W. E . z

Until

Weather
Tonight: Chance of rain, low
4Q0 to 450.
Tomorrow: Cloudy, high in the
mid- to upper-50s.


One hundred six years of editoridfreedom

Tuesday
October 8, 1996

ps14 e

t -

"

yp

at

,':
J'

Ute I m

'U' student
attacked in
Bursley lot
Incident occurred in daylight

Neal charts
new territory
B Jeff Eldridge
t ly Staff Reporter
One late summer day, interim
President Homer Neal went to football
practice.
Though Neal has spent an entire pro-
fessional career in physics labs and
administrative posts at several institu-
tions, this was the first time he observed
a school's football team in practice.
Suddenly, coach Lloyd Carr called
the players over. They huddled around
Neal, who was surprised at this sudden
turn of events.
"Dr. Neal," Carr said, "would you
like to say something?"
Neal paused, and told the assembled
players how much they meant to the
esteem of the University.
lHe was a long way from his physics
lab: A
Since stepping into the presidency
July 1, Neal has been absorbed in a
grid stretching from the University
'Medical Center to the Media Union to
Michigan Stadium. He has confronted
issues of secret salary deals and hospi-
tal revenues, while trying to carve out a
vision for a precariously short period as
president.
For now, the man who helped discov-
er the top quark seems happy to make
the Fleming Administration Building
his nucleus - at least in the interim.
"By and large, it has been quite a bit


f ; * l

By Heather Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
A female University student was
held at gunpoint and sexually assaulted
and robbed in broad daylight in a park-
ing lot across from Bursley residence
hall last Saturday.
The perpetrator allegedly forced the
18-year-old student into the passenger-
side seat of her car at 8 a.m. in the NC-
31 parking lot on North Campus. He
allegedly threatened her with a hand-
gun, sexually assaulted her and robbed
her of $30, releasing the victim and
fleeing the scene before Department of
Public Safety officers arrived.
A Michigan State Police tracking
dog was brought to the scene but could
not locate the suspect.
The case is currently under investi-
gation by DPS.
"This kind of assault is very unusu-
al," said Elizabeth Hall, DPS
spokesperson. "We have nothing to
compare it to in recent history."
Joyce Wright, prevention education
coordinator for the Sexual Assault
Prevention and Awareness Center, also
said this type of assault is not common.
Wright said most assaults occur in
the late afternoon or early evening in
the home of the victim.
Five sexual assaults were reported to
SAPAC in September. All the assaults
occurred in the home of the victim.
Although an assault in public and in

Photo courtesy of University Relations
Homer Neal shares a ight moment with his audience during one of his appearances as interim president. He is celebrating
his 100th day in office today.

of fun," Neal said. "You get to meet a lot
of members of the University comnuni-
ty. It is a very large and complex place,
but the reason it's a manageable place is
because there are so many good people
that care a lot about the University."
But the job has not been without its
trials.

On Sept. 19, controversy erupted fol-
lowing reports pf salary deals between
former President James Duderstadt and
top administrators. Neal was one of
seven administrators who received let-
ters from Duderstadt, outlining secret
compensation packages.
Regents, students and faculty were

angered by the turn of events.
Neal - who also served in adminis-
trative posts at Indiana University and
the State University of New York at
Stony Brook - said he has not been
too surprised by anything that's hap-
pened in his presidency.
See NEAL, Page 7


SAPAC head
to leave group
iext month
By Ann Stewart
Daily Staff Reporter
The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center will
soon lose a valued leader.
After four years, Director Debi Cain plans to leave
SAPAC and begin work Nov. 15 developing and directing an
titute for training professionals in dealing with cases of
violence against women.
"I'm hopeful that it will provide education and a height-
ened sensitivity about violence against women," Cain said.
Associate Dean of Students Delories Sloan said she has not
made any decisions on who will permanently replace Cain,
and said she has not discussed possible choices with the rest
of the SAPAC staff.
"Hopefully we'll begin a search committee by the first of
the year ... and get it all finalized by April," Sloan said. "We
want students involved."
Sloan said an interim president "could very well be" anoth-
er SAPAC staff member, but no announcement has been made.
With a grant issued as part of the Violence Against Women
Act, the institute Cain will direct will train police, prosecu-
tors, judges and protective-service employees in identifying
symptoms of violence and responding properly to both sur-
vivors and perpetrators.
"Ifs an ideal opportunity. (This) will impact almost every
woman in the state," Sloan said.
The state is currently waiting for Cain to begin her new job,
but Cain said she hopes to first tie up work at SAPAC.
(Cain has directed agencies and workshops in combating
violence against women for 19 years. Sloan said Cain has had
experience in training professionals and has a great deal of
expertise in the field.
"Debi is one of the premier sexual assault and domestic
violence experts in the state," Sloan said. "If they were look-
ing they couldn't have found a better person."
SAPAC's Prevention and Education Coordinator Joyce
Wright said that under Cain's leadership the center has broad-
ened its reach from just sexual assault, sexual harassment and
Safewalk to include the issues of dating violence, domestic
'lence and stalking. In addition, Cain extended the hours of
APAC's crisis line to 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
"I see her as a mentor ... someone who has helped the
agency to progress," Wright said.
Last year, Cain came under fire from several student vol-
unteers who accused her of violating SAPAC's privacy guide-
lines and of breaking survivor confidentiality.

Tips on Protecting
Against Assault
* Look assertive and be aware of
your surroundings.
Be aware that your risk increases
in secluded and isolated areas.
r Walk with a trusted friend or co-
worker whenever possible.
Trust your intuition. If a situation
makes you uncomfortable, choose
an alternative.
Source: Department of Public Safety
broad daylight is unusual, Wright said,
"That doesn't negate the fact that it
does happen."
Female residents of Bursley said the
assault makes them more concerned
about their safety on campus.
"I never thought something like this
could happen across the street from
where I live," said LSA first-year stu-
dent Alexis Frank. "It's made me a lot
more aware."
Some students said the fact that the
assault occurred in the morning con-
cerned them.
"It scares me that it was on a
Saturday morning because you think
that would be a safe time," said Music
first-year student Jean Borky.
Music first-year student Emily Palen
agreed.
"(The assault) does scare me a lot -
See ASSAULT, Page 7
MSA
throws
support to
NWROC
By Will Weissert
Daily Staff Reporter
In a series of moves, the Michigan
Student Assembly is gradually team-
ing up with the National Women's
Rights Organizing Coalition.
In a Steering Committee meeting
Sunday, the assembly condemned the
city of Ann Arbor for issuing a
$36,000 bill to NWROC for the
group's involvement in an anti-Ku
Klux Klan rally in June.
This was the second resolution MSA
has passed at the urging of the radical
coalition. MSA first supported
NWROC last Tuesday night when
assembly members endorsed an
NWROC affirmative-action rally.
The assembly also is scheduled to
consider a third NWROC-backed res-
olution at tonight's meeting.
The assembly ruled it had a respon-
sibility to protect the free speech of all
student groups on campus, and that
the city's billing of NWROC for their
protest was a violation of the group's
free speech rights.
"The city's reasons for sending
these bills are very sketchy and they
set a very dangerous precedent that
goes against groups' rights to free
speech," said LSA Rep. Ryan
Friedrichs.
The city also sent an identical bill to
the KKK for their ole in the rally and
counter-rally, but MSA members
ruled they had no jurisdiction to ask
the city to rescind that bill because the
Klan is not a student group.
The Steering Committee's resolu-
tion still needs to be approved by the
full assembly at tonight's meeting.
"This should be approved with-

out any problem on Tuesday
night," said MSA Vice President
Probir Mehta.

KRISTEN SCHAEFER/Daily
Ryan LaLonde, chair of the Michigan Student Assembly's Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered task force and a member of the Queer Unity
Project, talks to other members of QUP last night before going out to chalk the campus sidewalks.
Candidates downplay gay nghts

By Laurie Mayk
Daily Staff Reporter
From chalkings on the Diag to debates on
the floor of the House, lesbian, gay and bisex-
ual issues are coming out of the closet and into
the political arena.
Despite recent high-profile legislation such
as the Defense of .
Marriage Act and the
Employment
Nondiscrimination
Act, support for gay
issues is still only:
whispered on the
campaign circuit,
experts say..
"Both (bills) were
defeated, but the very M
.f "s ac /l -''t liP - 1T

your race," said Ryan LaLonde, chair of the
Michigan Student Assembly's
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered task
force and a member of the Queer Unity
Project.
LaLonde said that even candidates with
consistent records of supporting gay rights are
careful not to make the
issue a talking point in
their campaigns. U.S.
Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-
Ann Arbor), who
LaLonde is supporting
for re-election, has had
to tone down her "pro-
gay" stance to cater to
her constituency and her
4 in a 12-part series, opponent, Republican
IC- F Imm- I n ac cceprted

Chalk is last straw
for QUP, GOP
By Alice Robinson
Daily Staff Reporter
Neon chalk messages speckled campus
yesterday morning, as two groups with differ-
ent ideologies battled it out on University
sidewalks.
Students from the Queer Unity Project set
out around 9 p.m. Sunday night to post fliers
and dot the pavement with gay pride messages
as part of National Coming Out Week, which
started Saturday. Shortly after QUP members
chalked, College Republicans, who had gath-
ered for a debate-watchinr narty colnred the

I