PC4*'E .La a ti leather Tonight: Mostly clear, low around 35% Tomorrow: Partly sunny, high near 60%. One hundredfive years of editorilfreedom Tuesday April 23, 1996 =IZZI CCHANGING OF THE GUARD " A SPECIAL SECTION Report details Matock scuffle President James Duderstadt has 69 days left as leader of the University. Though at times he has come un- der criticism from students, faculty members and even the Board of Re- gents, some colleagues say they are sad to see him go. "Working with Jim has been the highest privilege of my career. I will miss the intel- lectual excite- ment and his inoral convic- tions," said W a l t e r Harrison, vice president for University rela- tions. e "He has "'taught me more about leader- Duderstadt ship and higher education than I will ever be able to convey." Provost J. Bernard Machen said Duderstadt leaves the University pre- pared for the 21st century. "He is a visionary. He keeps pointed toward the year 2010,2017," Machen said. "It is so easy to get focused on what we have to do today. He didn't allow us to get mired in the day-to-day activities." Vice President for Research Homer Neal, who will take up the reins when Duderstadt steps down on July 1, says he hopes to keep the University moving during the search for the next president. Neal said he is "prepared to and will work to sustain the overall mo- mentum of the campus." And Duderstadt said he is pre- pared to walk out of the Fleming Building and into his new office in the newly created Media Union on North Campus. "He is a man who, with his wife, devoted their entire life to this Uni- versity," Machen said. For a look into the Duderstadt presidency, the future ofthe Univer- sity under Homer Neal, and the con- tinued searchfor a permanent presi- dent, read the special eight-page Michigan Daily supplement included in today 's newspaper. DPS, witnesses shed light on controversial arrest of top 'U' administrator By Jodi Cohen Daily Staff Reporter Despite miscommunications that seem to surround the investigation into the arrest of top administrator John Matlock, a Michigan State Police report indi- cates that witnesses have a clearer picture of what happened. The lengthy report, obtained by The Michigan Daily yesterday, includes interviews with University students and administrators who have been involved .with the incident. The report shows that there were miscommunica- tions from the beginning. At the incident on Feb. 17, Matlock, director of the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives, allegedly assaulted police officers and then resisted arrest. Matlock had been scheduled to judge a slamdunk contest sponsored by the Black Volunteer Network. There was some initial confusion between Matlock and the two Department of Public Safety officers, Michael Kelley and Peter Pressley. According to the report, while Matlock was stuck in a crowd outside the Central Campus Recreation Building, he attempted to enter the building through an exit door. Kelley then "stopped Matlock by placing his right hand on Matlock's right arm, and instructed him to enter through the entrance door and not the exit door." According to Kelley, Matlock then said, "Take your fucking hands off of me." The report indicates that Matlock hit Kelley in the chest with both hands; Kelley lost balance and fell backwards into Pressley. Matlock was then handcuffed. The report also clears up M some confusion about which University office firstcontacted' the state police to request their involvement. The report shows that DPS Director Leo Heatley contacted the Ypsilanti Post of the state police after Matlock requested an outside investiga- Matlock tion into the incident. Heatley said his request was made under the direction of President James Duderstadt. A large portion of the 106-page report focuses on a letter written from the University to the state police on Feb. 23, asking them to suspend their investigation. The report questions whether the letter, which may have been disseminated to student witnesses, hin- dered the police investigation and resulted in an obstruction of justice. The letter, which was written by Executive Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action Jackie McClain, requested that the investigation "be stopped immediately" so that the matter could be resolved through more informal means such as discussions. "Between 2/26/96 and 2/29/96 investigators con- tinued to experience a lack of cooperation from (Black Volunteer Network) members," Sgt. Frederick Farkas wrote in the report. "Because of the letter from McClain ... this investigation has been substantially hampered by a lack of cooperation." Lt. Brit Weber, assistant post commander at the Ypsilanti branch ofthe state police, said yesterday that the letter interrupted the investigation for about a week. The state police were confused, he said, be- cause the University initially had asked them to get involved. "When we received the letter, it caught us off- guard," Weber said. "(Duderstadt) assured us it was just a miscommunication. "It had an impact on the investigation. Some of the students were under the impression that they shouldn't talk to state police," Weber said. There are currently no obstruction ofjustice charges filed against the University for this incident. See MATLOCK, Page 2A Groups examine Law School, racism committees to issue reports Friday By Heather Miller Daily Staff Reporter In response to student concerns raised about the University Law School's cli- mate with respect to race, gender and sexuality, two committees have been meeting to address these issues and are scheduled to report their findings Friday. The climate committee is charged with assessing the educational environ- *ent of the Law School, and the second committee has been formed to find a successor to Student Services Associ- ate Dores McCree. Law School Dean Jeffrey Lehman named the two committees on April 4 after the faculty and administration agreed to create the committees at a March 22 faculty meeting. Both com- mittees are composed of student, staff, culty and administration members. ., "They're very beneficial," Lehman said of the committees. Lehman said the climate committee, which is chaired by Law Prof. Christina Whitman, is geared toward "evaluating the educational environment" and "in- suring a commitment to diversity." The committee also acts as a forum to ad- dress issues relating to race, gender and sexuality. "We've been trying to assess the situ- ation," said Hardy Vieux, a Law sec- ond-year student who is a member of the committee. "We've been discuss- ing a countless numberofissues." Vieux said most"substantive work" will likely occur in the fall. "We have agreed on certain priorities for the Law School (in regards to hiring and curriculum diversity);"Vieux said "We know that the Law School is com- mitted to these issues." See LAW SCHOOL, Page 2A Bursicy to celebrate with afternoon bash f Spring Street Party to feature performances, attractions By Alice Robinson Daily Staff Reporter Students will finally get a chance to get back at their resident advisers to- day. A dunking tank for RAs will be just. ne of the many creative offerings at e Bursley Hall Spring Street Party, expected to draw hundreds of people to Bursley's front lawn from 3-9 p.m. to- day. "It started out as kind ofan idea to get students outside," said Engineering sophomore Graham Mills, a vice chair on Bursley's government council. "We decided to charge 25 cents a ball and donate it to Bursley Community Vol- unteers." The end-of-the-year bash, sponsored by Bursley Hall government council, brings together local and national per- formers - offering students a short reprieve between the end of classes and the start of cramming. The celebration includes perfor- mances by student a cappella groups The Gentlemen and Amazin' Blue, a visit by Bursley's own in-house com- edy troupe, Home lmprov-ment, and an appearance by nationally renowned magician Aaron Radatz. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to jump on an inflated moonwalk, sumo-wrestle and climb a Velcro wall. Organizers hope students will take advantage of the opportunity to relieve See BURSLEY, Page 2A Making a forest of tiny trees Above: Warren Hill gives a demonstration on yose-ue forest planting at a special meeting of the Ann Arbor Bonsai Society last night. Right: Hill explains his ideas of height and girth when planting Bonsai forests yesterday. He spoke to about 50 members of the Ann Arbor Bonsai Society. The society has met once a month for the past 26Nears. Members share Bonsai crafting tips, hold special lectures and put on exhibitions of their work. Photos by SARA STILLMAN/Daily 'U moves to new financial system By Jeff Eldridge Daily Staff Reporter The University is scheduled to enter a new phase on July 1 in the way it allocates funding. Known as Value-Centered Manage- ment, the new method is intended to provide more openness and visibility in the budgeting process. But some at the University are ex- pressing concerns that VCM will put more emphasis on economics than edu- cation and that students might suffer in the proces. Provost J. Bernard Machen, whose office plays a significant role in the budgeting process, said VCM will make the University more responsible in its use of money. "We think that having VCM will put a better relationship together with an academic unit and a budget," Machen said. "We will be more prudent in man- aging our revenue and more prudent in managing our costs." The current budgeting system re- quires the central administration to col- lect all funds - including tuition and state appropriations-and divide them among the University's assorted aca- demic units. Under both the old and new system, the central administration collects funds. But in VCM, tuition will go directly to the units, instead of being filtered through the central adminis- tration. The units will pay for facility costs and administration expenses, putting more responsibility in the hands of the deans. The provost will allocate state funding to the University's academic units. Machen said VCM's arrival comes amidst "limited state support, tuition maxed, (and) federal research dollars in great jeopardy." Tuition funds will be distributed based on what courses students take, in addition to what school or college the student is enrolled in. John Cross, LSA associate dean for budget and administration, said he is concerned that VCM might cause stu- dents to be viewed as potentials for profit. "A student all of a sudden becomes a revenue source," Cross said. "VCM tells colleges they should do that. It monetizes the student body." In a report that circulated earlier this month, Cross outlined potential prob- lems with VCM. Along with the view that students may be treated as sources of profit, Cross also expressed concern that VCM may cause units to compete against one another and may impede inter-unit cooperation. "We all know about classes that at- tract large numbers ofpeople, butaren't particularly challenging," Cross said. "Under VCM, that would be an im- I Talks fail to stop bombings The Baltimore Sun BEIRUT, Lebanon - A diplomatic solution to the conflict in Lebanon remained elusive yester- day, as the fighting's victims were mourned, Is- raeli planes bombed new targets south of the capital and Hezbollah guerrillas fired rockets into Israel, wounding two Israelis. U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher held five hours of talks in Damascus, Syria - his second trip there in two days - and then returned to Jerusalem. But so far he has failed to achieve a cease-fire in the battle that has raged for 12 days. "Our noal is to seek an early cease-fire and a expressed a desire for a cease fire, but Christopher was having difficulty negotiating the details of an agreement. Yesterday afternoon, Israeli jets bombed con- crete bunkers of a Palestinian organization, the Popular Front for the Liberation Qf Palestine- General Command, a Syrian-backed group that is opposed to the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. The attack raised huge plumes of smoke over a neighborhood south of Beirut, but there was no report of casualties. Generally, the 12th day of Israel's bombard- ment showed a slackening of the war effort on both sides, an indication perhaps that neither i so Uua j