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One hundred four years of editorial freedom
Friday
April 7, 1995
VoC*'o'0 0 1"sTh mtk
New group
forms in
protest of
'U' code
ty Amy Klein
Daily Staff Reporter
With heated discussions and ideo-
logical debates, close to 30 members
of Students Against the Code con-
vened in the Michigan Union last
night to talk strategy.
While SAC is composed of six
different student groups with six dif-
rent sets of agenda and ideas, the
embers' common thread remains a
united protest against the Statement
of Student Rights and Responsibili-
ties, the University's code of non-
academic conduct.
"'he one thing we can fully agree
on is that we don't like the code.
Beyond that, we all have our different
agendas," said Remco van Eeuwijk, a
Rackham representative from the
ichigan Student Assembly.
Because of a federal mandate re-
quiring that universities have alcohol
and sexual assault policies, SAC sup-
ports a code that only includes these
statements. SAC also wants to elimi-
nate the University's judicial power.
"We want to get rid of the punish-
ment mechanisms," van Eeuwijk said.
"We all agree that the judicial process
'esn't provide due process or pro-
tion for the defendant."
On April 20, the Board of Regents
will review the first set of amend-
ments to the two-year-old code, and
with the meeting only two weeks
away, the 80 SAC volunteers are or-
ganizing a protest rally and march
that will begin at noon on the Diag
and travel to the Fleming Administra-
tion Building.
0 MSA Students' Rights Commis-
sion chair Vince Keenan has been
actively fighting the code for more
than two years and said he is excited
to see the higher level of student inter-
est.
"This is a way of getting out stu-
dent outreach to people. I think this
semester has been fantastic - aware-
ness has been rising. Right now, what
e're seeing is an avalanche effect,"
Heenan said.
SAC was created two weeks ago
on the heels of the MSA elections,
where the code had become a key
issue. At last Tuesday's MSA meet-
ing, the assembly gave SAC $930.
About 10 MSA members are cur-
rently involved in SAC and the group
also attracted former MSA presiden-
tial candidates.
0 In addition, other campus groups
Tike the Students' Civil Liberties
Watch, The Michigan Review and
the National Women's Rights Orga-
nizing Committee also have joined
the movement.
"It's such a fascinating coalition
of groups," Keenan said. "It's so bi-
See CODE, Page 2
Pretrial co
held in sen
By Frank C. Lee
Daily Staff Reporter
The prosecution and defense in the ca
accused Ann Arbor serial rapist Er
ewain Mitchell Jr. met yesterday at
pretrial conference to set Mitchell's ti
date for the three rapes and a rape-hon
cide with which he is charged.
Mitchell, 33, was ordered a week ago
stand trial for one count of first-degr
murder and four counts of first-degi
criminal sexual conduct by 15th Disti
Court Judge Ann Mattson. If found guil
titchell, also known as Michael Dar
nes, Alvin Jackson and Ervin Jackso
could spend the remainder of his life
prison.
Mattson's decision concluded three f
days of testimony including stateme
from the rape victims and their famili
Photos by KRISTEN A. SCHAEFER/C
LSA sophmore Naomi Greenstone (left) and a friend take part in the SAPAC vigil's ending ceremony last night.
APACd vgl
Edelman will
tout service
at graduation
By Ronnie Glassberg Ticket Information
Daily Staff Reporter
The founder and president of the N Tickets will be distributed 8
Children's Defense Fund, Marian a.m. - 5 p.m. April 24-26 in the
Wright Edelman, will address gradu- Hill Auditorium box office.
ates at commencement on April 29, Bachelors degree recipients
the University announced yesterday. may obtain up
The University returns this year to to eight
the tradition of a combined spring com- tickets.
mencement for all undergraduates in Masters and
Michigan Stadium. Since 1989, each doctoral
school and college has held its own degree
commencement -except in 1991 for recipients are
President Bush and 1993 for first lady eligible for up
Hillary Rodham Clinton. to four tickets.
CDF, a private, non-profit organi- icExtra
zation founded by Edelman in 1973, available, will
focuses on programs and policies that beadisbriuted
affect children, paying particular at- be distributed
tention to poor and minority youth, on a first-come, first serve basis
Stella Ogata, spokeswoman for 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. April 27-28 at the
CDF, said Edelman's speech at the Registrar's Office in the LSA
University will focus on the notion Building.
that "service is the rent you pay for ing to ensure the economic well-be-
living." ing of others serves their own self-
"She feels very strongly about interest."
community service - giving back, in LSA senior Julie Neenan, former
other words," Ogata said. "Getting president of the Michigan Student
the best job, getting a high salary, all Assembly, said she was pleased with
of that certainly is important, but you Edelman's selection.
have to think about getting back to the "I think since there was a lot of
basic value of concern for your fellow speculation of whether Clinton or
human beings. It doesn't mean that Gore would be here, she could be
you have to be a full-time advocate." anticlimactic, but I think she'll be
Project Serve co-chair'Jon Nash, a very engaging," Neenan said. "I think
graduating senior from SNRE, said the she'll be a really good speaker. I've
University recently has become more heard some good things about her."
supportive of community service. Rudolf Arnheim, professor emeri-
"In terms of community service, tus of psychology of art at Harvard
social justice and volunteerism, University; William G. Bowen, presi-
Edelman is on the forefront," Nash dent of the Andrew W. Mellon Foun-
said. "Within the last four or five dation; and Edelman will be recom-
years, the University has understood mended to receive honorary degrees.
the merits of students getting involved Bowen will be the main speaker at
in the community." the University's Graduate Exercises
Dean of Students Royster Harper in Hill Auditorium on April 28.
said that given the University's own Twoyears ago, Mrs. Clinton, afriend
community service thrust, it is fitting of Edelman's, spoke to University
to have Edelman as this year's com- graduates. Mrs. Clinton began serving
mencement speaker. as a CDF board member in 1978, and in
"I respect her a lot and certainly 1986 she became its chair. She stepped
admire the work she's done with the down in 1992 during the presidential
Children's Defense Fund," said Harper, campaign.
who keeps a copy of one of Edelman's Edelman, who is a graduate of
books in her office. "I'm excited that Spelman College and Yale Law
she's going to be here because she has School, will receive an honorary doc-
a lot of integrity. What she says she's tor of laws degree at the University.
about, she's done in her life." She began her career in the 1960s
In Edelman's book, "Families in when, as the first Black woman admit-
Peril: An Agenda for Social Change," ted to the Mississippi Bar, she directed
she describes CDF's mission. the NAACP Legal Defense and Educa-
"At the (CDF) ... we are most tional Fund office in Jackson, Miss.
interested in helping those children in Edelman founded the Washington Re-
American society who have the least," search Project, a public-interest law
Edelman wrote in the book. "In order firm and the parent body of CDF. She
to do this, we try to articulate their served as director of the Center for Law
needs in such a way that those who and Education at Harvard University
have more can be convinced that help- before starting CDF.
By Sam T. Dudek
Daily Staff Reporter
Poems were read, stories were
shared, songs were sung, and speeches
were given as the fight against sexual
assault continued yesterday at a Diag
candlelight vigil.
The Survivors of Sexual Assault
Vigil, sponsored by the Sexual As-
sault Prevention and Awareness Cen-
ter, drew about 150 people, and nu-
merous others stopped while passing
through the Diag.
In addition to the rally, SAPAC
displayed artwork and poetry on two
makeshift kiosks and handed out green
ribbons to be worn as symbols of sup-
port for the survivors of sexual assault.
"More and more people are be-
coming aware," said LSA sophomore
Madhavi Dandu. "There is a central
problem - power," she said, "spe-
cifically the abuse of power."
Dandu said the media have abused
their power by enforcing sexist stereo-
types. "Weliveinanenvironmentwhere
sexist ads are prevalent," she said.
SAPAC also announced the winner
of its annual Sexism in Advertising
contest last night, moving it up from the
Take Back the Night rally, which is
during final exams this year. The most
sexist ad, chosen by a public election,
was for Stren Fishing Line.
The company's ad, which adver-
tised fishing lines, shows nothing but a
woman's torso dressed only in a skimpy
bra, held up on one side by fishing line.
"What are they fishing for?" was
one of the many comments submitted
by a participant in the election.
A student peruses the art displayed on the Diag yesterday.
LSA junior Sarah Gordon said
such ads have detrimental effects on
society's view of women.
"The media uses women's bodies
to sell products, reinforcing the belief
that women are objects that can be
used for profit," she said.
SAPAC Director Deborah Cain
was the keynote speaker of the 90-
minute event, and she continued the
discussion on the media's role in
sexual oppression.
"Every day women and children are
victimized," she said. Cain accused the
media of inaccurately portraying the
victims of sexual assault, adding that
the media underestimate the problem.
"Half the women who are killed in
the United States are killed by part-
ners or ex-partners," Cain said.
As the sun set behind Mason Hall,
organizers attempted to light the candles
for the vigil. Fighting a cold, brisk April
wind, women and men at the rally
struggled to preserve the flames.
Following the speeches, SAPAC
members and volunteers tookturns read-
ing poems and stories focusing on rape
and the victims of sexual assault. LSA
senior Angela Head sang and played
guitar to finish the performances.
"When we speak of sexual assault,
we have to do it in a way that is con-
scious of the survivors around us," Cain
said. "It's real live human beings that
survived these violent episodes.
"That's why I'm happy to see so
many people here," she said.
nference
ial rape Case
set by Mattson was a reasonable period of
time to prepare his case.
ase Lankford said he had only begun to
vin specifically prepare his defense for the
t a rapes and murder charges Mitchell faces
rial when his client was arraigned March 2.
mi- Shelton scoffed at Lankford's claim
that the defense had not begun to prepare
ato its case when Mitchell was arrested
ree Christmas Day for an attempted purse-
ree snatching.
rict Lankford also argued that even less
.ty, serious, criminal cases typically go to trial
ryl within four to six weeks of the preliminary
on, examination. Lankford said he needed to
in interview the witnesses again, view the
taped preliminary examination and con-
full sult an independent DNA expert.
nts The defense said its client's case, be-
es, cause it involves complex DNA testimony,
2 city council is
closer im search for,
city administrator
By Maureen Sirhal
Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council is one step closer to
filling the soon-to-be-vacant city administrator position.
In an effort to step up plans to find a permanent
replacement for the administrator role, the council unani-
mously passed a resolution last night to hire a recruiting
firm, the Mercer Group, based in Tampa, Fla. -
A council-appointed committee reviewed 17 proposed
recruiting firms and narrowed the choice to four and later
to two before making the final choice.
"We reviewed 17 proposals and limited (them) by
looking at experience and scope of work," said the city's
director of human resources, Thomas White.
Councilmember Tobi Hanna-Davies (D-Ist Ward),
echoing Democratic concerns over whether the search
would encompass minority firms, questioned the quality
of the group's hiring record.
White responded that the Mercer Group has a solid
KRISTIN A. SCHAEFER/Daily
Ervin Dewain Mitchell Jr. confers with his attorney during his preliminary hearing last
week. Mitchell was ordered by Dsitrict Court Judge Ann Mattson to stand trial on
charges of rape and murder.