Jr1 Un1 Weather Tonight: Mostly cloudy, low around 300. Tomorrow: Chance of flurries, high in low-40s. One hundred four years of editorial freedom Wednesday March 29, 1995 I --- - --- ----- ---------- I Rackham rep. leaves MSA over bickering By Amy Klein Daily Staff Reporter 0 One week before the new officers and representatives take their seats, the second Michigan Student Assembly member in two weeks has resigned because of political infighting. In the wake of Rackham Rep. Paul Check's resignation at last week's MSA meeting, Kinesiology Rep. Jeff Brown announced last night that he was leaving the assembly. Brown cited last night's meeting as an example of excessive bickering on uniinportant issues. Members spent close to an hour debating ways to lower telephone &d copier costs without reaching a resolution. "We spent over 45 minutes bickering about internal spending and nothing ended up changing," Brown said. "Two weeks in a row now we've moved to adjourn without even hearing everything on the agenda because people get sick of the fighting." President-elect Flint Wainess said he hopes to reduce the amount of bickering in the upcoming term. "The Dalai Lama couldn't have remained patient at an MSA meeting," Wainess said. "(Vice President-elect Sam oodstein) and I truly believe that we have a plan for scending the incredibly frustrating political and per- sonal bickering that goes on during assembly meetings." Wainess also said he will miss both Check and Brown's work on 'The Dala Lama the assembly. "I'm sorry to couldn't have see any members resign that con- remained patient tributed to the de- a bate about student n an MSA interests and stu- m- d dent concerns. mEE$eeting. Both Paul and Jeff - Flint Wainess clearly did add to MSA president-elect that debate," Wainess said. Brown said the infighting keeps the assembly from effectively serving the students. "I'm sick of the fact that we've lost touch of the issues that are supposed to be important to the assembly. If you out on the Diag and ask students if assembly members 'iould be making 50 copies or 200 copies they are going to say they don't care," Brown said. LSA Rep. Adam Clampitt agreed that party politics are overshadowing the weekly meetings."I don't think it was that bad in the beginning, but once we had elections in the fall, there were members of the assembly opposing other members just because of their party, not because of an ideological difference," he said. Current MSA President Julie Neenan feels the in- ighting will always exist, and has even improved since e first joined three years ago. "I think it's something that's inherent in the organization and it is very trying sometimes," she said. "It is unfortunate that people valuable to the assembly have negative feelings now." Neenan said she tried to mitigate the bickering over the past year. "I try to help. When people start getting personal, that's when I try to step in and to say that we need to respect each other here. But there's only so much a chair can do," she said. Even with new faces entering the assembly next week, rown said MSA is beyond help."We're setting a very or example for the people who are taking office," he said. "I just can't stand to be associated with this group any longer. I don't know if MSA's ever going to recover." Check could not be reached for comment last night. ,, . :A 1 11; IC. Student testifies in serial rape case By Frank C. Lee Daily Staff Reporter The prosecution continued presenting its case against accused Ann Arbor serial rapist Ervin Dewain Mitchell Jr. during the second day of Mitchell's preliminary examination yesterday as a fourth victim testified about how and when she was raped. Mitchell is charged with one count of first- degree murder and four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. If convicted, he could be sentenced to several life sentences in prison for the sexual assaults that occurred on the city's west side since 1992. DNA test results have linked Mitchell to four of the five rape victims. The woman who testified yesterday, a Uni- versity student, said she was returning from a State Street record store when she was beaten and raped near her apartment in the 1400 block of Kellogg Street the night of Oct. 1, 1993. "I was walking to my apartment," she testi- fied. "All I remember is being on the ground face down, but I don't recall how I got there. I can recall blacking out, then coming to while someone was pulling my slacks off. Then, I blacked out again." When the woman awoke, she found herself naked from the waist down. She testified she found her pants and shoes a short distance away, but not her underwear. The woman testified she had no idea how much time had passed or whether she had been hit, but in a dazed condition, dressed herself and returned home. "My head was bleeding ... near the back," she said. "The top button of my slacks was off, and the threading that held the zipper to the pants looked stretched." The student slept until 6 the next morning and, in a clearer state of mind, went to Univer- sity Health Services around 7:30 a.m. UHS staff did not contact the police, but directed her to University Hospitals, where a certified nurse midwife examined her. The nurse, who is a medic specially trained for J^O '"AT "'HN LUt "ily Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie shows photos of a murder victim to police officer Peter Stipe earlier this week. medical work related to sexual assault, includ- ing collection of evidence, also testified. As with the other sexual assault victims who testified Monday, Washtenaw County Prosecu- tor Brian Mackie asked the student when she last had intercourse with her boyfriend - a dark- haired male who discovered her in her dazed state at her apartment. She replied that they last had sex three to four days before the rape. During his cross-examination of the witness, Washtenaw County Assistant Public Defender David Lankford asked about the appearance of her genital region after the attack. See COURT, Page 2 JOE WESTRATE/Daily Now that's a snowman Rackham student Leeann Fu looks at the 13 foot snowman made near the North Campus Commons. Students built the snowman Monday night. North Campus Commons showcases 'U' art By Jason Wine For the Daily Upon entering the North Campus Com- mons, one immediately feels that some- thing is different up here. This difference permeates Eero Saarinen's architectural design, extending to the very walls of the building. Simply put, on these walls, there hangs art! Since the 1992 creation of the North Campus Arts and Programs Office, the Commons has provided a forum for artists affiliated with the University to exhibit their work. Artists may exhibit their work individually or as part of a larger installa- tion. Program Coordinator Helen Welford, and her assistant, Jennifer Smith, ultimately decide which exhibits will be shown. Welford, the first person to hold her position, notes that the Commons has be- come a much sought-after area for gallery showings. "If you are an undergraduate who wants to show your work, there really aren't many places to go," she said. The North Campus Commons has three permanent exhibition areas: Leonardo's, the Gallery wall, and the Atrium with its adjoining lounge. The Programs Office has shown the ability to maximize space to accomodate the requests of eligible artists. Welford noted that in the past, the Commons has housed up to five exhibits at once. There are currently three exhibits on display at the North Campus Commons. Leonardo's, a common dining area, cur- rently houses an exhibit from Graduate Stu- dent Women in Engineering. This photo exhibit highlights the accomplishments of women in the field of engineering. The Commons's airy and spacious atrium currently houses an exhibit from the University's Sexual Assault Preven- tion and Awareness Center. SAPAC's March exhibit promotes awareness of Rape Prevention Month. This corresponds with the Arts and Programs Office's goal of coordinating exhibits with current issues. Joyce Wright, education coordinator at SAPAC, said the purpose of SAPAC's installation "is to allow survivors to share their feelings by expressing the power and strength that they have." The Gallery wall is currently home to an exhibit from the Faculty Women's Club Quilting Division. Welford said the exhibits at the Com- moi!s are rotated often enough to give a variety of different artists an opportunity to have their work viewed. Upcoming events exemplify the vari- ety that Welford strives for in coordinating exhibits. Future exhibits include: Works from the Faculty Women's Club Painting Division will be displayed on the Gallery wall from April 3-30. The Commons Atrium will display works from Art student Daniel Ramirez, from April 10-24. From April 13-30, there will be a sustainable design water exhibit designed by Engineering students Bill Chatterson and Heather Culp, on display in the Commons's Old Lobby. Those interested in showing their art should contact Welford at 764-7544. New clime Jocuses on women 'S health By Lisa Michalski ily Staff Reporter The door is open on the first floor of the Taubman Health Care Center to anyone seeking information about women's health issues. Located on the University's Medi- cal Campus, the Women's Health Resource and Education Center, open since last month, offers a variety of reference materials as well as a regis- bred nurse to answer questions visi- ors have concerning both illness and wellness. "We're a haven forwomen to come seeking information and we can help coordinate their care confidentially," GOP expects defeat on term limits, blames Dems WASHINGTON (AP) - Antici- pating defeat on a key element in their "Contract With America," House Re- publicans hope to reap credit for hold- ing a vote on term limits while blam- ing Democrats for the measure's likely demise. "If we get half the Democrats, we will pass the term limits constitu- tional amendment," House Speaker Newt Gingrich declared yesterday as debate opened. Gingrich said that more than 85 percent of GOP lawmakers would vote for the measure and "it ought to be possible to get half the Democrats to. side with the country that elects them." Gingrich's partisan jabbing aside, the term limits issue has had a rocky path toward this week's expected vote, particularly for an issue that com- mands support in the 70 percent range. in public opinion polls. Some senior Republicans oppose the limits. The critics include Rep. Gingricn It takes a two-thirds vote - 290 if all 435 lawmakers vote - to send the measure to the Senate. Republicans hold 230 seats in the House, Democrats 204, and there is one independent. Republican leadership aides, speak- ing on condition of anonymity, pre- EVAN PETRIE/Daily Marilyn Cook, coordinator of the Women's Health Resource and Education Center, poses with some books available in Its library. The center educates women and men about pregnancy, menopause and relationships.