4,
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 16, 1995 - 3
Educator warns of
airmative action
A former president of Howard
University warned his fellow higher
education administrators Monday to
prepare for a contentious debate over
affirmative action that could split
America "right down the middle."
Addressing the American Council
on Education in SanFrancisco, Franklyn
G. Jenifer, who left Howard University
last year for the presidency of the Uni-.
versity of Texas at Dallas, told the 150
Administrators from public and private
schools that arguments-over race- and
gender-based preferences in college ad-
missions and hiring are just beginning.
"In two years, it's going to be hell
on your campuses on this issue," said
Jenifer, who cited the recent protest at
Rutgers University as an example of
how a college campus can be divided
when a sensitive issue flares.
*"It will be every major campus
that has significant proportions of
minority students who were admitted
with different standards of admission
or (whose) average SAT scores ... or
rank in the class is lower than the
majority."
Clinton defends
student loans
While in San Francisco for the
American Council on Education con-
ference, President Clinton defended
his Student Loan Reform Act Tues-
day before university administrators.
Enacted two years ago, the Stu-
dent Reform Act allows students to
borrow education funds directly from
the federal government.
Most student loans currently come
from private banks with the federal
government financing the transaction
by supplying money to the bank.
Republicans have pledged to limit
the program so that no more than 40
percent of student loans are financed
in this fashion, The Washington Post
reported.
Economic advisers to the Presi-
dent have indicated that the direct-
loan approach saves the government
*money by bypassing banks.
The American Council on Educa-
tion has endorsed Clinton's program.
MSU serving wide
audiences
City project aims to reduce pollution in region
By Daniel Johnson
Daily Staff Reporter
As one of the world's largest in-
dustrial hubs, southeastern Michigan
produces large amounts of toxic waste
each year. To empower citizens fac-
ing risk from this waste, the Ecology
Center of Ann Arbor educates and
advises citizens about toxic pollution
through one of its efforts,the Toxics
Reduction Project.
The project, established in 1990,
pledges to mobilize citizens to re-
duce toxic pollution levels and pre-
vent accidents in their communities.
The group provides citizens with
technical assistance, model ap-
proaches for local emergency plan-
ning and interpretation of toxics
emission data.
"The state of Michigan suffers an
enormous pollution legacy," said
Ecology Center Director Mike
Garfield. "According to community
right-to-know information ... Michi-
gan ranks fourth among states in the
number of toxic contamination sites."
The project was organized in re-
sponse to contamination and played
an integral role in the formation of the
"Right-to-Know" campaign in the late
1980s.
"Prior to 1987, companies weren't
required to report what chemicals they
were releasing into their communi-
ties," said Andy Comai, industrial
health director of the project.
The "Right-to Know" Act is state
legislation that requires companies to
release a list of chemicals emitted
into the environment to workers and
communities. This information is criti-
cal to the development of dialogue
between communities and companies,
Comai said.
In cooperation with the city of
Ann Arbor, the project brought a law-
suit in the 1980s against Gelman Sci-
ences, an Ann Arbor-based producer
of medical filters. Gelman's produc-
tion was allegedly responsible for re-
leasing harmful chemicals into sur-
rounding groundwater and wells.
Gelman settled in 1990 and agreed to
clean up the site.
Earlier this month, the Ecology
Center and the Ypsilanti-Willow Run
Branch of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People announced plans to collabo-
rate in locating toxic hot spots in the
Ypsilanti area and mobilizing citizen
action. The joint effort is in response
to recent studies indicating that race
is the single-largest factor influenc-
ing exposure to environmental haz-
ards, said Raymond G. Mullins, ex-
ecutive director of the local branch of
the NAACP.
"We believe that our partnership
with the Ecology Center promises to
address some of southeast Michigan's
most serious environmental problems,
which disproportionately affect
people of color," he said.
The project is also working with
citizens in Romulus to investigate is-
sues surrounding Michigan's first
commercial hazardous materials in-
jection well.
Environmental Disposal Systems
of Birmingham has built an injection
well in Romulus and received a per-
mit to begin testing at the site. If the
EDS project proceeds, 96 million gal-
lons of waste would be injected into
the ground at a depth of 4,500 feet
over the next 15 to 30 years.
"I'm just a plain old mom who
thought I knew what was going on in
my backyard," said Debbie Romak,
spokeswoman for Romulus Environ-
mentalists Care About People. "Dis-
posal companies look for a sleepy
town highly populated by minorities,"
she asserted.
While Environmental Disposal
Systems claimed that they would lo-
cate the site in an area with zero
population, Romak said that the site is
500 yards from a mostly black neigh-
borhood.
The project has worked with the
Romulus environmental group giv-
ing them statistics on other toxic in-
jection wells and providing a profile
of existing pollution in their area.
In addition to working with citi-
zens on pollution prevention, the
project also keeps an eye on pollut-
ants from the auto industry. In its fall
publication, the project examined a
case at the Spiratex plant -a Romulus
producer of auto parts. Between 1990
and 1992, three cases of testicular
cancer arose among workers causing
the company to contract for health
and hygiene surveys at the plant.
"We're working with citizen
groups and labor unions to attack
sources of regional pollution," Comai
said.
Neither Gelman nor Environmen-
tal Disposal Systems could be reached
for comment yesterday.
s s , s yk '
Qy 2 ry, t y f F' 1 Women s league raffies
y,
a..: r
j <! or ri agamst
By Melissa Koenigsberg
For the Daily
Members of the Ann Arbor-
Ypsilanti Women's International
League For Peace and Freedom peace-
fully demonstrated in front of the Ann
Arbor Federal Building yesterday af-
ternoon to protest the killings of abor-
tion clinic workers and denounce vio-
lence against women.
"These demonstrations are going
on nationwide, in honor of Susan B.
Anthony, a pioneer for women suf-
frage, who spoke out in 1850 for
women's right to equality," said Odile
Hugonot Haber, the league's coordi-
nator.
"Ann Arbor is a very progressive
town when it comes to women's is-
sues. There are many organizations
on campus, and City Hall has a spe-
cific commission addressing violence
against women," she said.
Founded in 1915, the league now
includes 80 members locally and
9,000 nationally. The organization's
main goal is to empower women to
work for peace and justice in 42 coun-
tries and 110 U.S. communities.
Paul Lamberg, a community or-
ganizer and league member, said the
protest was necessary to increase com-
munity awareness. "(Conditions) are
not getting better for everyone and
inequality bothers me," he said.
Displaying signs reading "Pro-
choice for Women" and "Stop Clinic
Violence, Violence Against Women,"
activists discussed issues such as
welfare, abortion and arms control
with one another as well as with pass-
ersby.
LSA senior Janice Moore, who
was walking by, argued with an activ-
ist who was holding a sign that read
"Pro-choice for Women."
"I firmly believe that it is time
people start focusing on human rights.
In the long run you do more harm
when you promote one group, you get
diverse reactions, which makes it
harder to get something accom-
plished," Moore said. She questioned
the fetus's right as well as the violent
nature of abortion, and promoted ab-
stinence.
Defending abortion, Lee Booth, a
member of the women's league, held
a sign reading "CHOICE, it's a right,
not a necessity," she said.
"Our name implies that it is for
peace, women and justice. We urge
conciliation, not confrontation at abor-
tion clinics and elsewhere in our lives,"
she said.
She also criticized legislation
being debated in Washington. "New
welfare reform refuses to give aid to
unwed mothers who have babies,
yet they are forced to have them.
Our own law makes discriminatory
remarks. The government is setting
the tone."
The group works toward world
disarmament and peaceful resolution
of international conflict through the
United Nations.
"The U.S. is such a repressed soci-
ety, not respectful of peace, commu-
nity, caring, love and education,"
Haber said. "We are protesting the
war system, our government sells arms
that are used in an interconnecting
system of war.
"Women are more educated world-
wide, but (lack economic means to
suceed). There is no country in the
world with 50 percent representation
of women in government, the U.S.
has 10-15 percent." Haber said she
believes that until women are treated
the same as men, their "safety, qual-
ity, caring and healing in our commu-
nity" will not be properly valued.
She also said, "It is important for
people to see that women stand up for
their rights and show that we are not
afraid to stand on the streets of our
city and express that right."
STEPHANIE GRACE LIM/Daily
Bowing to demands made by non- Ruth Graves protests violence against women yesterday.
traditional students at Michigan State
University, school officials announced C m ro n torea Am
0at the end of January a commitment to
Camero toread Ame.
extend learning opportunities.
Mx U lanns otpupitefts t By Usa Michalski I teach." Cameron said. "They just
cont nu satel lt televi sio ks an Daily Staff Reporter wanted me to read stuff I like."
weekend programs. Interactive tele- The brainchild of a group of eager Members of the Central Planning
*.vision and computers will link pro- Honors Program students will take Committee, the general student com-
fessors with students who are not able form tonight in the first of a series of mittee in the Honors Program, se-
normally to make the daily commute Thursday-night lectures. lected Cameron to speak because "he's
to the East Lansing campus. Last year Classical studies Prof. H. D. made such an impact on so many
about 3,000 MSU students took Cameron will read some of his favor- Honors students," said LSA first-year
classes at off-campus centers across ite prose and poetry from American student Kiran Chaudhri, one of the
, the state, with many courses linked by literature tonight as the first speaker co-leaders of the committee. "He can
interactive or satellite television. in the series, sponsored by the LSA open the doors for us by making us
The university plans to expand the Honors Program. realize that the literature is a lot deeper
amount of courses offered in this fash- Beginning at 7 p.m. in Stockwell than it seems at first glance."
ion. MSU also plans to increase the residence hall's Blue Lounge, Cameron Most first-year Honors students
number of degrees that can be earned will read works by Mark Twain, Will- take Cameron's class, Great Books
at night or on the weekend. iam Faulkner and e.e. cummings, he 191, to fulfill their introductory com-
- compiled by Daily Staff said. Students will have a chance to talk position requirement.
Reporter Kelly Feeney. Daily wire informally with Cameron over refresh- "Events like this present a forum
services contributed to this report. ments after the reading. to meet Honors students and bring
"This has nothing to do with what them together," Chaudhri added. Al-
orrection
Bfrian Elliott is an Engineering representative on the Michigan Student Assembly. This was incorrectly reported in
yesterday's Daily.
rican lit. for Honors lecture series
Events like this present a frum to
meet Honors students and bring them
together."f
- Kiran Chaudhri
LSA first-year student
though the publicity for the event has
focused on drawing Honors students,
anyone is free to attend.
The lecture series will continue on
March 16, featuring University research
scientist Fred Bookstein, the instructor
of an honors course called "Numbers,
Data, and Reason."
Bookstein will discuss game
theory, "constructing games to mir-
ror real-life situations," said Liina
O vercrowded
jail leads to
early releases
for inmates
LANSING (AP)-- Just six weeks
into the new year, 167 inmates -
including 72 last week -- have been
set free because of overcrowding at
the Ingham County Jail.
That's more than a third of those
released early in all of 1994.
"We've been in a virtually con-
stant state of overcrowding for more
than a year," Ingham County Chief
Circuit Judge Peter Houk said T.ues-
day. "We're pouring a quart of wine
into a one-pint bottle. There's bound
to be overflow."
In some cases, people are never
Wallin, associate director of the Hon-
ors Program.
On the final night of the series,
April 6, former Ann Arbor state Sen.
Lana Pollack will speak about educa-
tion legislation and education reform,
Wallin said.
Wallin said the Thursday evening
lecture series was an idea initiated,
generated, and put together entirely
by the students. "They want to talk to
each other and have some common
experiences," she said.
At the beginning of fall term, 200
first-year Honor students attended an
organizational meeting put together
by the program's administration. "The
purpose of the meeting was for, stu-
dents to indicate how they wanted to
organize and what kind of projects
they wanted to undertake."
Since the initial meeting last fall, the
students have started working in vari-
ous interest groups, Wallin said. Aside
from assembling the lectureseries, other
Honors students are performing com-
munity service at Burns Park Elemen-
tary School, working to set up a com-
puter bulletin board and organizing an
honors student newsletter.
"It's just so wonderful to see them
be so interested and so involved," she
said. "Honors is becoming areal learn-
ing community."
"This is the first year we're get-
ting established," Chaudhri said.
"Next year we plan to do more."
GROUP MEETINGS
Q Bible Study and Fellowship, spon-
sored by ICM, 763-1664, Baits II,
Coman Lounge, 6-8 p.m.
Q Eye of the Spiral, informal meeting,
747-6930, Guild House Campus
Ministry, 802 Monroe, 8 p.m.
Q Intervarsity Christian Fellowship,
764-5702, Dana Building, Room
1040, 7 p.m.
Q Orthodox Christian Fellowship, 665-
9934, Mcihigan Union, Welker
Room, 7 p.m.
Q Volunteers in Action, dinner for the
homeless, 764-0655, sponsored
by Hillel, call for location, 3 p.m.
..__
spnsoted by Honors Program,
Stockwell, Blue Lounge, 7 p.m.
U "Learning to Meditate," sponsored
by Meditation with Universal Con-
sciousness, East Quad, 64 Green,
7 p.m.
U "Pratical Training for International
Students,' sponsored by Interna-
tional Center, International Cen-
ter, Room 9, 3 p.m.
0 "Shuchan ivrit HebrewTable," spon-
sored by Hillel, Cava Java, 5 p.m.
0 "Spiro, Mesoamerica, and the Prob-
lem of Complexity in the South-
east," brown bag, sponsored by
Museum of Anthropology, Ruthven
Museum, Room 2009, 12 noon-1
n~m
9:30 p.m.; Wolverine Feud, 8-8:30
p.m./9:30-10 p.m.
STUDENT SERVICES
Q 7$4UIDE, 764-8433, peer coun-
seling phone line, 7 p.m.-8 a.m.
U ECB Peer Tutorial, Angell Hall Com-
puting Site, 747-4526, 7-11 p.m.,
Mary Markley, 7-10 p.m.
Q Campus information Center, Michi-
gan Union, 763-INFO; events info
76-EVENT or UM*Events on
GOpherBLUE
Q North Campus information Center,
North Campus Commons, 763-
NCIC, 7:30 a.m.-5:50 p.m.
Q Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley Hall,
Are you upset because your
man has been keeping a secret
relationship with his ex?
Is your husband
upset because you haven't lost
the weight you gained when
you were pregnant?
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- I _-