LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 18, 1996 - 3
Survey shows few care about student govt.
MSU sets up
veterinary help
* *
hotlie serviCe
Those who feared they might have to
mourn behind closed doors when their
furry loved one passed away need not
Worry any longer.
Michigan State University has allo-
cated $1,000 annually to fund a hotline
run by 15 veterinary student volunteers
who answer calls from people dealing
with the loss or illness of a pet.
Volunteers said that 95 percent of the
ers are women mourning animals
ranging from horses and pigs to pet
birds who were eaten by dogs.
Volunteers said many feel guilty for
neglecting their animals or for over-
grieving.
'Society doesn't let people mourn
pets' said Jen Lesko, student coordina-
tor for the hotline. "I find myself get-
tijig' angry that people can't find sup-
~tThey feel so lost, alone'
esko said the hotline provides valu-
able training for future veterinarians
who will be dealing with pet owners.
Fraternity house
restored by
Microsoft founder
icrosoft Corp. co-founder Paul
Ilen has donated $3.1 million to his
college fraternity, Pi Kappa Theta, at
Washington State University.
The funds will be used to build a
new house for its members that will
include a computer center with Internet
conections.
"The fraternity's old house, where
Allen had lived during the mid 1970s,
was condemned and destroyed after
ng designated a fire hazard.
=The new house will include central
air conditioning, a lighted outdoor bas-
ketall court, a barbecue pit, a big-
screen television and a pool table. The
house's rooms each have individual cli-
mate control and are twice the size of
hose in any other fraternity house on
ampus.
"The vision of connecting millions
f people to a global network for
ediate access to information and
ources anywhere in the world is
omething I began thinking about
hin I was a student at Washington
tate," Allen said in a written state-
eiet.
Allen dropped out of school in 1976
6 start Microsoft with boyhood friend
ill Gates.
Allen and other fraternity members
vociated with the construction pro-
will dedicate the house on Sept.
Marching bands
a tttle after
,otball game
Five musicians were taken to the
osital after a brawl broke out
tween band members following the
on-opening game between Jackson
tate University and Alabama State
niversity.
Instruments were used as weapons in
. ight between the two 200-member
"ds that occurred outside Legion
tel in Birmingham, Ala., after
labama State's 40-0 loss to Jackson
ate, Deputy Police Chief Leroy
Stover told The Chronicle of Higher
cation.
n additional seven students were
reated by paramedics, Stover told
The Chronicle, and no charges were
filed.
"There is keen competition ... not
just between the football teams, but
between the bands as well," said Ruby
Neely, Director of Public Information
at Jackson State. "We're going to, put
forth our best efforts to put this incident
behind us."
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Janet Adamy.
By Will Weissert
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly may be suffering
from an identity crisis.
A recent survey, compiled by members of MSA,
reports that most students know what the assembly is
- but that's it.
The survey, a random ID.number-based phone poll of
between 215 and 220 University students, found that 78
percent of those called correctly identified the initials
"MSA" as short for the Michigan Student Assembly.
But of those who knew what the assembly is, 78
percent had no opinion, one way or the other about it.
"(MSA) is just kind of there," said LSA junior Elly
Winner. "It could be useful, it could be doing good
things, but I have no idea whether it is or not."
Some students knew even less about MSA. "There's
something called MSA and something called the
Students' Party? Am I right?" asked LSA junior Kerk
Vandermulen.
LSA senior Joseph Bidjoka said many students had
heard of the assembly only because they have friends
who are MSA representatives.
"The only reason I know about it is because I am
friends with (former MSA President) Flint Wainess,
who used to run it," Bidjoka said. "If it weren't for
that, I wouldn't have known anything."
Bidjoka said students have no opinion on MSA
because it does little to accomplish things they are
interested in.
"I don't think it really does much for students,
because if it did they would have an opinion on it," he
said.
MSA President Fiona Rose said students have lost
interest in what MSA does because the assembly has
lost much of the power it once had.
"I think the primary reason students are unaware of
what the assembly does is because today MSA has
almost no power to control everyday aspects of stu-
dents' lives," she said.
Rose said the growth of other student groups also
may have hurt the assembly's student resources.
"With 600 other student groups, sometimes student
government loses leaders on campus to other groups,"
Rose said.
The survey also found that 17 percent of those
polled could not name the president of the University.
"I was surprised by'the small but ever-present group
of students that is apathetic," said LSA Rep. Jonathan
Winick, who coordinated the survey. Winick said the
poll, which was conducted last winter, included for-
mer President James Duderstadt, interim President
Homer Neal or "he's leaving" as possible correct
responses.
According to the survey, campus safety is the top
student concern. Ninety-three percent said MSA
should work to improve safety on campus. Eighty-five
percent said rape should be a primary MSA concern.
and 80 percent cited parking as an issue that MSA
needed to work to improve.
Students Weigh In
MSA members ask~ed the follow-
ing questions of 220d tUestudents
Do you have a favorable/unfavor-
able/no opinion of MSA?
* 78 percent had no opinion
9 14 percent were favora e
I 8 percent were unfavorable
When asked to identify the
current MSA president
8 32 percent could identify
8 68 percentdid not know
0o you approve of MSA parties?
11 43 percent approve
N 15 percent disapprove
2 43 percent had no opinion
..; :<
;' .,.
MSA clamps
down on election.
campaign tactics
JOSH BIGGS/Daily
Safewalk volunteers Ben Hess, Christal Canevet and Adam Strayer wait to receive dispatches for walks. Safewalk provides
accompaniment for University students walking alone at night in the campus area.
Late-night wal
helps -maecampus safe
By Will Weissert
Daily Staff Reporter
Citing destruction of property and
environmental concerns, the Michigan
Student Assembly voted by an over-
whelming majority to limit its own
campaigning practices and prohibit
campaign posters on any painted sur-
face on campus.
"When we campaign we put posters
on the walls and when we attempt to
remove them it also removes the
paint," said Rackham Rep. John
Lopez. "This doesn't look good aes-
thetically and it also is a destruction
of property."
The 22-4 vote contrasted sharply
with last week's gridlock, but the reso-
lution left some representatives con-
cerned about issues of free speech.
"I would never support something
that limits free speech," said
Engineering Rep Jasmine Khambatta.
LSA Rep. Dan Serota agreed. "We
are setting a dangerous precedent by
further restricting our campaign prac-
tices," he said. "Those new students try-
ing to get elected to MSA need posters
to boost their name recognition and get
elected."
Some representatives did not believe
the loss of a little bit of poster space
was a major First Aiendment issue.
"As far as free speech goes there will
be enough bricks left in Angel Hall for
us all to put posters up,' said LSA Rep.
Mike Nagrant. "We are here to help stu-
dents, not destroy property."
Other assembly members said any
limitation of the amount of posters stu-
dents will see during elections will hurt
the election process as a whole.
"We're just going to have less voter
turnout thanks to this, said LSA Rep.
Jonathan Winick.
LSA Rep. Erin Carey said the
absence of posters will limit students'
knowledge of the candidates and their
platforms.
"Last election students had to chose
from, I think, 120 candidates," she said.
"Imagine if they had to do that without
posters and without even knowing the:
candidates' names."
Engineering Rep. Ray Robb, ",who
helped draft the resolution, said this:
was just the first step in bringing com-
prehensive change to MSA election'
practices.
. "This will be the beginning of real:
election reform," Robb said. "Down the
road serious improvements will be
made."
Some members also questioned how:
well the new campaign restrictions will
be enforced.
"My feeling is that it won't get:
enforced, so those that break the rules.
are going to benefit," said LSA Rep.
Andy Schor. "The only thing that will
happen is the election director will have
six times as much work to do taking
down posters - not much will
change."
Even Robb admitted enforcement of
any campaign restriction is always a:
difficult task.
"We will have to include better
enforcement procedures, he said.
"Those will hopefully be a part of
future reforms."
MSA President Fiona Rose said last:
night's meeting reflected well on the:
assembly.
"We know how to govern ourselves:
- we proved that tonight.'
L
By Stephanie Powell
For the Daily
Ten years after the creation of
Safewalk, the University's nighttime
walking program that provides safety
for those out late at night is still running
strong.
"Everyone has the right to walk
where and when they choose, and
Safewalk helps to preserve that right,"
said Andrea Lee, a coordinator for
Safewalk.
Safewalk started as a service for stu-
dents in West Quad and Betsey Barbour
in 1986 because of a series of sexual
assaults. When the demand increased
for more walks, the program moved to a
more central location.
Now, Safewalk operates out of the
lobby of the Undergraduate Library.
There is a misconception that in order
to use the program you need to be in the
library; Safewalk provides services for
people all over campus.
Walkers must stay within a 20-
minute radius from the Undergraduate
Library, but some exceptions are
allowed according to the walkers' dis-
cretion.
The walkers are paired into teams of
either two women or one man and one
woman. Female students often feel
more comfortable with other females
than males because most sexual
assaults are committed by men toward
women, Lee said.
Similar to Safewalk, Northwalk
operates out of Bursley Hall on North
Campus. It provides the same services
as Safewalk and has been around for
eight years.
"It is great to volunteer because it
allows you to see more of the campus
that you might not see," said Tara
Hillary, a Northwalk a coordinator and
a walker. "Northwalk is necessary to
make people feel more comfortable to
walk at night."
Safewalk and Northwalk work in
association with the Department of
Public Safety and the Sexual Assault
Prevention and Awareness Center.
They meet on a regular basis to talk
about the operation of Safewalk.
DPS also pro-
vides hand-held
radios and identi-E
fication badges to
Safewalk and the righi
Northwalk volun-
teers. Walkers where a
also carry cellular
phones. they clh
"Safewalk is
the greatest safety
program here at Safet
the University
because it involves volunteers helping
students;' said Jim Sullivan, DPS liason
to Safewalk.
Joyce Wright, SAPAC's co-adviser
for Safewalk, said the service has bene-
fits even for those who do not regularly
use it.
"SAPAC's mission is to try and help
make a safe environment as well as to
offer a service that helps make students
feel comfortable to walk at night,"
Wright said. "Even if students don't use
it, they still feel comfortable because
they have that option."
Students say they benefit from
Safewalk because it gives them the
chance to freely move around at
night.
LSA junior Tolani Holmes said she
has used Safewalk many times.
"Safewalk is useful because I don't
have to consume time and energy fig-
uring out how I am going to get
home," she said
All current walkers are students, but
faculty can also volunteer.
Volunteers serve as walkers or dis-
patchers. In the winter, walkers are
cone has
t to walk
nd when
more reluctant
to volunteer,
so many
become dis-
patchers, Lee
s a i d .
Dispatchers
take informa-
tion about
where students
who call in are
and where they
need to go.
Ford labor contract
gives hassles to GM
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- Andrea Lee
walk coordinator
Safewalk's hours are 8 p.m. to 2:30
a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 to
11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Northwalk's hours are 8 p.m. to 1:30
a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 to
11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
- For more information, contact
Safewalk at 936-1000 or Northwalk
at 763-WALK, or attend the mass
meeting at 7 p.m. tonight in Lecture
Room 2 of the Modern Languages
Building.
DETROIT (AP) - Ford Motor Co.
managed to negotiate a labor contract
guaranteed to cause problems for its
bigger cross-town rival, General Motors
Corp., if the United Auto Workers
forces GM to accept the same terms.
The UAW and Ford reached tentative
agreement Monday on a new three-year
contract that would establish a mini-
mum work force level for the first time
in the auto industry.
According to union and company
sources, Ford agreed to maintain 4t
least 95 percent, or about 100,000, af
its 105,025 UAW jobs.
UAW contracts for years have guar
anteed pay for Big Three workers white
they are laid off, but none has ever
required a fixed number of jobs. .
Ford, which has completed its down'-
sizing, can afford such a deal because its
staffing already is lean; about 15 per-
cent of its vehicles are being produced
on overtime to meet strong demand.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Predoctoral Fellowships in
Biological Sciences
1997 Competition
8) fellowships will be awarded for full-time study
toward the Ph.D or Sc.D. degree in cell biology, genetics,
immunology, neuroscience, structural biology, biostatistics,
epidemiology, or mathematical biology.
Fellowship terms, effective June 1997
Correction
The College Republicans mass meeting will be held at 7 p.m. tonight in 1640 Chemistry Building. This was incorrectly reported in
yesterday's Daily.
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What's happening in Ann Arbor today
ETINGS of Light Lutheran Church, 801 SERVICES
South Forest Ave., 7 p.m.
or anizational meet- 0 Safewalk/Northwalk, volunteer p Campus informal
4-29$6 Stockwell, mass meeting, 763-5865, Modem Michigan Union
Loungs 1-5. 7 p.m.' Languages Building, Lecture Commons, 76:
Three-year initial awards,
with two-year extension
possible
Eligibility
Less than one year'of host-
baccalaureate graduate
study in biology: college
seniors; first year graduate
students; NM.D.. D.O., D.D.S.,
rx [T?' n 4 n1cn
$15.000 annual stipend
S15,000)annual cost-of-
education allowance
GROUP ME
U Best Buddies,
ing, 764
Conference
tion Centers,
and Pierpont
3-INFO, info@
If an M.D./Ph.D. student:
riot in a funded program
No citizenship requirements:
VS. citizens may study
abroad: others must study
I I
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