WE k, 1v i a Vt Unt News: 76-DAILY Advertising: 764-0554 One hundred six years of editorial freedom Wednesday February 12, 1997 Harvard prof. urges action Former Clinton aide speaks as part of African American Heritage Month lice Robinson Staff Reporter Harvard Law Prof. Christopher Edley has helped influence President Clinton's stance on one of the most controversial issues in the nation. When Clinton asked Edley, a Harvard Law profes- sor and member of the White House Affirmative Action Review Board, to explain affirmative action laws, Edley responded, "You're the president. What the law says is really not relevant ... to what you will say to the American people about what you think is ' Edley told a sparse crowd of about 60 people in Rackham Auditorium last night. Edley, whose lecture was the keynote address for the University's African American Heritage Month celebration, primarily spoke about the difficulty of shaping the Clinton administration's position on affir- mative action during the Republican Congress' initial "legislative assault" on affirmative action in 1995. After thanking the audience for "braving the bliz- zard" outside, Edley moved from behind the podium and sat down informally on the edge of the stage to give his lecture. Edley said that when Republicans gained control of Congress two years ago, the Clinton administration needed to clearly define its position on affirmative action. According to Edley, Clinton has shown substantial interest in the controversial issue. "He was just suck- ing up all kinds'of information on affirmative action," he said. Edley told the crowd that Clinton told his advisors, "Let's just step backand study it thoroughly so we know what we're talking about" Edley said he encouraged Clinton to think about his views on discrimination, after noting flaws in Clinton's argument for affirmative action. Law first-year student Richard Rountree said Edley's points were valuable. "I think I've always had pretty much a guttural feel- ing that affirmative action was right, to some extent," Rountree said. "He gave me additional insight on the problems that revolve around affirmative action. Looking ahead to the future, Edley said U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Clinton "should recognize See EDLEY, Page 7 JULY PARK/Dady Harvard Law Prof. Christopher Edley Jr. speaks about affirmative action last night at Rackham Auditorium. Clinton, Congress focus on Ludget WASHINGTON (AP) In a display of bipartisan unity, President Clinton and congressional leaders agreed yester- day to focus the new Congress on bal- ancing the budget and five other issues ruing from cutting taxes to solving the tal city's myriad problems. From the agenda it produced to its very location in the Victorian-style President's Room in the Capitol, the closed-door meeting was designed to signal voters that both sides want a year of compromise with minimal partisan sniping. It was also aimed at persuading the participants that they can trust each other and at finding ways to quickly yield legislative accomplishments. *We're trying to find a way to take the minimum number of pot shots at each other and get on with our work," ,F ~Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) told ' reporters after the 3... meeting, which lasted just over an hour. "And that's not always easy. I think it's a learned Clinton trait, and we're trying to learn how to do that." Vice President Al Gore called the session "an excellent start" and said both parties want to prevent disagree- ments "from generating the kind of ten- sion that would slow down progress in the areas where we know we can even- ly find agreement." e agenda will include improving schools, combatting juvenile crime and finding ways to help welfare recipients find jobs. Participants said working groups of lawmakers and administration officials would be established for each area in hopes of reaching early agree- ments. The meeting was opened with a prayer by Senate Chaplain Lloyd *lvie, who asked for divine guidance of the leaders, participants said. The backdrop for the meeting: A 1996 election campaign in which still- bitter Republicans said Clinton unfairly accused them of seeking to ravage Medicare; GOP plans to investigate Democratic fund raising; and lingering disputes over the balanced-budget con- stitutional amendment and revamping campaign finance laws. he campaign-financing issue is ibly absent from the parties' mutu- ally agreed priorities; Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, are divided on a solution. Also missing from the agenda are expanding chil- dren's health-care coverage, a Democratic priority; and an overhaul of toxic-waste cleanup laws, with Democrats objecting to GOP efforts to ease some penalties for corporations. *ven the issues on the bipartisan agenda are rife with differences. Both sides agree the budget must be balanced by 2002 but champion different mixes of savings. Clinton wants narrower tax cuts than Republicans and more money for education and welfare clients, too. Paczk'pleasure Mehta to face probe By Katie Plona Daily Staff Reporter What began as a routine round of announcements by mem- bers of the Michigan Student Assembly last night ended in a decision to investigate actions taken by assembly Vice President Probir Mehta. Members voted 13-12-1ito reverse last week's decision and form a committee to investigate a $500 allocation signed by Mehta without MSA approval in September. Mehta contends that he allocated the funds to the United Asian American Organization without the assembly's endorsement because it was impossible for MSA to reach quorum with so many members gone for the summer. "We're basically taking a giant step backward," Mehta said, adding that he has already acted responsibly by acknowledg- ing the mistake. "I still stand by my intentions" Engineering Rep. David Burden made a motion to suspend the rules so that members would have to vote by roll call - instead of by the secret-ballot format used last week. Burden said he had not planned to 4 a make the motion before the meeting, but students' negative reactions to the inci- . dent influenced his decision. "It appeared we were going to leave it how it was," Burden said, adding that he thought last week's vote was partisan. Mehta Burden, who abstained last week, voted last night in favor of forming the investigative com- mittee. Before the vote, MSA member Amer Zahr addressed the assembly, condemning the assembly's use of a secret ballot last week. Zahr said students have a right to know how MSA repre- sentatives voted so they can "decide who they want to be on the assembly instead of having to guess." "I was speaking about the secret ballot," Zahr said. "The vote was made, so there was no reason to change. I didn't think (the vote) was going to change." Schor said the decision to re-vote shows that the assembly holds itself accountable to students. "We responded to wishes of our constituents," Schor said. "Today, MSA did the right thing - we righted a wrong." While some assembly members said the formation of the committee is not personally or politically motivated, other MSA members disagreed. "This is a personal and political vendetta, Mehta said. "This is a heart-breaking development:' MSA President Fiona Rose said she is upset the assembly changed its mind. "Where is the sense of respect on this assembly?" Rose asked. "I see none." "It comes up every election cycle" Rose said. The investigative committee, composed of five randomly selected assembly members, excluding Mehta, has until Feb. 25 to complete its report. See MEHTA, Page 7 JULLY PARK/Daily Washtenaw Community College student Anne Ryan prepares custard and raspberry paczkis at Dough Boys Bakery, where about 1,100 paczkis were sold during Fat Tuesday before 4:30 p.m. Students discuss gender issues By Ericka M. Smith Daily Staff Reporter The age-old battle of the sexes was dis- cussed last night as part of Diversity Days, but it was a discussion that sparked little student interest. University alum- nus Susan Peterman, icurrently a radiolo- ure gist at Emory - 3 University, discussed her experiences with "Gender Issues" dur- " U/ ing the second day of the weeklong event. Outside of the suMAKOAdwAoady Angell Hall auditori- um, Michigan Initiative for Women's Health and the Jewish Feminist Group passed out gender-related information as just 12 students gathered inside for Peterman's lecture. Peterman divided her life into phases to illustrate how she has coped with gender issues. She said that when she was pregnant, she had to leave her radiology residency. "I was failing as a mother and I was failing as a resident," she said. During her hourlong lecture, Peterman said businesses need to value differences in male and female workers. "In the past, just the masculine has been val- ued and feminine has been devalued as we enter the work force," Peterman said. Peterman also discussed issues of power and control in society. She told students that the world seems unfair when you lack power. "I was born female in a male world," Peterman said. "If the world is run by a certain kind of people, then you are bound to feel like you are lacking somehow and no matter how hard you try, you can't make it." Some of the students who attended the lec- ture said they were concerned about how gen- der issues would affect them in the future. Public Health first-year graduate student Andy Timleck said his concern arose out of future health care issues. "Part of my focus has been on gay and les- bian health promotions. There (are) issues that come out of the gender of gay men and les- bians," Timleck said. "For example, if gay men are (seen as) feminine and if society values a male ethic of health, then overall their health issues may not be valued as much." Other members of the audience questioned whether the medical profession has changed for women since Peterman's entrance in 1980. LSA first-year student Payel Gupta said she would have to check current enrollment ratios before agreeing with Peterman. "I kind of feel like I'm on the outside looking in, Gupta said. "I would have to look at Inteflex and the number of women to men ratio." See DIVERSITY, Page 7 Rackham exhibit displays prisoner-created artwork By Greg Cox For the Daily While freedom is a distant dream of many Michigan prisoners, some artwork produced by inmates has escaped to Ann Arbor. A gallery of artwork created entirely by prison- ers is on display at Rackham through Feb. 24. Herschell Turner, art instructor at the Ionia Maximum Security Facility, said he's very excited about the program. "I hope eventually other prisons will be able to place expressive arts into their programs," Turner said. "It's not expensive and gives instant results." Although many prisoners whose work is being displayed in the gallery have minimal art experi- ence, Turner has 12-13 students whose pieces are represented. "Through Herschell Turner, I was blessed with being given the opportunity to maximize my artistic gifts, knowledge, and ability," said inmate coming from a background of poverty often haven't had that before." Visitors to the gallery will notice powerful pieces and the raw talent possessed by many inmates, Turner said. "You wouldn't know that many of these pieces were done by inmates;" Turner said. "Much of the art on display here often doesn't represent incar- ceration. It is just like any other artist's work." Janie Paul, a lecturer at the School of Art and Design, said the inmates benefit from having the opportunity to express themselves artistically. "Art allows them to express another portion of thought - a poetic side that is a part of us all, but is often oppressed in prison," said Paul, who is a co-curator of the exhibit. Turner said artistic creations can give prisoners a sense of accomplishment. "Art will fill up their leisure time by giving them something to do - all of the sudden they're .I - - I I