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