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One hundred six years ofeditorW freedom
Tuesday
January 28,'1997
- ~ nDai Ay ' I tl D 7 , s,, t a..0a : , rt . Si4r 7 :
Federal
research
Racism trial begins against 'U'
Funding to
cline
By Heather Kamins
Daily Staff Reporter
A 20-percent decline in federal
Funding for university-based
research nationwide is expected
aver the next five years and beyond,
the University Board of Regents
Learned at a meeting Thursday.
"There is a projected down-turn of
fat spending (moving towards the
year 2002)," Vice President for
Re sResearch
Federal Frederick
Ftndlng Neidhardt said.
Research funds "The gap
at U.S. colleges between federal
mions revenues and
spending is an
unsustainable
trend."
The University
a S ranks first in the
nation for total
research expendi-
tures, Neidhardt
said, after an
adjustment is made to remove Johns
Hopkins University, due to the fact that
much of its research dollars are passed
through a national physics research
project.
t's not time to panip, but time to
pr are to panic," Neidhardt said.
U.S. Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Ann
Arbor) said that in the past year there
was a 30-percent cut in applied funding
and a 20-percent cut in basic funding
for research.
"I do suspect that the budgets will
continue defunding and there will be
massive cuts in funding - both would
impact the University substantially,"
Rivers said.
*vers said she is not in favor of the
cuts.
"Not only are we dealing with money
for medical research, but also our ability
to defend ourselves as a nation," Rivers
said. "We are increasing our reliance on
foreign technology. If we don't do
research on our own shores we will be
outstripped by foreign countries."
Based on University spending fig-
0 for research, the cut in federal sup-
p. could become a problem,
Neidhardt said.
Niedhardt noted the University is
in better shape than other top
research universities because only
64.3 percent of its total funds come
from federal support. Other universi-
ties, including Stanford University
and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology receive 75-85 percent of
their funding through federal dollars,
hardt said.
f these top universities, we are at
least a little bit less dependent on fed-
eral support," Neidhardt said.
Federal research funding contributes
$27.3 million to tuition and stipends for
undergraduate and graduate education,
$156.3 million for salaries of faculty,
technicians and undergraduates, $12.1
See RESEARCH, Page 7
By Ericka M. Smith
Daily Staff Reporter
With supporters lining the courtroom, the three
former Dental School employees suing the
University for racism appeared in court today for
the opening day of their civil trial.
Dawn Mitchell, Theresa Atkins and Delano
Isabelle - three black Dental School instrument
technicians - filed suit in January 1995, claiming
supervisor Linda Vachon fired them on grounds of
discrimination. The plaintiffs are seeking mone-
tary compensation from the University.
Washtenaw County District Court Judge
Donald Shelton presided over yesterday's jury
selection and the plaintiffs' opening arguments.
Shelton said he expected the trial to continue
into next week.
In his opening statement, plaintiff attorney
George Washington said Mitchell, Atkins and
Isabelle were the victims of racism.
"I think that we as a people like to think that
something like that happens somewhere in the
backwoods - like Mississippi or Alabama,"
Washington said. "But not in a place like the U-M."
The plantiffs contend that the Dental School had
a racist environment where employees and super-
visors freely used the words "you people" in refer-
ence to blacks.
Tim Howlett, a University attorney, maintained
that Vachon fired the three plaintiffs because they
forged time cards.
University officials could not speak about the
specifics of the trial due to a gag order imposed by
Shelton, said Vice President for University
Relations Walter Harrison.
But Harrison said the University wants to main-
tain an environment that is comfortable for all peo-
ple.
"Our goal (as a University) is to be totally free
of racism," Harrison said.
Washington said witnesses, including doctors,
Dental School employees and community mem-
bers, will testify that his clients were the victims of
discrimination.
In August and September 1994, Mitchell, Atkins
and Isabelle were transferred from working at
University Hospitals to the Dental School, where
they sterilized dental instruments. On Dec. 2,
1994, the three were fired by Vachon.
One year later, the three employees were rehired
by the University after a period of arbitration
between University officials and the plaintiffs.
Mitchell, who is currently on medical leave,
See TRIAL, Page 7
JENNIFER BRAOLEY-SWIFT/Daily
Plaintiffs in the case of racism against the University consult with legal counsel In the halls of the
Washtenaw County court. Their race discrimination trial against the University began yesterday.
'U'donor
sets goals
for gif
By Katie Wang
Daily Staff Reporter
University alum John Schroeder said
yesterday he remembers feeling clue-
less about his career goals when he was
a student athlete at the University in the
mid-1960s.
It is for this reason the professional
golfer and former Michigan All-
American golfer pledged $2.6 million
to the University's Athletic Department,
with the intent of establishing a career
counseling program for the more than
600 student athletes.
The money will be given to the
University after he and his wife Kathy
are deceased.
"I do feel very strongly as an ex-
scholarship athlete that you have an
obligation to pay the University back,"
Schroeder said. "It's something I had
always wanted to do."
Schroeder said he hopes the career
counseling program will provide a pro-
fessional support network for student
athletes who need guidance in their job
search.
"It's a program to utilize alumni, all
the people associated with U-M and to
allow them to create job counseling,"
Schroeder said. "When I was a student,
I had no idea what I was going to do.
"You're here to get an education, but
you're also here to get a life," Schroeder
continued. "The more questions you
can get answered early on, the more
sure you are when you start off."
Kyle Dobbs, a member of the
men's golf team and a Kinesiology
senior, said career counseling would
give a helping hand to student ath-
letes.
"It's always nice to have extra assis-
Engler to give
annual address
N State of the State will
focus on restructuring
school districts
By Jeffrey Koueff
Daily Staff Reporter
In his seventh annual State of the
State address this evening, Gov. John
Engler plans to focus on state takeovers
of certain school districts.
Engler's proposal would replace
administrators in 10 local school dis-
tricts, including Detroit, Flint and
Highland Park, with
state-appointed
officials.
Many members
of the state House,
now dominated by
Democrats, said the
proposal uses the
wrong approach in
solving educational
problems.
"This is the Engler
dumbest of the gov-
ernor's proposals, although it takes a
stretch to get there," said Rep. James
Agee (D-Muskegon). "What's really
unusual is the governor has proposed a
major revolution in public education
every year for four years. After so many
revolts, it becomes revolting."
Agee said one such revolution was
the establishment of charter schools,
which many Democrats opposed.
John Truscott, an Engler spokesper-
son, said the school districts targeted
for takeovers have low test scores and
high dropout rates.
Rep. Mary Schroer (D-Ann Arbor)
said the proposal would not correct the
flaws of urban school districts.
"What I find curious is he is not
proposing what he will do differently,"
Schroer said. "So the state takes over,
what's new?"
Some state Republicans said they will
not commit their support to the proposal.
"The state does have the option," said
state Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle
Creek), referring to taking over local
districts. "It would depend on the cir-
cumstances."
Schwarz said a school district like
Detroit's, with more than 180,000 stu-
dents, can't have solve its problems easily.
"I don't think anyone seriously doubts
there have been some management
problems in the district. This is a hell of
a problem," Schwarz said. "It is a very
difficult, very complex problem that
will not go away with an easy solution."
However, Schwarz said the governor's
intentions in the proposal are correct.
"I agree with what he is trying to do,
which is to bootstrap the districts,"
Schwarz said.
State Rep. Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor)
said that instead of concentrating on the
administration of education, the gover-
nor should concentrate on the welfare
of the children.
"We should focus on giving the
schools sufficient resources," Brater
said. "We should keep the focus on edu-
cation at the local level?'
Engler also plans to propose perma-
nent expulsion for students who assault
teachers, a plan to assist welfare recipi-
ents in finding jobs and the confisca-
tion of cars from people who drive with
suspended licenses.
The address will be broadcast live on
public television at 7 p.m.
-The Associated Press contributed to
this report.
JENNIFER BRADLEY-SWIFT/Daily
U-M men's basketball Coach Steve Fisher makes an appearance yesterday to
greet former Michigan All-American golfer John Schroeder at a news conference.
tance and counseling service," Dobbs
said. "(In Kinesiology) you are left on
your own. The supplies are available to
you, but the phone calls and ground
work are up to you?.
Parameters for the program have not
yet been finalized, said Athletic
Director Joe Roberson. Roberson
applauded the donation and said he
hopes other alums will do the same.
"I think it is neat to have a student
athlete whose experience was so posi-
tive that he wanted to give back to the
University," Roberson said. "I hope that
it would trigger some others to do the
same thing."
Schroeder said the University isn't
See DONATION, Page 7
ARCADE ACADEMY
Students kill time playing
computer, video games
Joolle Renstrom
For the Daily
Dogs are old news - today's pet of choice is a
hedgehog.
From Sonic the Hedgehog to the Mario
Brothers, video games have become a daily part of
life for millions of consumers. When the Nintendo
Entertainment System became popular about a
decade ago, students began choosing computer-
i blips and beeps over homework and sleep.
SA first-year student Dave Jackson, who lives
on the 6th floor of South Quad, said his roommates
play Sega and Sony Playstation constantly. "They
play instead of studying - it's a method of procras-
tination;' Jackson said. "It's funny - none of us
played video games before college."
Jackson said that if he had enough willpower, he
would throw out the video games and the televi-
sion set.
Finn Jensen, an employee at Pinball Pete's on
South University Avenue, said he encourages stu-
dents to leave their rooms to play video games in
an arcade atmosphere.
"Coming here is different than locking yourself
up in a room," Jensen said. "This is a social envi-
ronment. It gets competitive and it costs more, but
it is still going out."
On an average weekend night, Jensen said about
300 people go to Pinball Pete's. Most patrons stay
about two hours, he said.
"People are addicted to video games," Jensen
said. "It takes skill to play. It's good entertainment,
Shots fired in
hostage standoff
LIMA, Peru (AP) - Provoking gunfire from inside the
compound, armed police commandos marched in force yes-
terday outside the Japanese diplomatic residence where left-
ist rebels hold 72 captives.
The deployment came just hours after Japan urged Peru to
show restraint in maneuvers outside the compound, where }
the Tupac Amaru rebels have held diplomats and business
leaders from Japan and other nations for five weeks.
Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto appealed to the
Peruvian government "not to go too far. Not thinking of the
hostages' mental state may have an adverse effect."
Despite Japan's warnings, four armored personnel carriers
rumbled past the compound later yesterday, their machine
guns trained on the elegant residence seized by the rebels on
Dec. 17.
A police helicopter circled overhead as the commandos
marched to the strains of martial music blasting from speakers.
Moments later, the commandos returned and walked at a snail's
pace as they aimed their rifles at the residence.
At least two shots rang out from inside the compound,
sending the commandos ducking for cover. Police said one
hi let n,4icd nro'nnp carrier.hbut there were sn renorts of