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The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 4, 1995 - 3
4"C
Rape suspect's
assault, rbbery
trial postponed
Accused Ann Arbor serial rapist
Ervin Dewain Mitchell Jr.'s trial for a
Christmas Eve assault and purse-
snatching attempt, scheduled for yes-
terday, has been postponed. Circuit
Court Judge Donald Shelton postponed
the trial until April 6, when instead a
pretrial conference will take place.
If convicted of the unarmed rob-
bery of an Ann Arbor woman in the
1800 block of Dexter Avenue, he
could be sentenced up to 15 years in
prison. It was Mitchell's Christmas
Day arrest that ultimately led to his
being charged with the series of Ann
Arbor rapes.
Mitchell, 33, was ordered Thurs-
day by 15th District Court Judge Ann
Mattson to stand trial for other crimes
he was charged with March 2 - in-
cluding one count of first-degree
murder and four counts of first-de-
gree criminal sexual conduct.
The Washtenaw County Court-
house court administrator gave no rea-
sons for the postponement. Ann Arbor
Police Department spokesman Sgt. Phil
Scheel could not be reached for com-
ment yesterday. Shelton issued a gag
order March 9 prohibiting attorneys,
police and witnesses involved in
Mitchell's case from discussing the
criminal charges with the press.
Student-athlete
*sentenced for
aggravated assault
Kendrick K. Kakazu, an LSA se-
nior, was sentenced Friday to 108 hours
ofcommunity service, $340 in fines and
placed on probation for two years.
The Michigan wrestler was charged
with aggravated assault last December
following an altercation at an Oct. 1
party in the 500 block of Benjamin
Street.
Kakazu pleaded no contest Feb. 3
to aggravated assault charges-which
can carry up to a one-year misde-
meanor sentence.
"If he performs correctly and prop-
erly according to the demands of the
probation department, then it results
in a dismissal at the end of the two-
year period," said Washtenaw County
Assistant Prosecutor Allison Bates.
"If not, the conviction stays on his
record. We've given him the benefit
of the doubt."
The assault victim, University Law
student Eric Wise, said he felt that
Kakazu's sentence was too lenient,
considering the injuries he sustained
in the fight. Wise said he is consider-
ing action under the Statement of Stu-
dent Rights and Responsibilities, the
University's code of non-academic
conduct, against Kakazu and other
wrestlers Wise claims attacked him.
Smoke clears on
Hash Bash arrests
According to reports from the
University's Department of Public
Safety, there were 47 instances of
controlled substance violations dur-
ing Hash Bash weekend.
The event, which was in its 24th
year, only attracted a crowd estimated
at 3,500 as opposed to last year when
there were about 5,000 hemp advo-
cates and spectators in attendance on
the Diag. Likewise, the number of ar-
rests made were down from the 108
made last year.
In addition, there were 15 incidents
of open containers or possession of al-
cohol, which is a civil infraction.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Frank C. Lee
Office to weigh costs, benefits of regulation
Engler delivers on State of
the State pledge with new
office
LANSING (AP) - Gov. John Engler says
Michigan has too many rules. So the Republican
governor has ordered a new office to evaluate
existing rules and review proposed rules to elimi-
nate unneeded regulations.
The Office of Regulatory Reform starts work
June 1. Engler signed an executive order estab-
lishing the office Friday. He promised it in his
Jan. 17 State of the State address.
Engler said the office would eliminate unnec-
essary regulations "that burden Michigan citi-
zens and businesses."
"In the future, state agencies will have to
satisfy the Office of Regulatory Reform that
the benefits of new regulations outweigh their
costs and do not impose requirements that the
law never intended," Engler said in a release
yesterday.
Lawmakers said the idea of establishing a new
office to cut the size of government is a strange
approach.
"I certainly approve of his intentions of cutting
back government red tape," said Rep. Walter
DeLange (R-Grand Rapids), a member of the
House Regulatory Affairs Committee.
"Whether setting up another office is the thing
to do, I don't know. I do see some good coming
from it, with one agency overseeing others,"
DeLange said.
Engler named Michael Gadola, his former
deputy legal counsel, to head the office.
Gadola said he understands the concern, but
said there has been no place in the past for state
departments to coordinate or get direction from
the governor's office.
"While the Administrative Rules Act gave the
governor a role in the rules, it was administrative
and at the end of the process," Gadola said. "This
is an effort to reverse that and give the governor a
role from the very beginning."
Gadola, who will be paid $65,000 a year,
said agencies with rule-making authorities
will be required to review its rules to find
those that are outdated, overly burdensome or
unneeded.
"We'll have a role from the very begin-
ning, working with agencies trying to deter-
mine if rules are needed. We'll be working
with them - examining annually existing
rules," Gadola said.
Rep. Ilona Varga (D-Detroit), ranking Demo-
crat on the Regulatory Affairs Committee, said
she will have high expectations of the office.
"Since he's (the governor) already done it, I
hope we're going to carry through," Varga said.
"I would have said let each director look to see
where the waste is."
Varga said the office, which is slated for
$500,000 in the proposed $8.5 billion budget
starting Oct. 1, will be expected to get a lot done
quickly.
"Any time taxpayers' dollars are spentI have
high expectations. I hope it's not just an office set
up just to make something look good. Let's hopes
that it gets something done."
Gadola said people faced with state regula-
tions will see a difference, but he declined to set
a time line.
"Whether it will be two months, six months or
a year from now, we'll be working hard from day
one. We're going to start working on these things
right now..
Students give views on
Race or Ethnicity classes
By Jodi Cohen
Daily Staff Reporter
A committee yesterday recom-
mended a thorough review of the LSA
race or ethnicity requirement - re-
named the race and ethnicity require-
ment, or R&E. But students have been
informally evaluating the courses that
fulfill the requirement ever since its
inception fall 1991.
In its report, the committee to review
the R&E requirement stated that more
than 100 faculty teach R&E courses and
students are enrolling readily and ex-
pressing satisfaction with the courses.
"We generally hear favorable things
about the requirement," said David
Schoem, assistant dean for undergradu-
ate education.
LSA first-year student Beth Weprin
said she became more knowledgable
about race and ethnicity after taking
Anthropology 101, the most popular
R&E course.
"It taught me to expand my horizons
and think about other cultures," she said.
"Just because they may seem archaic to
me, these cultures really may not be."
There are currently 125 courses, in
more than 25 departments, that have
been approved as part of the R&E
requirement. In winter 1994, the most
popular R&E courses, in order, were in
the departments of anthropology, his-
tory, sociology, Asian studies, philoso-
phy and women's studies.
To fulfill the requirement, the course
must provide discussion about the
meanings of race, ethnicity and racism;
racial and ethnic intolerance and re'
suiting inequality in the United State$
and elsewhere: and comparisons ofdis-
crimination based on race, ethnicity,
social class or gender.
"Students shouldn't feel limited to
taking only one course," Schoem said.
"One can learn about their own group;
or they can learn about other groups."
LSA first-year student Lauren
Levine said that topics of diversity
should be emphasized more.
"It teaches you about the different
races and ethnicities, but it doesn't tell
you how to deal with the differences,"
she said.
Schoem said that the committee
will evaluate the individual courses
five years after their initial approval as
a "response to student concerns."
The report states, "One complaint
expressed by some students is that the
ROE course in which they enrolled did
not, in their view, appear to fulfill ROE
criteria."
The committee conducted research
to see if differences existed between
R&E and otherclasses. The mean GPA
in R&E classes is generally compa-
rable to that in the departments overall,
the committee found. In winter 1994,
the R&E mean was only .02 points
higher than the departmental mean.
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
say yes' to poporn
Six-year old Anthony Los-eats popcorn yesterday while participating in DARE's anti-drug poster contest.
Benefit concert helps fund
Habitat for Humanity project
By Jennifer Fried
For the Daily
Last Friday's benefit concert,
"Three Men and a Tenor," at the Power
Center provided a welcome funding
boost for Habitat for Humanity of Hu-
ron Valley.
HHHV, a non-profit organization,
is in need of extra funds after arsonists
burned down one of its completed
houses last November.
But with perseverance, the group
has succeeded in building eight homes
in partnership with Washtenaw County
low-income families since its estab-
lishment in 1989.
"The goal is to increase the number
of houses built every year, eventually
hoping that everyone who wants a home
can have one," said Maya Savarino, the
acting director of HHHV.
But building just one home remains
a difficult and time-consuming en-
deavor for the group. From planning to
completion, building a home usually
takes more than six months and re-
quires donation of materials as well as
help from skilled and unskilled volun-
teers, sponsors and the new home-own-
ers themselves.
"We're not giving anybody any-
thing, though," Savarino said. After a
family is chosen, based on income and
interviews, adult family members must
attend workshops, make a $500 down
payment and work 200 "sweat-equity"
hours building their own home.
Savarino said involvement in
"It's a good
feeling to see
these people and
get to know them
a little bit. You
work side by side
with them and get
to hear their
stories."f
- Mark Milstein
Business School Habitat for
Humanity project director
HHHV benefits both the new home-
owners and the volunteers who learn
both technical skills and patience from
the often slow process of planning and
building a house.
Many of the volunteers are students
in the University's Business School,
who are required to participate in the
Global Citizenship Program. Linda
Powellthe program manager forMBA
innovations, said that for these Busi-
ness students, "it's not just volunteer-
ing - it's understanding how these
agencies work."
"It's a good feeling to see these
people and get to know them a little bit.
You work side by side with them and
get to hear their stories," said Mark
Milstein, the project director of the
Michigan Business School Habitat for
Humanity Project.
Savarino said the recipients of the
new homes also benefit greatly, as Habi-
tat not only provides housing, but also
"helps them learn that if you don't have
good credit today, that doesn't mean
you can't have good credit tomorrow."
Savarino added that HHHV helps
families feel more comfortable dealing
with banks and their own finances.
The group also provides support
committees for the new home-owners
for as long as they are needed. Even
after families are established in their
homes, they often need help dealing
with the new issues they face as home-
owners, she said.
Savarino said HHHV's success is
due to the cooperation of the cities of
Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, as well as its
proximity to the University and East-
ern Michigan University, which pro-
vide ample student volunteers.
"The wonderful energy that youth
brings us is fabulous," she said.
Other HHHV volunteers include
professors, university administrators
and professionals. The group still has
comparatively few senior citizen vol-
unteers and seeks more skilled con-
struction workers. HHHV plans to build
four houses in 1995 and progressively
increase its construction, Savarino said.
The University of Michigan
Gilbert and Sullivan Society
is now accepting petitions for
"Grand Duke"
(fall '95)for: Director,
music director, set and
costume designer
Call 434-4722 by April 5, 1995
Correction
The Ann Arbor City Council voted 8-2 Thursday to cover the YMCA's defaulted loan. This was incorrectly reported
in yesterday's Daily.
GROUP MEETINGS
U Allanza, 764-2677, Trotter House,
Mail lobby, 7 p.m.
U Ann Arbor Moderation Manage-
ment, 930-6446, Unitarian Church,
1917 Washtenaw, Gaede Room,
7-8 p.m.
U Amnesty International, Michigan
Union, 7:30 p.m.
U Gospel Chorale Rehearsal, 764-
1705, School of Music, Room
2043. 7:30-9:30 n.m.
Michigan Union, Welker Room, 7
p.m.
Q Sailing Team, meeting, West Engi-
neering, Room 420, 6:30 p.m.
J Thai Students Association, weekly
planning meeting, 663-7299,
Michigan Union, Michigan Room, 6
p.m.
EVENTS
U "A Case of Multiple Identities in
Mid-Ming China," Marty Powers,
GOpherBLUE
U Contraceptive Options: for You and
Your Partner, sponsored by Uni-
versity Health Services, 207
Fletcher Rd., Third Floor Confer-
ence Room, 3-4:30 p.m.
O ECB Peer Tutorial, 747-4526, Angell
Hall Computing Site, 7-11 p.m.,
Alice Lloyd, 7-10 p.m., Bursley, 7-
11 p.m.
Q Federal Tax Workshop, International
Center, Room 9, 1 p.m.
rl Nnrth Cmnam Infnrmation CantAr
i I