C~' 'Elan t Weather Tonight: Mostly cloudy, low around 520. Tomorrow: Partly sunny, high of 72*. One hundred six years of ed/torizlfreedom Monday September 30, 1996 :;Ili i lilipinos celebrate heritage inonth 8y Alice Robinson Daily Staff Reporter World-renowned author N.V.M. Gonzalez said he didn't know if what ie" had to say Friday night would sit Well with the audience - "Because I am standing up" About 100 people converged in West uad's Wedge Room to kick off Filipino American Heritage Month - five weeks designed to expose students to Filipino culture through a series of Thursday evening workshops. The theme of Friday's celebration, which featured Filipino singers and a comedy troupe, along with Gonzalez, was "Who we are and where we are going." Groups including the Filipino American Student Association, the 1ilippines Study Group and the nglish department came together to sponsor the event. "(I came) to learn more about my heritage," said LSA first-year student Mara Luna. "I kind of wapted to be a part of other Filipinos on campus. Members of the FASA Comedy Relief Squad set the tone for the evening with their lighthearted skit "Boy in the Hood," in which a native *lipino boy is introduced to air travel, residence halls and the Nectarine Ballroom by his American cousins. Traditional Filipino songs were sung byRackham student Karl Soliz and his friend Jason Baluyut, who had not seen each other since their sophomore year in a Philippine high school. Gonzalez, 81, said it is important for Filipinos, especially college students, to know about their heritage because he awareness of our sense of a nation 41 our sense of presence and future are inextricably related to training in American colleges." Gonzalez has been writing fiction and essays for more than 50 years. His most recent book, the essay collection "The Novel of Justice," was published this year. Gonzalez taught English liter- ature at California State University at Hayward for 18 years and is now an J ternational writer-in-residence at the niversity of the Philippines. Many consider him to be the godfather of Filipino literature. As Gonzalez spoke, many snapped pictures of the literary icon. His speech See FILIPINOS, Page 7A Upcoming Events The following workshops are free and will take place at 5:30 p.m. *et. 3 - Filipino Identity-Generation "Gap Workshop, Mosher-Jordan, Nikki Giovanni Lounge Oct. 10 - Tagalog Workshop, Mosher-Jordan, Nikki Giovanni Lounge Oct. 17 - Martial Arts Workshop, West Quad, Wedge Room Oct. 24 - Filipino Music Workshop, Michigan Union Parker Room Ot. 31 - Filipino Superstitions A tchigan Union Pond Room U.SI plans to hold Mideast peace talks A aletitna omn anda childpass a ine of Israeli border police near the disputed tunnel in Jerusalem's old town yester- day that turns along the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. Students hope f'or peaceful settlement 0 Tunnel near Muslim holy shrines reopened despite Arab outcry The Washington Post WASHINGTON President Clinton intervened directly in the bloody crisis in the Middle East yester- day, inviting Israeli and Arab leaders to a White House meeting this week aimed at defusing the tensions that have led to the region's worst outbreak of street fighting in years. After days of furious back-and-forth diplomacy by his chief aides, Clinton announced the summit during a brief appearance" ini the Rose: Garden yester- day morning.I then telephoned Israeli Prime M i n i s t e r 3 e n j a in n N e t a n y a 11 u. Palestinian Arafat leader Yasser Arafat, Jordan's King Hussein and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to extend the invitations formally. Netanyahu. Arafat and Hussein are expected to come, while Mubarak for the moment demurred, according to U.S. officials. Palestinian officials, however, hedged somewhat on whether Arafat would participate, saying he would prefer to have Mubarak present. "I am prepared to do everything in my power to help the Israelis and the Palestinians end the violence and begin the peace process again in earnest." Clinton said yesterday. "We have to return to the path of peace along which they have already traveled so far." The high-profile strategy carries risks, both for the future of the troubled Middle East peace process and for a president barely five weeks away from an election. The Clinton administration failed in its initial efforts to bring Netanyahu and Arafat together in the Middle East, leaving Washington as the sole mutually acceptable site for talks. But a White H-louse setting raises the stakes for a meeting where tangible results are anything but guaranteed. Administration officials tacitly acknowledged the hazards and immedi- ately tried to minimize the expectations for the session, tentatively slated for tomorrow and Wednesday. "We should- n't expect miracles out of this rather brief meeting here." Secretary of State Warren Christopher said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Given the hostile tone on yesterday's morning talk-show circuit, which (vas dominated by Israeli and Palestinian leaders exchanging recriminations for the civil strife of the last week, Christopher may even overstate the prospects. Netanyahu continued to defy calls to close the archaeological tunnel near an Islamic mosque in Jerusalem whose opening touched off the violence. Netanyahu blamed Arafat for inciting stone-throwing mobs and Palestinian police officers into attacking Israeli sol- diers. Arafat advisers were equally vitu- perative in condemning Israel for firing on Palestinian civilians and reneging on past peace agreements. See JERUSALEM, Page 7A Inside: Israel cracks down on Palestincan civil life. Page 7A By Ann Stewart Daily Staff Reporter While Israelis and Palestinians clashed violently on holy ground in the Middle . East Jewish and Arab American students clashed emotionally on campus. While both groups expressed oppos- ing views on roots of the recent out- break of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, they come together on their hopes for the future in the region. "(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu has made a farce of the peace process since it began." said LSA sophomore Amer Zahr. president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, "You can't expect a people to live in this kind of oppression. This is a logical result." Fighting in the region was sparked last Tuesday when Israel took steps to open an archaeological tunnel near a Muslim holy site. Political science Prof. Zvi Gitelman, who has done research on Israeli poli- tics and government, said the excava- tion of the tunnel was hardly the source of the fighting. "People don't go to war about a tun- nel." Gitelman said. "There's a long- standing mutual distrust (between Israelis and Palestinians.)" A statement from the Muslim Students Association called the action a "grave threat and disrespect" to the reli- gious site. Students said they saw it as an act of discrimination against Muslims. "This is one of the three holiest sites for Muslims in the world. It's another manifestation of the anti-Muslim feel- ings that Israelis have. They consider Muslims a kind of second-rate people," Zahr said. Jewish students said they felt the vio- lence was unnecessary and that Netanyahu was justified in keeping the tunnel open for historical purposes. "Why shouldn't archaeologists be able to do their job? I think there is his- tory there." said LSA junior Brandee Cosicher. "The Palestinians would find any excuse to wage war with Israel." Students said they felt Palestinian dissatisfaction was bound to erupt into See MIDEAST, Page 7A Rare rhino fossils stolen from museum, By Rachel Edelman For the Daily Two rhinoceros fossils, estimated to be worth between $10,000 and $20,000, were found stolen from the Ruthven Museums Building on Sept. 21. The Department of Public Safety is currently investigating the crime. The skull and leg bone of a diceratherium rhi- noceros were stolen from an exhibit case of the mammals exhibit on the second floor of the build- ing, which is open to the public. The fossils were 25 million years old. The fossils were probably stolen between Sept. 17 and 21, museum officials said. Investigators and museum officials said they believe the crime was most likely the work of more than one person, due to the complex nature of the act. The exhibit case, which contained slabs of other bones as well, was taken apart and reassembled. The crime most likely took place at night. between the periodic rounds of security guards. Museum officials said there are no suspects as of yet. "We're pretty sure that it's somebody who col- lects fossils. They were very specifically chosen objects. Whoever came in knew what they were doing, and what they wanted," said Museums exhibit preparator John Klausmeyer. Klausmeyer said it was probably not an inside job, but "there are lots of people who have access to the exhibits." The present security system may have been a factor in the crime. See THEFT, Page 7A P'oto courtesyof"T"V"E v M Ruthven Museum exhibit preparator John Klausmeyer examines the exhibit. 'U' waits for fina word on 'verybi'gf By Jeff Eldridge Daily Staff Reporter A $7.5-million gift to the University is in the works, according to several top University officials. Preston Robert Tisch - an LSA alum and current co-chair and chief executive officer for Loews Corporation - may soon finalize the donation, an announcement that was made this month to the University Board of Regents. Once in hand, the money will go to a new humanities building between Haven Hall and Angell Hall, which is cur- rently known as "the connector." The building will prospec- tively carry the name "Tisch Hall." Money from the donation will also support the construc- tion of tennis facilities for the Athletic Department. Provost J. Bernard Machen said the prospective $7.5-rimil- lion gift is of considerable size. "It's a very big lump, and for one person to do it for this purpose is quite unusual" Machen said. "We don't see it very often." Machen credited LSA Dean Edie Goldenberg for putting significant energy into fund-raising. Goldenberg said the Tisch donation is part of a large collegewide effort to foster donations for scholarships and academic pursuits. "It is very gratifying to be able to raise the funds to sup- port the people and programs in LSA that make such an important difference in the quality of the learning environ- ment we all enjoy," Goldenberg said. Vice President for Development Thomas Kinnear said the specific details of the donation are still being worked out "This will be one of the larger gifts of the (Campaign-for Michigan)," Kinnear said. "It is $7.5 (million) but its exact allocation between LSA and athletics is not yet known." The Campaign for Michigan has raised more than $I bil- lion since the effort began in September 1992. Mary Walker, director of annual giving for the Athletic Department, said whatever portion the department receives will go to new tennis facilities. "It's a brand-new facility on South State that will com- plete construction in the last quarter of this year," Walker said. She said the donation is very significant for the ath- letic program. "It's a very big deal - there's no doubt about it," she said. Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor), who made the announcement of the gift at September's regents Athletes exercise their politC muscle By Chiara Fudge r the Daily Whether it was for the food, fun or cama- raderie on a cold Sunday evening, more than 100 student-athletes gathered on the football practice fields yesterday at a picnic designed to register them to vote. "This is a good way to get all the athletes together ... it gets student-athletes more involved," said LSA first-year student Ashley Reichenbach, a field hockey player. The picnic was sponsored by the Student 4thlete Advisory Committee along with Voice Your Vote, a student-run organization geared at registering other students. April Bales, administrative assistant to the Undergraduate 'M' Club and SAAC athletic adviser, said student-athletes need to register as well. heard it was free food," said Nicole Keith, an LSA sophomore and track and field athlete. Although a representative from SAAC was sent to each sport to inform the student-ath- letes about the picnic, and numerous signs were hung around the Athletic Department, Bales said she was not surprised at the num- ber of uninformed student-athletes who attended the event. "All of this may be word of mouth to ath- letes, so they hear free food and come:' Bales said. Not everyone was oblivious to SAAC's efforts - many student-athletes saw it as a way to finally register. "I think it's a good thing for athletes because they're supposed to be leaders in the community," said LSA junior and hockey player Matt Herr. "If athletes voice opinions Feld hockey player Amy Philbrook registers to vote at the football practice~ fields yesterday. I