ICFIntl
Air
74PI
P, lw a tit!
One hundred four years of editorial freedom
A , 4y
V C
.TA unlonE
keeps op
By AMY KLEIN
For the Daily
This year marks the 20th anniver-
s ry of the Graduate Employees Or-
ization (GEO), the bargaining
voice of University teaching assis-
tants.
Negiotiations have been so
strained that in three of the past four
contracts, GEO has voted on whether
to strike. Now TAs are taking the
offensive, while keeping open the
possibility of a strike.
Since 1975, the union has actively
*rked for higher wages, affirmative
'U' regent
4 9 y
candidate
£fltlcizes
Wolpe pay
Republican Horning
calls on board to
investigate 'blatant
abuse' by candidate
By RONNIE GLASSBERG
Daily Staff Reporter
A Republican candidate for the
niversity's Board of Regents yes-
terday called on the regents to inves-
tigate the "exorbitant" salary ofDemo-
raticgubernatorial candidate Howard
olpe, who was a University visiting
rofessor.
"I think it's blatant abuse. I think
the Board of Regents should investi-
this," said Daniel Homning, a
irst-time candidate who is a life-in-
surance agent from Grand Rapids.
"It's certainly a situation we don't
ant to see come up again."
In 1993, Wolpe taught one course
ach semester in the Institute of Pub-
ic Policy and earned $50,750. At the
ame time, he was paid $40,000 and
14,000 in benefits to teach one course
h semester at Western Michigan
iversity.
"I'm not pointing the finger at
nyone, other than to Howard Wolpe
o explain how he cut this deal,"
orning said.
University spokeswoman Lisa
aker defended Wolpe's position at
he University.
"Mr. Wolpe did have an academic
ackground and my understanding is
the courses he taught were well
eceived," Baker said. "It is standard
ractice at universities to have visit-
ng faculty who have been in govern-
ent. It's done at many schools. We
hink it's an enriching experience for
ur students."
Horning provided documentation
rom the universities to show that
olpe held office hours at the same
e for both universities during the
ast winter term.
"I don't know what his schedule
as, but from everything we've heard
e was accessible and handled his
uties well," Baker said.
Horning also asserted that the
emocratic-controlled Board of Re-
ents provided Wolpe with the posi-
on to support his bid for governor.
But Baker said Wolpe's position
a visiting professor was not ap-
roved by the regents.
"Those terms were negotiated be-
See WOLPE, Page 2
I
i takes offensive,
Who are the TAs?
Graduate student GEO membership
en strike possibility
action and health benefits for all TAs.
Discussions in 1993 led to the first
three-year contract for TAs, with a 3-
percent salary increase each year.
GEO continues to criticize the Uni-
versity administration for trying to
cut TA benefits in previous negotia-
tions.
"In 1993 it was a relatively defen-
sive contract; we were fighting to
hold onto what we already had. The
University wanted to reduce health
benefits, but the TAs mobilized very
effectively. I don't think TAs want to
be in that position again," GEO Presi-
dent Jon Curtiss said yesterday.
GEO considers a strike a viable
method of getting the University
administration's attention. TAs teach
30 to 40 percent of the class hours on
campus and a strike would inconve-
nience students as well. To strike,
TAs may simply refuse to teach
classes, or they may withhold final
grades from the University.
"Most TAs have a strong sense of
responsibility to the students. We
don't want to be put in a position
See GEO, Page 2
MSA budget
passes without
AATU funds
Supporters question vote in suit
Breakdown of teaching assistants by race
Native
Asian
A EWhite
ANDREW TAYLOR/Daily
SAY CHEESE
By CATHY BOGUSLASKI
Daily Staff Reporter
Students may find the Ann Arbor
Tenants' Union (AATU) asking them
for help after the Michigan Student
Assembly passed its external budget
lastnight without allocating additional
funds to the tenants' union.
"We will be turning to students
over the next few months in order to
fund our services," said AATU Coor-
dinator Pattrice Maurer.
Tenants' union supporters have
filed another case with the Central
Student Judiciary (CSJ) alleging that
the vote on the budget was illegal.
The case, Roger De Roo et. al. vs. the
Michigan Student Assembly, alleges
a quorum count was never made after
an assembly member asked for one.
Rackham Rep. Kevin Lee, one of
the AATU supporters who joined the
suit, said, "The art of governing is the
art of compromise.... This is a total
failure of the democratic process MSA
is supposed to embody."
MSA President Juile Neenan said
she did count, and a quorum - 23
assembly members - was present.
"I counted at least 23 people....
People were walking in and out of the
room, but they were still standing
inside the chambers, so I counted them
because they're MSA representa-
tives," she said, adding that some
people left the room after the count.
CSJ has granted a temporary re-
straining order that prohibits MSA
from spending any of the surplus bud-
get funds allocated for the AATU or
the lobbying fund. The case will be
heard Friday at 7 p.m.
MSA members who supported
AATU walked out of the budget meet-
ing in an attempt to break quorum
before the budget vote. But the vote
proceeded, and the budget passed.
Maurer said, "If a student needs
us, we'll be there, but students will
have to find a way to pay for this. I'm
particularly concerned about our work
study students salaries. ... That's my
first priority."
During debate over the budget,
before the walkout, MSA members
who supported AATU criticized the
amount of money the MSA budgets
allocated for lobbying and operations.
Rackham Rep. Josh Grossman
said, "There's so much pork in this
budget that I'm not sure we should be
voting on it. We should be sending it
to the USDA for approval."
Three students spoke to the as-
sembly on behalf of the tenants' union.
Rebecca Poiourow, a Rackham
student, said, "I feel like this incred-
ibly important resource which I've
See MSA, Page 2
Engineering senior Robin Ping Han Wee has his yearbook photo taken in the North Campus Commons yesterday.
C. Everett Koop teaches health care in mini-course
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Daily StaffReporter"
Being Kooped up in class for seven
hours may not seem like fun, but one
such mini-course had to turn away
most students who wanted to enroll.
Former Surgeon General C.
Everett Koop will give a crash course
on health care reform to 26 students
today and tomorrow. Nearly 80 stu-
dents applied for the class last winter.
Those students who were admitted
into the class are looking forward to
meeting Koop.
"You ceme to Michigan for the
wealth of experience and this is an
example of that," said Dan Laytin, an
LSA senior.
"It's a tremendous opportunity to
have a classroom experience with
someone who's had an impact on the
national scene," Laytin said.
LSA senior James Rosenquist said,
"The guy had such a profound effect
on the way people think."
"He was on TV all the time during
the '80s giving advice on drugs and
sex. ... He reminded me of my
grandpa.
"He was a legend," Rosenquist
said.
Koop served as surgeon general
under President Ronald Reagan from
1981 to 1989.
Koop will speak at Rackham Au-
ditorium tonight at 8 in a public lec-
ture. The class meets three hours each
day, as well as during the lecture
tonight.
Students said they are anticipating
Koop's discussion of the national
angle of the health care system.
"I hope he will give his insight and
personal opinion on the health care
system," Rosenquist said, "and sadly
why he thinks it has failed."
David Choi, an LSA senior, said
"I expect more of the government and
legislative aspects of health care."
Laytin said he hopes Koop talks
about the getting reform through the
federal bureaucracy.
"It's great to come up with great
ideas but it's another thing to get it
done," Laytin said.
Since the class is relatively small,
students will be able to discuss issues
with Koop, rather than just listen to
his lecture.
See KOOP, Page 2
Koop health-care lecture
Former Surgeon General C. Everett
Koop will speak on health care
tonight at 8. See story, Page 2.
Mandela asks for support from Americans
'I come here ... knowing I will not go T
back with empty hands,' says presidentU '
Haitian police chief Michel Francois,
shown in a file photo, is the first
coup leader to abandon the country.
Coup leader
flees Haiti,
resigns post
WASHINGTON (AP) - Presi-
dent Nelson Mandela asked Ameri-
cans yesterday to expand the support
they gave South Africa in the victory,
against apartheid-this time by help-
ing revive his nation's economy.
"Come and invest in our country,"
he said. "I come here ... knowing I
will not go back with empty hands."
President Clinton welcomed
Mandela to a White House ceremony
underscoring the 76-year-old African
leader's rise from imprisonment in
the apartheid state to the presidency
of South Africa's new democracy.
On his first visit to the United
States since his inauguration in May,
Mandela was greeted by 4,000 guests
at the White House.
Mandela said he had come with a
message:
"People of the United States of
America: Open your markets to us.
People of the United States of
America: Come and invest in our
country."
Clinton told Mandela the United
States is committed to helping him
fight apartheid's legacy of jobless-
ness, homelessness and poverty.
"We will walk every mile with
you and ... we will not grow weary on
the way. You are living proof that the
forces of justice and reconciliation
can bridge any divide," Clinton said.
Clinton has already promised a
three-year, $600 million package of
assistance for South Africa's struggle
with poverty, a 40 percent unemploy-
ment rate and 50 percent illiteracy
rate.
The two presidents held a brief
business meeting at the White House
as a prelude to a larger working ses-
sion today. At the State Department,
Mandela had lunch with executives
of leading U.S. companies as well'as
social activists, diplomats and reli-
gious leaders.
Mandela told them his govern-
South African President Nelson Mandela waves from the White House
podium during his arrival ceremony yesterday.
INSIDE
ment is "committed to creating an
environment containing optimal con-
ditions for investment and economic
growth."
A formal state dinner was set for
last night with entertainmentby singer
Whitney Houston.
"You have no idea how your in-
volvement in the anti-apartheid
struggle in our country actually helped
to facilitate the transformation,"
Mandela said.
TS
l Streep proves her
g genius as she rules
'River Wild" with Kevin
on.
From Daily Wire Services
5 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -
Michel Francois, who engineered the
1991 coup against President Jean-
Bertrand Aristide, fled to the Domini-
can Republic yesterday. The United
States promptly declared that his de-
narture was a giant sten toward the
'U' hopes it can reach $1M in United Way contributions
See MANDELA, Page 2
By RONNIE GLASSBERG
Daily Staff Reporter
United Way."
In past years, the campaign has
MSA representative, will head the
student effort this year.
1 ,"- - .. , .- It
Gonzalez said she would like to
continue collecting from students
f't~tl h l i - tA 2 ll .' A IAI-A1.41