lopez from the Office of
Minority Affairs said Native
American women have lost the close
bonds they once shared as a result of
the fragmentation their communities
have been forced to experience.
"What we lost in this assimilation
is how we dealt with these problems.
When assimilation started the roles
for women changed dramatically,"
she said. "We need to build that cir-
cle back up."
Panelists agreed that those who
deal with sexual assault survivors
must consider the culture of silence
and privacy among minority women.
"Rape is not the same for every-
one. It feels the same, but how that is
expressed is different," Jose-
Kampfner said.
Student volunteers help Ronald
McDonald House aid children
4
Student groups
Q AIDS Coalition to Unleash
Power, meeting, speaker from
Palestine Solidarity Committee,
East Engineering Building,
Baker-MandelaCenter, 7:30p.m.
Q Amnesty International, meeting,
East Quad, Room 122,7 p.m.
Q Ann Arbor Coalition Against
Rape, Take Back the Night Plan-
ning meeting, Michigan League,
check room at front desk, 7 p.m.
U Campus Crusade for Christ,
meeting, Easter Film on Life of
Christ, Dental School, Kellogg
Auditorium, 7-9 p.m.
Q Haiti Solidarity Group, meeting,
First United Methodist Church,
120 S. State St., Pine Room, 7:30
p.m.
Q Hillel, Passover Service, 9:30a.m.
and7:45pm.; StudentsforSecu-
lar Humanistic Judaism Potluck
Seder, call 665-8697 for loca-
tion, 6 p.m.
U Homeless Action. Committee,
meeting, Guild House, 802Mon-
roe St., 5:30 p.m.
Q Institute of Electrical and Elec-
tronics Engineers, technical lun-
cheon, EECS Building, Room
1311, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Q Intervarsity Christian Fellow-
ship, meeting, Dana Building,
Room 1040,7 p.m.
Q Islamic Circle, meeting, 6 p.m.;
Intro to Islam class, 7:30 p.m.;
Mason Hall, Room 429.
Q Korean Student Association,
meeting, Michigan Union,
Welker Room, 7 p.m.
Q Newman Catholic Student Fel-
lowship, Leaven Lenten Group,
6 p.m.; Mass of the Lord's Sup-
per, 7:30 p.m.; St. Mary Student
Parish, 331 Thompson St.
Q Pre-Med Club, meeting, Michi-
gan Union, Kuenzel Room, 6:30
p.m.
Q Pro-Choice Action, meeting,
MLB, Room B 137, 7:30 p.m.
Q Students Concerned About Ani-
mal Rights, meeting, Michigan
Union, MUG, 7 p.m.
Q Taiwanese American Students
for Awareness, Taiwan Table/
FoodFest, EastQuad, checkroom
at front desk. 7:30 n.m.
Team, Synchronized Swimming
Show,Canham Natatorium,9 p.m.
Q Women's Issues Commission,
meeting, Michigan Union, Room
3909, 8 p.m.
Events
Q An Approach to Orchestral
Snare Drumming, presentation,
School of Music, McIntosh The-
atre, 8 p.m.
Q ArtTalk, Learning to Read Faces:
Theories of Physiognomy in Af-
rican Masquerading, Art Mu-
seum, AV Room, 12:10-1 p.m.
U Building Coalitions: A Women
of Color Perspective, Mosher-
Jordan, check room at front desk,
7:30 p.m.
Q Center for Japanese Studies,
Organizational Culture in a Bi-
national Context, Brown Bag
Lecture, Lane Hall, Commons
Room, 12 p.m.
U Changing Social Trends in a Be-
sieged Society: The Case of
Occupied Palestine, lecture,
Rackham, East Conference
Room, 7:30 p.m.
U CREES Ethnopolitics Collo-
quium, The Construction of Na-
tionality in Ukrainian Galicia:
The Transfiguration of the
Clerisy, Industrial Culture Under
Thatched Roofs and Icarian
Flights in Almost All Directions,
Angell Hall, Room 2231,4 p.m.
Q Dai-sil Kim-Gibson's Sa-i-gu,
movie followed by discussion,
U-M Asian American Coalition,
Rackham Amphitheatre, 7 p.m.
Q Data Analysis Methodology for
Positron Emission Topogra-
phy, lecture, School of Public
Health II, Room M4332, 3:30
p.m.; coffee and cookies, Room
M4034, 3 p.m.
Q Gender Issues in International
Relations, Women's Studies
Brown Bag Lecture, West Engi-
neering Building, Women's Stud-
ies Lounge, Room 234, 12 p.m.
Q Latina Butch/Femme: A Differ-
ent Sex War, MLB, Lecture
Room 2,7:30 p.m.
Q The Mathematics of Multi-
culturalism: Challenges and
Oportunities, Presidential Lec-
Q Russian Tea & Conversation
Practice, MLB, 3rd Floor Con-
ference Room, 4-5 p.m.
Q Self- and Emotional Develop-
ment in Adulthood, WestQuad,
Room L207, 12 p.m.
Q PhysicalSeminars, Spectroscopic
Investigations of Cation Vacancy
Defect Centers in Low-Dimen-
sional Lattices, and Optically
Detected Magnetic Resonance
Studies ofDefect Centers in Semi-
conductors, Chemistry Building,
Room 1640,4 p.m.
Q Travel Africa & Latin America
on the Cheap!, International
Center, Room 9, 3-4:30 p.m.
Q University Choir, performance,
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Q Urinary Tract Infection in
Women-Work in Progress,
School of Public Health I, Room
3042, 12 p.m.
Q Who's Right, Who's Left, and
What Ever Became of Free-
dom?, Tim O'Brien, speaker,
Michigan Union, Pond Room,
7:30 p.m.
Q Women's Health Research, Dr.
Nancy Reame, speaker, Michi-
gan League, 3rd Floor, Room D,
7 p.m.
Student services
Q Consultation for Student Lead-
ers and Student Organizations,
speak with peer and professional
consultants regarding leadership
and organizational development,
SODC, Michigan Union, Room
2202,8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Q ECB Student Writing Center,
Angell Hall, Computing Center,
7-11 p.m.
Q MaundyThursday Liturgy, Can-
terbury House, 518 E. Washing-
ton St., 5:30 p.m.
Q Northwalk Safety Walking Ser-
vice, Bursley Hall, 763-9255, 8
p.m.-1:30a.m.
Q Peer Counseling, U-M Counsel-
ing Services, 764-8433,7 p.m.-8
a.m.
Q Professional Development for
International Women, Interna-
tional Center, Room 9, 2-4 p.m.
Q Psychology Undergraduate Peer
Advising, Department of Psy-
by Julie Robinson
Daily Staff Reporter
Tucked away in a corner of
Central Campus, in front of the
Nichols Arboretum, lies an attractive
brown-brick house. Stacks of books
replete with letters of thanks from
grateful parents and pictures of
healthy children, as well as student
volunteers, welcome visitors.
It is partly due to the more than
40,000 hours student volunteers
have spent since 1985 that the
Ronald McDonald House slogan
claims to be "the house that love
built."
Fraternities, sororities and vari-
ous student organizations hold char-
ity events such as Alpha Delta Pi's
dating game and the Nursing Student
Associations Dance-A-Thon to sup-
port the house. The Navy ROTC and
service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega
also recently offered their support by
cleaning the house from top to bot-
tom.
"All of the volunteers are good
and have their own flair," said
Police arrest
assailant in
stabbing
The aftermath of violence from
Monday night's basketball rally
continued to flood University and
Ann Arbor police departments this
week.
The Department of Public Safety
(DPS) reported yesterday that they
arrested a suspect in the stabbing
that took place during the "safe cel-
ebration" at Crisler Arena Monday.
Carlos Thomas, a 17 year-old
high school student from Ypsilanti,
was arrested on felonious assault
charges. Police believed he pulled a
knife and wounded another high
school student at the celebration.
DPS officers speculated the inci-
Pnt, mwsnn-r..e_,ated
Dorothy Wardell, executive director
of the house. "The students are all
upstanding citizens that you just
love. You know that they'll be great
future leaders."
After the Ronald McDonald cor-
poration donates the initial funds to
construct the building and establish
the house, the organization becomes
entirely self-sufficient.
For this reason, the Ann Arbor
facility depends on the University
for services ranging from security to
medical aid. ROTC, which began its
volunteering last fall, is now one of
the house's strongest sponsors.
ROTC regularly organizes activities
from spaghetti dinners to personal
hospital visits, as well as a recent
raffle that generated $6,000.
"I think that the students get a
sense of pride and community ser-
vice" said Lt. Sevren Maynard, a
primary organizer for ROTC's in-
volvement with the house. "I had
one kid tell me that a smile on a
kid's face and the thanks from a par-
ent was what kept him coming
back."
Students make this house a home
in many ways. Some go through a
two-month training session to learn
all about the house and its special
policies and procedures before com-
pleting a three-hour office shift once
every two weeks.
Other volunteers organize movie
nights, story times, puppet shows
and cook Sunday dinners.
"There's almost no limit to the
ways in which they can help,"
Wardell said. "We encourage people
to use their imagination and to focus
on whatever their interests are.-
Maybe that's what makes us differ-
ent from other charities."
Wardell claimed that everyone
benefits from the student contribu-
tions.
"We're convenient and help sick
kids and their families, which is ap-
pealing to everyone," she said. "We
offer a child a chance for a healthy
future. What greater gift or more re-
warding effort can there be?"
Department (AAPD) reported a
stabbing that resulted after an alter-
cation between two groups of
teenagers on South University
Avenue Monday night.
The altercation, which began as
an argument between a Black youth
and a white youth on the corner of
South Forest Avenue and South
University, escalated until it in-
cluded a group of six or more
teenagers.
The fight ended when one of the
teenagers was stabbed in the ab-
domen with what police described as
a medium-sized knife.
The victim initially refused med-
ical attention, but was later taken by
ambulance to University Hospitals
for treatment.
Police said this report represented
only one of many racial clashes.
AAPD officers are continuing to
Police
Beat
The four suspects, all non-Ann
4 Arbor residents, allegedly assaulted
a woman walking alone with a metal
baseball bat on South Forest Avenue
where their car was parked.
A group of police officers patrol-
ing the area immediately pursued the
suspected four.
After locating the suspects' car:
police sighted an aluminum bat, ap-
proximately 29 inches long, in plain
view inside the car.
AAPD officers then took the sus-
pects in for questioning. The sus-
pects denied any involvement in the
I