t IE&U Untt Weather Tonight: Partly cloudy, low in the 30s. Tomorrow: Partly sunny, high in the mid-50s. One hundred four years of editorial freedom Thursday April 6, 1995 i 1 , : ". u c ,. , A a ..: ,. ,., House passes $189B in .tx cuts The Washington Post WASHINGTON - House Re- publicans late last night passed a $189 billion tax cut package over Demo- cratic charges that it was stacked in favor of the rich. The 246 to 188 vote capped the GOP's triumphant 100- *ay legislative wind sprint. The far- ranging tax cuts, the first major re- ductions since President Ronald Reagan's massive 1981 tax bill, would be financed with offsetting cuts in general government spending, sav- ings from the GOP welfare reform legislation, reduced spending for Medicare and an increase in federal employees' contribution to their re- tirement fund. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) goading his troops on to final passage, urged the members to "look at this and ask yourself: In your constituents' lives, won't a little less money for the government and a little more money for those families be a good thing? And isn't this what this Congress was elected to do?" But House Minority Whip David . Bonior (D-Mich.) framed the de- bate as a choice between the middle class and the privileged few. "Time and time again we've heard Republi- cans talk about renewing Americans civilization," he said, "but they don't seem to understand you can't renew American civilization by taking Big Bird from 5-year-olds, school lunches from 10-year-olds, summer jobs from 015-year-olds and student loans from 20-year-olds." The tax measures, the so-called "crown jewel" of the GOP's "Con- tract With America," include a $500 per-child tax credit for families earn- ing up to $200,000 a year, a sharp reduction in the capital gains tax, a new, more versatile Individual Re- tirement Account, an end to the mar- *riage tax penalty and a raft of write- offs and tax breaks for businesses and corporations. But the measure faces an uncer- tain future in the Senate, where Re- publicans are sharply divided over the wisdom of approving a major tax cut before Congress makes discern- ible headway toward eliminating the deficit. *;>E 1% 1 X Tickets now available for *Salk's return By Megan Schimpf Daily Staff Reporter Forty years ago, Jonas Salk and University researcher Thomas Francis made medical history at Rackham Auditorium as they announced the success of their trials of the long- awaited polio vaccine. Next Wednesday, Salk will again speak at Rackham Auditorium to com- memorate the anniversary of the dis- covery that made him a national hero in 1955. Salk, who won a Nobel Prize for his discovery, will again be honored in ceremonies beginning at 10 a.m. Two hundred tickets are available to the public for the event. The free tickets can be picked up at the Michigan Union Ticket Office beginning today, *with a limit of two tickets per person. "Because we wanted to use the original site, that means we couldn't have as much seating," said Univer- sity spokeswoman Julie Peterson. Although the auditorium seats about Higher Education Bill The Michigan House of Representatives yesterday passed next year's higher education budget. The bill, which moves to the Senate: O Includes funding increases of 3 to 6 percent for all state universities except the University of Michigan; Keeps the University's funding at this year's level, unless the University submits a plan to lower its norniresident enrollment below 30 percent, in which case it will receive a 3 percent increase; and Preserves the Indian Tuition Waiver Program after being cut in Gov. John Engler's original budget proposal. House OKs flat 'U' funding By Zachary M. Raimi Daily Staff Reporter After weeks of debate, the state House voted yesterday to deny a 3 percent increase in appropria- tions to the University as part of its higher educa- tion appropriations budget. Passing the House by a 86-17 vote, the bill advances to the Senate, which will take it up during the next few weeks. It must be signed by Gov. John Engler before taking effect. The Appropriations subcommittee on higher education, and later the full Appropriations Com- mittee, voted last month to put the proposed 3 percent increase - more than $8.3 million - in escrow until the University submits a plan to bring its non-resident undergraduate enrollment down to 30 percent. If it complies, the University would then receive the money. Non-resident enrollment is currently at 33.4 percent. Vice President for University Relations Walter Harrison said he feels confident that the Senate will restore the appropriations. "It's going to be a very interesting debate, but we think our cause is just and we will prevail," he said. The state Legislature requests that the Univer- sity keeps its non-resident enrollment at 30 percent, but cannot enforce their request because of the University's autonomy under the state Constitu- tion. Rep. Mary Schroer (D-Ann Arbor) accused the House of hurting working families by denying the funds. "Why are we subsidizing the rich people and forcing our kids to take out $20,000 in loans?" Schroer, who voted against the overall budget, said it hurt the University. "I feel that U-M did not come out a winner and Michigan State University and Western Michigan University did come out as winners," she said. Engler had proposed a 3 percent across-the- board increase in appropriations to all 15 state public universities, plus additional funding for Grand Valley State, Michigan State and Western Michigan universities. The House approved the extra appropriations for all three schools. An amendment by Rep. Kirk Profit (D-Ypsilanti Township) would have increased the University's and Eastern Michigan University's appropriations by 6. percent, but it was narrowly defeated by the House. Harnison said he was encouraged by these re-. sults. "We were very encouraged by the vote on Kirk Profit's amendment," he said. "We had the entire House Republican leadership against us, and we were still able to garner 50 votes." See FUNDS, Page 2 77..r IIIres. addresses ... .. 'cN wonien SiSSUCS - 4 at 'town -meeting By Michelle Lee Thompson Daily Staff Reporter At a "town meeting" yesterday, President James J. Duderstadt reiter- ated his goals to raise consciousness of women's issues within the Univer- sity community. Before an audience of about 100 women faculty and staff in Rackham Auditorium, Duderstadt discussed the achievements made thus far under the Agenda for Women, his year-old ini- tiative to increase the number of women faculty members. He listed the instatement of a sexual harassment policy and the for- mation of a task force on violence against women as major accomplish- ments in the agenda campaign. Also, he pointed out recent hirings and promotions of women in various departments. "We made a commitment to pro- viding fWIl resources necessary for the recruitment and employment of 10 senior women faculty," he said, adding that this commitment had spurred some promotions in the ob- stetrics and gynecology department. Jackie McClain, executive di- rector of human resources and affir- mative action, joined Duderstadt in speaking about recently empowered alternatives to the University's grievance procedure. The new method of expressing employee grievances involves conciliation and consulting. "This program will be available to those staff who wish to use an alterna- tive to the grievance system. It is designed to be non-confrontational and a win-win situation," McClain said of the option. She described the current pro- cess as "industrial" and "confronta- tional." In light of national attention on affirmative action and some congres- sional disapproval of many such gov- ernment programs, Duderstadt said the University was going to fight to retain its current policies. He added that 25 percent of Uni- versity undergraduates are students of color - a figure he hopes will reach 33 percent by the year 2000. "The University's commitment to these efforts is stronger than ever," Duderstadt said. "I'm less concerned about political challenges than I am about legal challenges," he said, point- ing to recent lawsuits filed against the University. Duderstadt emphasized the need to educate faculty and raise awareness of women in the workplace. He said that participants of recent focus groups of- ten did not realize the need for more women faculty at the University. "There is a very large segment of this University that does not believe we have a problem," Duderstadt said. "This suggests to me that we really do have a great challenge ahead that in- volves a consciousness-raising throughout the University." Many members of the audience had the opportunity to ask questions - most of which referred more to the University's actions than to the writ- ten agenda. "I think it lacks accountability. There's a lot of philosophical com- ments but, there's nothing about ac- tual action," said Comprehensive Studies Program staff member Elzora Holland. But many of the women who par- ticipated in the dialogue had more positive reactions to Duderstadt's ini- tiative. "He's trying to make life more bearable and certainly more pleasant for women staff on campus," said Pat Castle, who works at the Registrar's Office. Above: Audience members listen :} during the y Michigan Initiative for Women's Health Spring Symposium. Left: President James J. Duderstadt addresses a crowd of women faculty at Rackham Auditorium yesterday. z> <; k tz