LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 18, 1996 - 3

~xevera1 men
estroy vehicles
lie Department of Public Safety
ld several scratches and gouges on
car in a Church Street Carport after a
aler to DPS reported that some men
eredestroying vehicles there.
The cars were vandalized early
ediesday morning, and the caller
llegeo that sticks and pipes were used
o hit the vehicles.
Becuse she witnessed the scene from
iei riom in University Towers, the caller
ad she could not provide many details
e suspects and vehicles. However,
he caller reported that a possible dark
mall vehicle with a hatchback was seen
eaving the area and heading north on
hurch Street to North University
venue, according to DPS reports.
IMPS officers were unable to locate
he suspect vehicle but confirmed that
here was damage to one vehicle. DPS
as.no suspects in this case.
arijuana scent
ingers in halls
The odor of marijuana was reported
t several residence halls this week,
neluding two incidents on the fifth
'oor of Bursley residence hall.
The first time the smell was reported
t Bursley occurred Saturday night. A
'trong scent of the drug came from an
nown room in fifth-floor Bartlett
se at 1 1:26 p.m., according to DPS
eports. Officers reported finding resi-
ents burning a candle and advised them
bout the residence hall burning policies.
The second incident at Bursley
curred Tuesday night. DPS received
wo complaints about a marijuana odor
'om the fifth and seventh floors of
ursley. Officers made contact with
'ome residents, who denied having the
respassers
yscorted from
everal halls
Three cases of trespassing reported
his week ended without confrontation
hen the persons left the premises of
he residence halls.
man in an orange raincoat with a
on his shoulder was walking
round East Quad on Tuesday evening.
DPS officers identified him as a fre-
uent trespasser and escorted him from
lhe building, according to DPS reports.
Tiree to four men were allegedly
takng "disgusting comments" to peo-
le ;who passed by East Quad on
ednesday afternoon. The suspects
ere reported to be "poorly dressed"
~between the ages of 30 to 40 years
WDPS reports state that the men may
ave been intoxicated.
A suspect was asked by DPS officers
q leave fifth-floor Van Duren House in
Bursley residence hall Sunday evening.
fficers escorted the person outside,
ccording to DPS reports.
Several cases of indecent graffiti
curred this week, including a racist
sign painted on a student's door
scene graffiti
ound around 'U'
A large swastika was painted on a

mejJniversity student's door in Mary
Ntrtley residence hall Monday. DPS
h4 0o suspects, and the caller said this
is'he third time it has happened,
ac (; ding to DPS reports.
In another incident, a University
vehicle was spray-painted with obscene
s last weekend.
'The words "Bitch Ass" were found
on the driver's side, probably painted
on between Friday at 4:15 p.m. and
Saturday at 10:30 a.m., according to
DP'S ,reports.
Men trespass on
stadium grounds
%bout five men climbed over a fence
the north side of the Michigan
Stadium on Monday at 1:49 a.m.
One of the men allegedly carried a
football into the stadium. DPS found
alt five men and questioned them. They
w~e qq- eleased pending further investi-
gation, according to DPS reports.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Anupama Reddi

Hindu students clean up community highways

By Stephanie Powell
Daily Staff Reporter
The next time you're on US-23, don't be sur-
prised to see a student from biology lecture sport-
ing an orange vest and carrying a trash bag.
The student could be a member of the
University's Hindu Student Council, which has
adopted part of the highway through the Michigan
Department of Transportation's Adopt-A-Highway
program.
"Adopt-A-Highway is truly an eventful experi-
ence. It is great to see the enthusiasm from stu-
dents who represent HSC," said Sridhar
Palanisamy, who coordinates the HSC's highway
adoption program.
HSC has participated in highway adoption in
accordance with Seva, a philosophy of the Hindu
way of life. Seva is the duty of community service,
which should be upheld by everyone, Palanisamy
said.

Through the state program, organizations are
able to adopt a highway and are responsible for
picking up litter three times a year.

the requirements,
Each group gets two miles of a state highway
that they are responsible for cleaning. The

A spokesperson for
Michigan's Department of
Transportation said there is
a minimum of two years that
the organization must be
involved with the program.
"Within the first year, the
Department of
Transportation posts signs
on the highway recognizing
the organization's contribu-
tion," said a department
spokesperson.
Participants are required

It is great to see,
the enthusiasm
from students who
represent Hsic."
- Sridhar Palanisamy
Hindu Student Council member

Department of
Transportation then pro-
vides reflective vests and
trash bags for the organiza-
tion each time they go out.
HSC adopted a part of
US-23 three years ago.
Since then the state of
Michigan has put signs up
on each side of the highway
showing H SC's contribution
to the enhancement of the

and help clean their community," Palanisamy said-
HSC is an international organization that pro-
vides students with knowledge about Hindu her-
itage, -opportunities for community service and
recognition of pressing issues in the community.
The group is involved with other community
services as well, such as Support-A-Child, Hand
on Atlanta, serving food to the homeless and dis-
aster reliefs.
Siva Hota, a member of HISC's North American
Coordination Council who is also involved in Seva
projects here at the University, said that highway
adoption is a great program for organizations.
"As a group this is an excellent way to work as
a team and put our efforts into giving back to the
society," Hota said.
For information on how to get involved with
the Adopt-A-High way program, call the
Michigan Department of Transportation at (517
322-3314

highway.
Palanisamy

encourages

to watch a video and read handouts on how to be
safe when cleaning the highway. Organizations
then must fill out forms saying they have met all of

other students to participate in the program.
"Adopt-A-Highway is an excellent program for
anyone who would like to volunteer their services



't

Sociology prof. examines
status of America in book

~f.:

0 Book looks at
economy, family
values and health-care
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
It's not unusual for authors to spell
out the nation's doom in their latest
work. But unlike these pessimists, one
University professor instead emphasizes
America's strengths in a new book.
"We are not a nation in decline." said
sociology Prof. Reynolds Farley, author
of "The New American Reality: Who
We Are, How We Got Here, Where We
Are Going." The book examines current
issues including economics, affirmative
action, family values and health-care
technology.
Farley, also a population studies
researcher, concluded that the United
States is overall more prosperous and
diverse than it has been in the past few
decades.
Citing statistics from census data and
opinion surveys, Farley observes many
positive trends in the country, such as
higher life spans, which he attributes to
better health habits.
Farley also said senior citizens today
are better off than they were 50 years
ago, and he does not anticipate the gov-
ernment to slash entitlement programs
that assist them. "I don't think there will

be any cuts in Social Security or
Medicare because of the voting power
of the elderly," he said.
Economically, Farley said America's
income has been growing at an annual
rate of 1.5 percent, even with inflation
and cost'of living figured into the per-
centage.
Despite his rosy overall outlook,
Farley does see many specific problems
in American soci-

"Nobody predicted the stock market
crash of 1929," he said. "It is by no
means certain that Generation X is
going to do better than their parents."
Farley also said that while single-par-
ent families are now more accepted in
American society, only a small percent-
age of single parents are economically
equal to dual-parent households.
"Children in single-parent families
have a higher
risk of poverty"

ety.
Farley said the
majority of the
prosperity has
been distributed
to the upper class.
and the gap
between the rich
and the poor has
continued to
grow. He attribut-
es this increased
polarization on an
increased empha-

It is by

r o

means certain that
Generation X is
going to do better
than their parents"

he said.
Farley said
minorities do
not receive
equal oppod-
nities or educa-
tion, and affir-
mative action is
an effective

Soc

sis on technical skills.
Economics Prof. Richard Porter also
noted this disparity. While he also said
the economy has grown over the past 25
years, he said "the income distribution
is not as equal as it should be."
While the economic trends have been
prosperous in the recent past. Farley
warns not to be too optimistic about the
future.

E----way to correct
Reynolds Farley that problem.
Jology professor H o w e v e r,
Farley predicts
America will "move farther away from
affirmative action" because of a lack of
public support.
Farley's colleagues in the sociology
department also concur with his find-
ings.
"Professor Farley is one of the modC
careful demographers in the nation
said Sociology Prof. Yu Xie.

JENNIFER BRADLEY-SWIFT/Daily
A study in sales
An anonymous scalper tempts passers-by with tickets to the Saturday
Homecoming football game against Indiana.
Laser show, fireworks and
music highlight dedication

U U

TOWER
Continued from Page 1
Chip Davis, a 1969 University music
education alum, written specially for this
occasion.
University interim President Homer
Neal addressed the crowd and spoke of
the symbolism of the new tower and
Central Campus' Burton Memorial
Tower.
"Across this spacious expanse, it has
been difficult to invoke a classic colle-

the tower and the mess the two years of
construction created. The North Campus
Diag, which had been torn up for more
than a year, was landscaped earlier this
week - some North Campus students
haven't seen grass since the construction
began.
"I'm an Engineering student and I had
to put up with the construction for this
for two years and it doesn't even have a
clock," said Matt Bert, a fifth-year
Engineering student.
"They spent ($5.3 million) to build a

Ilo

O te

giate feeling
here, but today it
has been done.
Today these two
lofty structures
bridge the dis-
tance between
our two campus-
es," Neal said.
Reaction to
the new tower on
North Campus
has varied.

"You could have
bought all the
engineers a Rolex
for that.3"
- Ryan Van Houten
LSA junior

tower without a
clock and I still
have to pay eight
cents a copy to print
a page," Bert said.
Many people
were drawn to the
event by all the
music and lights.
"I was going to
study. I have a test
tomorrow, but I was
kind of taken back

"It's not symmetrical, the cap is too
small, and the concrete ledge is skewed
off to one side, but not enough so that a
passerby would notice, and that is kind
of irritating," said Mark Carrabbio, a
senior Architecture student.
"Two extra concrete chunks are just
sitting there. It looks kind of incomplete
in some way," Carrabbio said.
Other students also questioned the sta-
tus of the tower.
"Is it really done ?" asked Engineering
senior Rick Kindt. "It's not that ugly. I
just can't believe it is finished:'
Some students had complaints about
the amount of money that was spent on

by the whole thing." said LSA junior
Ryan Van Houten.
"I think it is a little ridiculous that it
cost that much money. You could have
bought all the engineers a Rolex for
that," Van Houten said.
Many students were very impressed
by the tower and the event.
"This is really cool. I wish we had
something like this on Central Campus
LSA senior Michelle Johansen said.
"I know we have a bell tower, but this
is cool. I haven't seen it during the day-
light, but now it looks pretty cool. I'll
come back during the day and check it
out' Johansen said.

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