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One hundred four years of editorial freedom
Yormer
employees
reject 'U
ultimatum
By JOSH WHITE
Daily Staff Reporter
In an ongoing battle with Univer-
sity officials, three former Dental
School employees said they plan to
proceed with a $1 million lawsuit in
which they call their December fir-
ings "racially motivated."
Detroit-based attorney George B.
Washington, who represents the three
&ed workers, said offers of reinstate-
Ment issued by the University Mon-
day have fueled the fight.
"The workers received a letter on
Martin Luther King Day, of all times,
in which they were given an ultima-
tum by the University," Washington
said yesterday. "It told them that if
they did not call for an interview
within 24 hours that it would be as-
sumed that they were no longer inter-
*ted in employment and would all be
considered voluntary resignations.
"It was high-handed, illegal and
racist," Washington said. "It is unbe-
lievable that the University is treating
the three like slaves, not employees."
The University maintains that an
internal investigation found no evi-
dence of racial discrimination in the
case, but has offered to reinstate the
ployees in other departments
Wthin the University.
In Jan. 16 letters to the three work-
ers, Director of Employee Relations
Bruce B. Pringle indicated that the
three were originally fired for falsify-
ing time cards. He addressed the griev-
ance procedure and levied alternate
disciplinary measures, including six-
week suspensions for Dawn Mitchell
and Delano Isabell and a three-day
*spension for Thesa Atkins.
The letters also asserted no wrong-
doing on the part of their supervisor,
whom the three workers accuse of
being racist.
"Our investigation further revealed
no discrimination by Dental School
supervision," Pringle wrote in a letter
See EMPLOYEES, Page 2 -
1,800 left dead
in aftermath of
Japan quake
DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily
Interim communication chair John Chamberlin speaks to students yesterday about the department's future, First-
year and sophomore students should think twice before declaring, Chamberlin advised.
i dept.
leave -students in limbo,
The Washington Post
KOBE, Japan - Jan. 18 (Wednes-
day) - The last fires were finally
going out over this major port city
Wednesday as rescue workers began
to regain control after a ferocious
earthquake yesterday killed at least
1,800 people and left thousands of
buildings destroyed.
The death toll from the first tremor
and a long series of aftershocks could
go much higher, Kobe officials said,
as rescue teams continued to find bod-
ies buried under the rubble of fallen
homes.
As of 8 a.m. today local time (6
p.m. yesterday EST), Japan' Na-
tional Police Agency reported that
1,805 people had died in the quake
and 1,036 others were listed as miss-
ing.
Some 6,300 people were injured,
and nearly 100,000 spent the long
night yesterday in temporary housing
in schools and public buildings. More
than 9,000 homes were burned in fires
caused by the quake.
Those figures mean that the quake
was the most lethal in this tremor-
plagued land since 1948, when a quake
of magnitude 7.1 killed about 3,700
people in Fukui Prefecture.
Yesterday's earthquake, with a
magnitude of 7.2 on the Richter Scale
and a 6 on Japan's 1-to-7 scale, hit at
5:46 a.m. The epicenter was on the
island of Awajishima, just outside
Kobe Harbor in the Inland Sea. But
that open, rural island reported rela-
tively little damage.
The major destruction and loss of
life occurred in the urban center of
Kobe, the chief port of Japan's indus-
trial heartland the center of Honshu,
the country's largest island. Kobe has
a substantial foreign community, but
there were no reports of Americans
killed or injured.
The considerably bigger city of
By CATHY BOGUSLASKI
Daily Staff Reporter
"If you wanted to study journalism,
you were probably in the wrong place to
begin with, and you'll be in an even
more wrong place after next year."
So warned John Chamberlin, in-
terim chair of the communication de-
partment, to students interested in
completing a communication concen-
tration.
Chamberlin met with about 25 stu-
dents yesterday to explain changes that
soon will be made to the department.
A faculty advisory committee
studying the department submitted a
report to the LSA Executive Commit-
tee and Dean Edie N. Goldenberg last
Thursday. They recommended that
all journalism classes be removed
from the department, and that courses
dealing with film and video be shifted
to the Program in-Film and Video
Studies.
While the report has been endorsed
by the college, many students are
worried about the decision.
"I'm disappointed that they're giv-
ing up on journalism," said LSA
sophomore Andy Knudson. "That
seems weird for a school like Michi-
gan, that's supposed to be the leaders
and best."'
While sophomores and juniors will
be able to finish a communication
concentration with the current require-
ments, first-year students will not,
Chamberlin said.
"I came here to be a communica-
tions major," said Stu Berlow, an LSA
first-year student who is already a
declared concentrator. "I hope to go
to graduate school for journalism, but
I had hoped to get a basis in journal-
ism here.
"I don't think they should elimi-
nate the program so quickly," Berlow
said. "I think it should be phased out
after '98 so any current students would
be able to finish up."
Chamberlin said, "If you're a cur-
rent (sophomore or junior) concen-
trator, we're going to do our best to
make sure you can complete your
concentration by taking courses
you're interested in."
First-year students will have the
option of concentrating in the new
communication studies department,
which will emphasize political, so-
cial and cultural aspects of mass com-
munications, not journalism training.
"I'm interested in going into print
journalism," said Jennifer Jackson,
an LSA junior who transferred from
Eastern Michigan University.
"I transferred here specifically to
study communications as a stepping
See COMM, Page 2
In annual address, governor
proposes $1.5 billion tax cuts
By ZACHARY M. RAIMI
Daily Staff Reporter
LANSING - Under the glare of
e House chamber's lights and skep-
'cal Democrats, Gov. John Engler
outlined plans for his second term last
night - including $1.5 billion in tax
cuts over five years - during his
State of the State address.
In addition to proposing increased
tax exemptions and cutting the Single
Business Tax, Engler vowed to estab-
lish charter schools, continue welfare
form and toughen punishments for
4minals.
"We will fight for every job - we
will fight for every worker - and if
we have courage and continue the
bold course we've begun, the future is
ours, right here in Michigan," Engler
said.
Engler's speech, "Building on
Michigan's Renaissance," represents
his vision of a smaller, more efficient
*te government.
"As I see it," Engler said, "there
are four pillars, four values on which
it is founded: opportunity, liberty,
accountability and responsibility."
Because the state has raised more
revenue than its constitution allows,
Engler proposed increasing the per-
sonal income tax exemptions from
$2,100 to $2,400.
Engler also favors a cut the Single'
Business tax, which he said will save
small business owners $532 million
over the next five years.
Concerned that many Michigan
businesses have moved to Kentucky,
Indiana and Ohio, Engler endorsed
the Michigan Economic Growth Au-
thority Act, which he expects would
give Michigan the tools to generate
new jobs.,
"I cannot and will not stand by and
do nothing. I refuse to let Wildcats,-
Hoosiers and Buckeyes take jobs away
from Spartans and Wolverines," he
said.
Engler devoted much of his speech
to education. "Michigan has some of
the best schools in the world," he said.
"Regrettably, our state also has its
share of substandard schools, includ-
ing too many dangerous schools. This
is not acceptable. We can - and must
- do better."
He challenged the State Board of
Education to conduct a full-scale ex-
amination of the Department of Edu-
cation, and to terminate departments
that do not strengthen educational
opportunities.
Engler also promised to challenge
a circuit court decision last year strik-
ing down charter schools. "We were
right," he said. "The circuit court was
wrong."
By next fall, Engler hopes to open
at least three skilled trade academies,
and 10 more within the next four
years. "They will offer a much-needed
alternative for our young people,"
Engler said.
Engler's other goals include:
U Establishing of the Office of
See STATE, Page 2
RP
Osaka, a major financial center that
borders Kobe to the east, escaped
with relatively minor damage. Two
ancient capitals of Japan, Kyoto and
Nara, both nearby and both replete
with antique structures and artistic
treasures, were shaken but not seri
ously damaged.
The famous Kyoto temple
Sanjusan-gendo, a 700-year-old place
of worship that houses 1,001 statutes
of the Kannon, the Buddhist goddess
of mercy, benefited from merciful
fate: Only six of the ancient statues
were damaged.
In Kobe, however, fires evidently
caused by broken gas lines raged in
the brisk night winds nearly 24 hours
after the quake hit. With water lines
broken as well in many areas of the
city, firefighters were handicapped in
their efforts to douse the flames.
By the light of the wind-driven
fires, rescue workers could be seen
digging through piles of rubble that
had once been individual homes. At
one home, a rescue team reported
hearing a child's voice shouting "Oi!
See EARTHQUAKE, Page 2
Assembly
advocates
ballot item
on code
By AMY KLEIN
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly
last night approved a proposal to
amend the Statement of Student Rights
and Responsibilities, the University's
code of non-academic conduct.
MSA endorsed a proposal to re-
place the student panel in the code
amendment process with a student
referendum. Presently, a student panel
approves amendments before the re-
gents make the final decision.
"What we're looking for is an ex-
pansion of the number of people who
will be asked whether or not they
want (a certain) amendment," said
Vince Keenan, MSA's Student's
Rights Commission chair.
Lack of interest among the panel-
ists has been one problem in the
amendment process. Eighteen out of
26 panelists must be. present to con-
duct a hearing.-
"The panelists wee unreliable and
didn't show," Keenan said. "It's (the
Board of Regents') responsibility to
get them there. At least student apa-
thy isn't working in anyone's favor;
(the regents') amendments can't be
heard either,"
MSA President Julie Neenan said
she wants to give students a larger
role in the code procedure, and she
hopes the assembly would be involved
Gov. John
Engler greets members of the Senate and House last night.
Mexican economy may
yield tourist bargains
INSIDE
.NEWS 3
ENACT sponsors the Wolver-
Green Games, targeted at
Hill dorm residents.
ARTS 5
Two icons of the late '80s,
alternative rock- Throwing
I\ta i-,P', anri the OrZtonp n P-n
Groups to recruit
at Winterfest today
Spring Break
spending benefits
from peso
devaluation
By STEPHANIE JO KLEIN
third of its value, sending the economy
into a tailspin, said Joyce Chang, an
emerging markets analyst for Salomon
Brothers Inc.
The rapid devaluation has led lo-
cal merchants to raise prices to offset
By JODI COHEN
Daily Staff Reporter
Little Caesar's Pizza, Wendy's and
Subway are not the only options at the
Michigan Union today during lunch
time. The menu also includes infor-
ing academic, professional, social,
political and minority-related asso-
ciations.
Co-coordinator Melissa Davis
said, "(Winterfest) shows all the dif-
ferent types of groups. Just looking in
I I