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April 15, 1996 - Image 3

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Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1996-04-15

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

I

LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily -Monday, April 15, 1996-- 3A

i ~ k
U student wins
restigious
eater award
usic sophomore Heather Dilly re-
ly won one of 16 Irene Ryan Foun-
dation scholarships, which are given to
theater students from around the coun-
ry
Each student who was awarded a
cholarship will now compete for two
dditional $2,500 scholarships at the
Kennedy Center in Washington on Sun-
ay. The ceremony is in conjunction
ith the annual National American
ollege Theater Festival.
even hundred universities and col-
leges throughout the country com-
peted in this year's program during
anuary and February. The Irene Ryan
wards are considered the "Super
Bowl competition among theater col-
lege students throughout the U.S.,"
ccording to a statement from the
foundation.
Irene Ryan, known as "Granny" on
Stelevision series "The Beverly
billies," died in 1973 and left her
ntire estate to the scholarship pro-
ram she established in 1972. In 25
ears, her foundation has awarded
ore than 400 scholarships totaling
ore than $1 million.
New program offers
ollege writers
orldwide audience
/riters in colleges across the coun-
try can showcase their talents and con-
nect their campuses to the rest of the
orld via the World Wide Web with a
ew program sponsored by The Travel
hannel Online Network.
Known as ".edu," the program is de-
igned to convey the atmosphere and
ctivities taking place in cities and towns
hat house colleges and universities. To
dle the reporting duties, The Travel
nnel Online Network is searching
for stringers from universities across
he country to report each week about
ampus life.
College students interested in be-
oming stringers should submit three
riting samples via e-mail to
eri@travelchannel.com with a sum-
ary of writing background. Prefer-
nee will be given to students who are
urrently sophomores or juniors.
gore information about the ".edu"
rogram may be found at The Travel
Channel Online Network's website at
ttp://www. travelchannel. com.
ontest rewards
tudents for creativity
in film, video
Attention students: Enter The
istophers' Ninth Annual Video Con-
e t and exchange your creativity for
ash.
The contest asks college students
o interpret on film or video the Chris-
opher belief that one person can make
'difference. The presentations must
e'five minutes or less, but can use a
ariety of techniques. Previous win-
ers have used animation, music
ideo, news report, documentary,
omedy and drama to capture the
e.
The Christophers was founded in
1945 to encourage individuals of every

ge and faith to use their unique abili-
ies to bring about constructive change.
New York-based international non-
rofit media organization, the group's
otto is: "It's better to light one candle
han to curse the darkness."
Awards for winning entries are as
ch as $3,000, with the top three
ners and five honorable mentions
arning cash prizes. In addition, the
inning entrees will also be featured on
he weekly syndicated television pro-
ram, "Christopher Closeup."
Official entry forms may be obtained
y writing to The Christophers, Col-
lege Contest, 12 East 48th Street, New
.ork, N.Y. 10017 or by calling (212)
59-4050. The contest's deadline is
une 7.
* - Compiled from staff reports

Forum debates legality of same-sex maniages

, ..
,, ,
,

By Rajal Pitroda
Daily Staff Reporter
Focusing on the benefits and drawbacks of
same-sex marriages, leaders in the national debate
spoke at the Law School on Friday before more
than 100 students and faculty members.
The forum, spon-
sored by The Rainbow
Law Students Alli- Merg e
ance, Queer Unity
Project and the Cental core
Women Law Student
Association, featured community.
five panelists who de-
bated the changing-
definition of marriage La
in today's society.
"More than ever, we
are faced with issues that test our limits of toler-
ance," said Law Prof. Paula Ettelbrick, who mod-
erated the panel. "This debate is about family,
sexuality, values and marriage laws that discrimi-
nate on the basis of sexual orientation."

l

Along with Ettelbrick, the panel included Law
Prof. David Chambers, who is currently writing an
article on the implications of same-sex marriage.
"Marriage is the most central ceremony of com-
munity," Chambers said. "Slaves were not al-
lowed to marry. We must accept gay people as
people - they should
participate in every as-
s SthemoSt pect of commurtity."
Chambers sshowed
imenu ofslides of the March on
Washington in 1993,
ff an event that promoted
gay rights. H undreds of
- David Chambers gay couples were
w School professor joined in marriage at
the end of the march,
yet still lack the recog-
nition of their home states.
Currently, four states have banned same-sex
marriages, and 20 other state legislaturess includ-
ing Michigan, are working on measures that would
deny government recognition of same-sex mar-

riages. A "Defense of Marriage Act" that would
ban same-sex marriage is also making its way
through the U.S. Senate.
The Hawaiian Supreme Court is currently debat-
ing whether denying same-sex marriage is a viola-
tion of the state's equal rights law. If same-sex
marriages are allowed in Hawaii, thousands ofcouples
are expected to fly there to marry. The U.S. Consti-
tution requires that all 50 states give "full faith and
credit" to laws of other states. According to this
clause, these couples will expect their resident states
to recognize their marital status.
Many gay and lesbian couples seek marriage
recognition because of the many economic and
legal benefits that couples receive. Some of these
benefits include the right to hold joint parental
custody, file joint tax returns, and obtain family
health insurance and benefits.
Other panelists included Helen Gallagher, a Uni-
versity Law School alum and former chair of the Ann
Arbor Human Rights Commission. Gallagherfocused
on the Western definition of marriage as an institution
for male dominance, and therefore an institution that

would not be beneficial for the gay community.
"Marriage is a word that is tainted with oppres-
sion and suffering for women," Gallagher said.
"As we try to assimilate, we sell out that unique
vision that makes us different."
Free-lance writer Russ Ballant spoke on the mo-
tives of the "religious right" and their reasons fbr
opposition to same-sex marriage. "What is important
to look at here is the doctrine oflegal reconstruction,"
Ballant said. "Here, the Old Testament is law, aid
gays and lesbians are executed."
Following Ballant was Gabor Halmai, who spoke
of developments in his native country of Hungary,
where societal norms make it important to marry.
"What is important are the equal rights of men and
women," Halmai said.
Ettelbrick, former director of a legal defense
and education fund, said the debate concerned all
citizens.
"We are at a point in our lives, with many issues,
where we can move forward and embrace our
differences, or continue to lack our deeper under-
standing of humanity," she said.

Columnsts talk on
legacy Of Ckihvez

Panel honors and
remembers the legacy
of late union leader
By Alice Robinson
Daily Staff Reporter
Standing before a framed black-and-
white photograph of Cesar Chavez,
Roberto Rodriguez shared a painful
experience.
"I was almost killed in 1979 by sher-
iffs in Los Angeles," he said to about
30 people gathered in the Henderson
Room of the Michigan League on Fri-
day.
"I cried twice," since the beating,
Rodriguez said. "One of the times I did
cry was at Chavez's funeral."
Rodriguez, a San Francisco-based
newspaper columnist, led the remem-
brance ceremony in honor of the late
farmworkers' advocate Cesar Chavez
with Rodriguez's wife, columnist
Patrisia Gonzalez.
Gonzalez and Rodriguez focus their
writing on issues that affect the Latino/
a community in their nationally syn-
dicated "Latino Spectrum" column.
ChAvez's experience working in
fields and vineyards as a child led him
to organize several successful boy-
cotts against grape growers during the
last 30 years. Chavez founded the
United Farm Workers labor union in
the 1960s.
"Since Cesar died in April of '93 1
wanted to do amemorial-type piece for
him," said Margarita Garcia of the Of-
fice of Academic Multicultural Initia-
tives, which sponsored the event.
The forum began with short intro-

ductions by Gonzalez and Rodriguez,
followed by speeches by audience mem-
bers, who shared their memories and
impressions of Chavez.
Throughout the discussion, partici-
pants expressed the sentiment that
Chavez was very modest and powerful
at the same time.
"Everybody kept repeating how
humble he was," Garcia said. "Just about
everybody said that."
Ray Hernandez of the Office of Fi-
nancial Aid had the opportunity to meet
Chavez while he was still in grade
school."... Little did I know that I was
talking to such a great person," he said.
"(He was a) very humble man. He didn't
try to put his ego all over me."
Gonzalez spoke of the great loss
shared by members ofthe Latino/a com-
munity shortly after ChAvez's death.
"He had a moral force because of so
many people that surrounded him," she
said.
"One of the legacies of Chavez while
he was living was that hundreds of
thousands of youth became part of the
Chicano movement," she said.
Teresa Brett, associate director of the
Office of Academic Multicultural Ini-
tiatives, said she attended the forum for
several reasons.
"We have the belief in the ability of
students to be leaders," Brett said.
"Some people say U-M is one of the
most diverse universities in the coun-
try, but we have a long way to go to
make this a truly inclusive place."
The speakers stayed after the pro-
gram to talk with guests at a reception
complete with snacks and a Mexican
folk mariachi band.

DNR to
be led by
diector
LANSING - K.L. Cool has a goad
news, bad news sort of job as new head
of the Michigan Department of Natural
Resources.
The good news is that he has a highly
prized, influential post which toucbes
most Michigan people.
The bad news is the DNR job weirs
out directors, as they fall under 'tle
burden of diverse jobs, intense intete~t
groups and a glare of publicity.
The good news is the toughest job,
managing anti-pollution efforts, has
been handed to the new Departmentof
Environmental Quality.
The bad news isthatby splitting upthe
DNR, Cool is denied the environmental
supremacy that has public attention.IHe's
left with a department battered by yoars
of controversy, shaky morale, wavering
leadership and internal squabbling.-
"A two-edged sword is a good way'o
put it," said William Rustem of Public
Sector Consultants, a Lansing constut-
ing firm. He was environmental adviser
to former Gov. William Milliken. ,
"It's about 10 times as easy" as be-
fore the DNR split, he said. "The con-
stituencies are different. The issue 'ill
be fighting for attention in the budget-
ary and legislative arena."
Cool, a lean, lined man from the
West - born in South Dakota, holding
key wildlife and parks jobs in that state,
North Dakota and Montana -isunper-
turbed about the job ahead.
"I think the No. I challenge I have
before me ... is to stabilize department
leadership," he said. "That's the No. 1
thing I need to do and I've already begun."
Cool began by embarking on a three-
week tour of Michigan, meeting DNR
staff and "customers" of its parks and
services. He formally replaced interim
Director Mike Moore on April 1, after
being selected Jan. 23 by the Natural
Resources Commission, which over-
sees the DNR, to succeed Roland
Harmes as director.
"I've been very impressed with the
quality of the employees the depart-
ment has, in terms of both their training
and their enthusiasm," Cool said. "The
parks that I've visited I've been very
impressed with. Michigan's parks divi-
sion is renowned throughout our pro-
fession as one of the best in the nation."

MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Columnist Patrisia Gonzalez speaks at a forum honoring Cesar Chavez, the late
leader of the United Farmworkers labor union.

Gonzalez and Rodriguez' column,
which is syndicated through Chronicle
Features, can be seen in more than 30
newspapers. In Michigan, "Latino Spec-
trumr" ran in the Detroit Free Press until
about six months ago.
In addition to their column, Gonzalez
and Rodriguez contribute to program-

ming on national radio networks Radio
Bilingue and Pacifica News Network.
Gonzalez is currently working on a
book that addresses budding human
rights activism in Mexico. Rodriguez
has written a book on police brutality
and plans to publish another one next
year.

Students, employees scramble to file
federal and state income tax returns

By Stephanie Jo Klein
Daily Staff Reporter
With the approach of tonight's mid-
night deadline to file federal and state
income tax returns, many students are
still scrambling to file their 1040s,
putting off studying and writing pa-
pers for one more day.
As of last week, the number of
procrastinators who had not filed in-
come tax forms with the Internal
Revenue Service numbered in ex-
cess of 30 million, The Associated
Press reported.
Hilary Haftel, a pediatrician at C.S.
Mott Childrens' Hospital at the Uni-
versity Medical Center, said she was
planning to work late into the night to
finish tallying up her accounts before
this morning.
"It just wasn't high on my priority
list," Haftel said.
Haftel also faced similar problems
the first year she worked at the Univer-
sity. "I waited until the last minute and

had to come up with $1,200," she said.
"I had to figure out, on a weekend,
where to find that kind of money."
Even with months to plan, people
still wait until just before the deadline,
clogging up traffic at the post office,
which extends its closing time until
midnight on "tax day." But what ac-
counts for the delay?
Business Prof. Joel Slemrod, who
teaches business economy, said many
people wait until the last minute to file.
"I think it's probably not much dif-
ferent than procrastinating just about
anything else," he said.
Slemrod said people's different time-
' tables for filling out the forms are "kind
of a mystery." Some send their forms
early, he said, when they could con-
tinue to get interest on their money in
the bank, while others who are waiting
for refund money send their forms late.
"I don't know how many millions of
people are filing for extensions, but I'm
going to be one of them," Slemrod said.

Taxpayers may file for four-month
extensions by sending in an estimated
payment and filing Form 4868.
There are some early birds in Ann
Arbor - some students file their re-
turns months in advance, faced with the
tantalizing promise of money from tax
refunds.
LSA senior Brennan Grow said he
has been waiting for a large refund
since he filed his forms two weeks agoQ
"I had no money and I need my
money," Grow said, adding that he usu-
ally files before the April deadline.
Engineering first-year student Justim
McCabe said he filed early so that hp
information could be used for financial
aid.
Still othersjust file early to avoid the
hassle. Elisa Pease, an LSA sophomore,
said her parents took care of her taxes
two months ago.
"Otherwise, you're insanely stressed
out knowing that you have that looming
ahead of you," Pease said.

"University President Robben
Fleming and his wife Sally had to
shiver under cold showers Saturday
night, thanks to five students who
switched off the hot water valve at
the South University White House
last weekend. Mark, who refused to
give his last name ... claims that he
and four friends were clambering
around in the steam tunnels Saturday
night when they noticed a sign under
Fleming's house warning, 'Don't
turn this off, it must be on to have hot
water in the president's house.'"

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GROUP MEETINGS
Alliance for the Mentally Il of
Washtenaw County, 994-6611,
St. Clare's Episcopal Church,
2309 Packard, 7:30 p.m.
Archery Club, meeting, 930-
0189, Sports Coliseum, 8:30-
10:30 p.m.
U Burning Bush Campus Ministry,

:s happening in Ann Arbor today

m m sI

EVENTS
Q "Bible Study," sponsored by
Laymen's Evangelical Fellowship
International, Angell Hall, Room
G-144, 7 p.m.
Q "Bringing it All Back Home," film
screening, sponsored by Interna-
tional Institute, Chemistry Build-
ing, Room 1210, 7 p.m.

South Quad, West Lounge - first
floor, 9:30 p.m., for information
call 213-7716
STUDENT SERVICES
U Campus Information Centers,
Michigan Union and Pierpont

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