gather
onight: Showers and
hunde eorms, low 53*.
omorrow: Cloudy, chance
f rain, high 68.
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One /undredfve years of edioriialfreedom
Thursday
April 18, 1996
I .;r
I
Regents may
cuss same-
sex benefits
e xJodi Co e
bJeff Eldridge
w'ily Staif Reporters
The last University Board of Regents meeting before
,ommencement-and the last ofthe semester-will be held
oday and tomorrow.
The board is expected to approve final degree lists and
ecommendations for honorary degrees in time for the May
commencement ceremonies.
Among the degree recipients will be graduation speaker
ohnnetta Cole, president of Spelman College, an all-female
k institution in Atlanta.
,lthough today's meeting is slated to begin at 1 p.m., it
ill be closed immediately.
The board will hear public comments at 4 p.m. in the
nderson Room of the Michigan Union. At least two of the
cheduled speakers are planning to express their displeasure
bout the allegedly low profile of the upcoming commence-
ent speaker.
But the bulk of the board's activity will be conducted Friday.
Members ofthe administration said yesterday that the regents
ay discuss same-sex health benefits for domestic partners.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they commented one way or
her," President James Duderstadt said.
e controversial subject came into public focus in late
arch, when the Appropriations Committee of the state
'enate voted to cut funding for public universities in equal
>roportion to the amount of money being spent for domestic
>artnerships.
At the time, Regent Daniel Horning (R-Grand Haven) said
ie was in support of the amendment, and Regent Deane
aker (R-Ann Arbor) said he was not surprised that the state
enate would favor such a move.
Regent Laurence Deitch (D-Bloomfield Hills) said he did not
if the board would discuss the recent legislative actions.
"One of the regents might bring it up," Deitch said.
Regent Baker has historically been opposed. I intend to
efend our policy and autonomy vigorously."
Baker would not comment on whether he planned to speak
n the issue.
Vice President for Research Homer Neal is scheduled to
See REGENTS, Page 8A
Commander's
words outrage
Israeli leaders
Los Angeles Times
TEL AVIV, Israel - Israel's politi-
cal establishment was outraged yester-
day over an extraordinary public state-
ment by the commander of Israeli troops
in southern Lebanon thatthe army would
"not permit" Prime Minister Shimon
Peres to stop Operation Grapes of Wrath
before the military had achieved its goals.
The prime minister's office called
the declaration "scandalous," Israel's
chief of staff said it was "stupid" and
the commander, Gen. Giora Inbar, spent
much of yesterday apologizing for his
insubordination to Peres, who also
serves as defense minister.
The general's remarks revealed the
view held by many in the Israeli military
-andby some hard-line civilians-that
the week-old operation in neighboring
Lebanon should not be ended too hastily.
The Israeli bombing campaign is in
retaliation for attacks on northern Israel
by guerrillas of the Iranian-supported
militant group Hezbollah. Peres has stated
that the goals of the offensive are to
pressure the governments of Lebanon
and Syria --the de facto ruler of Lebanon
and overseer of Hezbollah - to rein in
the guerrillas. His primary demands for
halting the operation are that Hezbollah.
stop firing rockets at civilians in Israel
and cease hiding behind Lebanese civil-
ians. And he wants Syria and Lebanon to
guarantee a written agreement.
But Inbar said that was not enough. He
and others in the military want to keep
pounding suspected Hezbollah targets in
Lebanon with fighter jets and helicopter
gunships until an agreement is reached
that also prevents the guerrillas from at-
tacking Israeli troops in southern Leba-
non. In effect, they want a cease-fire.
"We do not permit a situation in
which Peres should suddenly stop us
before we have completed our opera-
tion," Inbar said on Israeli radio. "The
understandings that will be obtained at
the end of the operation must include
the security zone as well."
Israel occupies an 850-square-kilome-
ter swath of SouthernLebanon that it calls
a security zone to keep guerrillas and
combat off of its own border. The area is
inhabited by about 200,000 Lebanese ci-
vilians and ostensibly is run by Israel's
allies in the South Lebanese Army.
"What we want, what is desirable,"
said an Israeli military source, "is that
Hezbollah gives up totally for at least a
long period of time any activity in the
south so peace talks (with Syria) can
proceed without being interrupted every
two days ortwo weeks.... You can'ttalk
to someone who is killing you."
Campus
communitles
voice concern
about violence
By Katie Wang
Daily Staff Reporter
As artillery shells and rockets con-
tinued to paint the Mideast skies yes-
terday, students from the University's
Arab and Israeli communities gath-
ered on the Diag to voice concern
about the violent warfare taking place
thousands of miles away.
Students from both communities
joined together momentarily to mourn
the dead, silently bowing their heads
for 15 seconds under the bright after-
noon sunlight.
"The most important statement we
can make together is to protest death,"
said LSA senior Bill Plevan. "Ob-
serve for just a moment of ilence in
memory of all those who have died in
the past six days."
More than 46 people have been
killed and 166 wounded on both sides
since hostilities began last Thursday.
The seven-day offensive launched by
Israeli forces is in response to
Hezbollah-sponsored rockets attacks
aimed at northern Israel. The
Hezbollah guerrillas are a militant
Shiite Muslim group.
"This is a war against the infra-
structure of Lebanon," said Rackham
student Moulouk Berry. "Israel
bombed Lebanon before Hezbollah
(existed). Hezbollah was created in
1982 as a result of Israeli occupa-
tion."
LSA first-year student Amer Zahr
criticized the United States' stand on
the conflict and emphasized that "it is
important to remember that it was
Israel who bombed first."
"The United States has supported
(Israeli Prime Minister Shimon)
Peres, which is condoning the killing
of civilians," Zahr said.
RC sophomore Dan Messinger
defended Israel, calling Hezbollah's
actions "terrorist."
"I think it is Israel's right to defend
its borders," Messinger said.
"Hezbollah's attack is a terrorist at-
tack. Israel has tried to target
See RALLY, Page 8A
Getting to the root of the problem
University horticulturist Connie Ballie gathers plants in preparation for a lecture on propagation.
Bailie is also preparing for the perennial sale on April 21. and 27.
riese hi
Attorney requests
'routine' delay in
charge in bar incident
y Will Weissert
)ly Staff Reporter
4s Michigan quarterback Scott
Dreisbach takes back the reins of the
viichigan football team, last year's quar-
erback, Brian Griese, will wait another
wo weeks for his day in court.
District Court Judge A.W. Mattson
pproved a request from Griese's at-
orney yesterday to adjourn his pre-
iminary hearing for 14 days, until
ay 8.
Paul Gallagher, Griese's attorney,
aid the adjournment was a "routine"
er of scheduling. "(Griese) is not
earing postponed 2 weeks
waiving his right to have a preliminary
hearing - he's only waiving his right
to a preliminary hearing within 14 days,"
he said.
Griese, a 21-year-old LSA junior, is,
currently facing a felony charge of
malicious destruction of property of
more than $100 for breaking the front
window of Scorekeepers, a sports bar
on Maynard Street.
If convicted, Griese could face up
to four years in prison and a $2,000
fine.
Griese stood mute during his ar-
raignment April 9. His silence was
entered as a not-guilty plea to the felony
charges.
Gallagher said the preliminary
hearing's adjournment will have no
bearing on Griese's defense pro-
ceedings.
"Out of 25 trials in there, maybe 10
of them will be adjourned - this is
nothing new," he said. "He'll be back
on May 8 when school is over."
Griese was arrested by Ann Arbor
police officers around midnight on April
7 for breaking the window, which was
valued at more than $800.
The police report states that officers
took Griese into custody after they heard
the sound of breaking glass and saw
Griese running from bouncers outside
Scorekeepers.
According to the report, Griese
was intoxicated at the time of the
arrest.
Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr
suspended Griese from the football team
indefinitely on April 9, after the Ann
Arbor Prosecutor's Office filed formal
charges.
"You have to realize that an incident
such as this one has an effect on the
entire program, notjust one individual,"
Carr said in an official statement last
week.
Griese is currently banned from the
football team's spring practices.
He has been unavailable for com-
ment about his arrest or impending
charges.
Griese started eight games and led
Michigan to a 4-4 record.
Gallagher also notified Mattson of
Griese's desire to travel out of state
from April 25 to May 5 in order to
visit his father, football Hall-of-Famer
Bob Griese, who currently lives in
Florida.
ovt. misses aid
deadline; students
wait for word
y Stephanie Jo Klein
aily Staff Reporter
If the federal government is consistent with one thing this
ear, it's deadlines - missing them.
This week, the Department of Education added to the
Iready spotty record, missing its own April 15 deadline to
inish processing the remainder of the backlogged Free
pplications for Federal Student Aid, leaving universities
d students around the nation with little choice but to wait.
igures released this week indicate that the department
shed processing forms received through the end of Feb-
ary, but approximately 10 percent of forms received in
arch remained untouched, due to computer problems all
oo familiar to the department.
On Friday, one of the companies hired to process the
AFSAs upgraded its software system and the resulting
echnical problems caused another one-day delay, which was
ixed Saturday.
The initial backlog in January was caused when the con-
ractor adjusted its computer system to use new digital
nology for scanning information.
Thomas Butts, the University's associate vice president
or government relations, called the software switch "a dumb
hing to do" before initial delays were cleared up, but said
niversities have been in contact with the department and are
oping well with the situation.
"Most ofthe big schools have used a lot ofcomputerprograms
GEO meets to debate
pros and cons of contract
By Anupama Reddy
Daily Staff Reporter
Unlike the meeting that resulted in a two-day
walk-out, last night's gathering of the Graduate
Employees Organization focused on the pros and
cons of a tentative contract agreement.
"It's largely an informational meeting for our
membership to discuss the tentative agreements,"
said GEO President Scott Dexter. "We're not
coming to a closure or consensus, but basically it's
an opportunity for people to discuss their opinions
about the tentative agree-
ments."
GEO spokesperson Pete
Church said members re-
ceived a copy ofthe 24 agree-
ments this week and were
expected to return their bal-
lots by next Friday.
"The ballots were sent out
this week, and the last day we
can receive votes is (April)
26th," Church said. "Tally-
and teacher, Gamble said.
"We look at (graduate student instructors) as
both graduate students and employees," Gamble
said. "It's a different relationship with other em-
ployee unions or groups at the University."
The meeting was closed to the public, but Dexter
said several GEO leaders outlined the agreements
and discussed the ramifications ofnot ratifying them.
Dexter said that if a majority of the union
membership did not approve the new amend-
ments, then GEO would be forced back to the
bargaining table.
"We would return to me-
/t's a diation with a new bargain-
ing team and fromthat point
ment for it would be difficult to say
what would happen,"
and the Dexter said. "It's not ex-
fr actly starting over. It's cut-
ting a new deal with the
- Dan Gamble University."
hief negotiator Last night, GEO leaders
presented the effects of the
"I /think
fair agree
the union
university
University ch
ing votes is pretty quick. I assume we'll know on
the 26th or the 29th by the latest.
"We want to be able to announce (the result)
before people leave."
University chiefnegotiator Dan Gamble said he
April 8 and 9 work stoppage and the contents of
the state-supervised mediation process between
University and GEO bargaining teams on April
10.
Contract changes include a 2.5-percent mini-
I I I