WE4W UtiU News: 76-DAILY Advertising: 764-0554 One hundred sax years of editorialgfreedom Monday February 3, 1997 ---------- =74 Clinton budget proposes raise for education * Increase would boost Pell Grants by 25 percent; proposal calls for lower student loan Interest rates By Jeffrey Kossoff Daily Staff Reporter In efforts to guarantee higher education for every quali- fied student, President Clinton recently announced amend- ments to his proposed budget that facilitate education for low-income families. On a news conference last week, Clinton said these pro- posals will "achieve our goal of making two years of college education as universal as a high school diploma is today." Clinton's budget would increase funding for Pell Grants by 25 percent, decrease the interest rate for student loans, add 300,000 work-study positions nationwide in a three-year period, provide a HOPE Scholarship for the first two years of college and allow a $1,500 college tuition tax credit. Some University students who receive financial aid say they support Clinton's proposals. "I think this is wonderful news," said Michigan Student Asembly President Fiona Rose, who met with Clinton and Secretary of Education Richard Riley last month to discuss student loan default rates. "The cost of a college education exceeds the reach of an aver- age college student." But some said Clinton's agenda for reforming the higher education system is neither financially responsible nor fair. "I agree that everyone should get as much education as possible," said state linton Rep. Jessie Dalman (R-Holland), who chaired the House higher education committee last term. "But my worry is that by opening the floodgates to everyone under Clinton's proposal, college will become more expensive. It would also eliminate any checks and balances we have between the government and the col- leges." Dalman said that giving aid to all students might inflate tuition rates, thus putting education further out of reach. "Our biggest problem with access is the cost of college," alman said. "We have to look at the issue of fairness." Many local U.S. members of Congress have endorsed Clinton's proposal. "In terms of providing financialvaid, it's a step in the right direction," said U.S. Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Ann Arbor). Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) said the financial aid pack- age will be effective because it assists both working-class and middle-class students. She also said the Pell grants fit the need of students who don't even have enough money to benefit from tax cuts. "I think the tax cuts make it available to middle-income dents' Stabenow said. "For so many students, they don't ye the available money to put down for school. That is where Pell Grants and loans come in:' Some education experts in Michigan saythey are enthusi- astic about the higher education package. "It targets all of the people who need the financial help," said Kathleen Straus, a member of the State Board of Education. "It will benefit all of society in the longrundf Some University officials are glad to see the tax credits and the Pell Grant proposal. "That is certainly a welcome proposal," said Tom Butts, associate vice president for government relations. "It will pefully have some effect on students' need to borrow so -uch" Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn) also said the college credits are an investment in the future. "Good education is a vital tool necessary for our youth to be more competitive in the workforce," Dingell said in a written statement. "I support President Clinton's propos- al and will work with the administration so our children have the opportunity for a better educational future." But Dalman said the funding should be concentrated on helping students earlier on in their educational *reers. "We need to do a better job on the K-12 system,' Dalman - 1 gI e S.lmm Ir By Heather Kamins and Katie Wang Daily Staff Reporter Two years ago, Lee Bollinger took the road that led him away from Ann Arbor, but today as he begins his first day as University president, he finds that the road once traveled has brought him back again. As Bollinger sits in the University's driver's seat, he finds him- self steering one of the nation's largest research institutions, a campus that has undergone a billion-dollar face lift and a student body that is more diverse than ever. "I feel a tremendous affection for this institution," he said in his selection interview with the Board of Regents last October. "It's one of the greatest of universities and colleges in the coun- try, in the world, and there is just no question about it." Bollinger was selected by the regents from a pool of four applicants after a yearlong search process. The blond-haired president, a learned scholar of the First Amendment and an avid reader whose passions run deep for edu- cation, said it is "wonderful" Ito be back. "Everyday I run into peo- ple I've known, but have not seen for awhile," Bollinger I feel a said. "It is a very special time for me. There is so much to learn. "I have a lot of work to do,"he said yesterday. "But it is immensely exciting:' Bollinger served as dean * of the Law School for seven -Lee Bollinger years before leaving to University President become the provost of Dartmouth College in 1994. In addition to reuniting with old friends, Bollinger will now be closer to his son, Lee, who is studying in the Law School. His daughter Carey is an undergraduate at Harvard, and his wife Jean, an artist, is. scheduled to move into the president's house this month. Before joining the University in 1973 as an assistant professor, Bollinger was a clerk for Warren Berger, former chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. "It's going to be a great era," said Regent Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor). "I'm excited, and he's ready to roll:' See BOLLINGER, Page 5A MARGARET MYERS/Daily Bollinger Blo Born: April 30, 1946 Academic Appointments: Dartmouth College provost, Wife: Jean Magnano Bollinger July 1994-96 Children: Lee, 24, University Law School University Law School dean, 1987-1994 Carey, 20, Harvard University University Law School professor, 1976-94 Education: Columbia Law School, J.D. 1971 Clerkship: Chief Justice Warren Berger, United University of Oregon, B.S. 1968 States Supreme Court, 1072-73 Novelist kicks off heritage month events By Susan T. Port For the Daily Novelist Beverly Jenkins says that lost chapters of America's black history need to be written into the history books. Jenkins told this to students and Ann Arbor residents at a speech Saturday that kicked off African American Heritage Month. Jenkins, a romance novelist, incorporates events and themes of black history into her work. "I thought if I could combine romance and black history and do it in a special way, I could teach history without you knowing it," Jenkins said. Born and raised in Detroit, Jenkins worked as a librarian before becoming a novelist. "There are so many stories to tell,' she said. Jenkins said there is a natural appeal in romantic themes, and that black people often don't see themselves as romantic subjects in mainstream culture. "I have always liked romance, mainly because black folks do not get enough of it," Jenkins said. "Look at TV and movies and you see very little romance." Jenkins said historians often leave out important parts of the black experience in America. She said one of her goals as a nov- elist is to fill in these gaps. "According to American history, we as a race, we came here as slaves, civil war saved us, then we disappeared for a hundred years," African American Heritage Month: 0 "Rise Up and Build," the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the William Monroe Trotter House, Friday, 7 p.m. * "It Begins from Within," black women's forum, Michigan Union, Kuenzel Room. Feb. 9, 7 p.m. "Challenges for the 21st Century - A Review of the National Conversation on Race and Gender Equality," Rackham Auditorium, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. Jenkins said. She said her love of 19th Century black his- tory motivated her to bring it to life in her novels. Jenkins compared American history to the structure of a quilt. "There is a segment of the quilt lost, Jenkins said. "The pieces are slowly being .woven into the fabric." While she gave her lecture on the lost his- See HERITAGE, Page SA U' racism suit nears. end today By Ericka M. Smith Daily Staff Reporter Both sides rested their cases Friday in the civil trial charging that the University and a Dental School super- visor discriminated against three black employees in a 1995 firing. Former Dental School employees Theresa Atkins, Delano Isabelle and Dawn Mitchelle allege that racial motives were behind their firing. The University contends that: they were dismissed for forging time cards. Linda Vachon DeMarco, a Dental School supervisor who oversaw the dismissal of Atkins, Isabelle and Mitchelle, took the stand in her own defense Friday afternoon in District Court Judge Donald Shglton's Washtenaw County courtroom. DeMarco said she didn't have racial motivations for firing the employees. "I needed them to get the work done," DeMarco said. During cross examination plaintiff attorney George Washington claimed DeMarco knew that former employee Katherine Cardew was known to make false accusations. Cardew reported the time-card fraud to DeMarco in 1995. He asked DeMarco how she could believe the allegations of Cardew when "you knew that you had an employee who was a liar and had a grudge against (the plaintiffs) and that she was a bigot." In other testimony, Custodial Supervisor Clifford Sanders refuted statements Isabelle made last Monday accusing Sanders of being "prepped" able Michgan n du AIDS minority forum starts awareness week Make 'em laugh 106 Years of Tradition By Ronny Wasser For the Daily The experience of being a minority with AIDS was the topic of discussion at a sparsely attended forum that ness." Anderson, a community activist and vice chair of the state's HlV/AIDS Care Council, is con- cerned with the lack of "dialogue" served to open AIDS Awareness week yesterday. While only three people attended the Trotter House event, titled "Experiences of Colored People with HIV/AIDS," panelists John Barnes and Derrick Anderson said they want- areness Fehr ary 1-8 Week among the minority com- munities. "The epidemic is so dis- proportional amongst the community of color" Anderson said. "Our com- munity has not made a col- lective noise ... We need to come out of the closet ed to educate other people on how the disease affects minority commu- nities. "Harest hit are black and I atino about AIDS." Barnes, who is black, told personal stories about his battle with AIDS and the lack ofdialogue with other African I ~ :u3~ U~~VLWLW~4~ W~ I t I I