News: 76-DAILY Advertising: 764-0554 w it gr ml Ua One hundred siA years rf editolaifreedom Friday February 14, 1997 glilgoill State 0 Minimum wage raise to $5.15 will not affect most stufdents B effrey Kosseff Daily Staff Reporter Many University students said bills passed Wednesday in the state House and Senate proposing to raise the state minimum wage to $5.15 an hour will not affect them. In Ann Arbor's- competitive job mar- ket, many said a minimum wage of $5.15 would not boost their income. make more than that," said LSA ........... .................. maby junior Buffy Beattie. "Most students I know make at least $6 an hour." The House and Senate bills are simi- lar in the overall minimum wage, with a few minor differences. The Senate bill, proposed by Sen. Loren Bennett (R- Canton) allows a training wage of $4.25 for workers under 20 during the first 90 days of employment. The House bill, proposed by Rep. Bob Emerson (D-Flint) would raise the minimum hourly wage for tipped employees from $2.52 to $3.87. Some University students who work in restau- rants said they hope their minimum wage will increase to give them a more ioost wages steady flow of income. "There are many times you don't get a lot of tips when it is a slow night," said Christy Cowden, an LSA senior who waits tables in Touchdown Cafe. But some legislators said an increase in tipped employees' wages could result in lost jobs for many waiters and wait- resses. "It will just cost the business money" said Sen. Joanne Emmons (R-Big Rapids). "Servers could lose their jobs easily because these are very marginal jobs " However, some local restaurant own- ers said an increase in servers' wages would not result in lay-offs. "Here we would not decrease our workforce," said Eileen Carroll, the manager of Red Hawk Bar and Grill. Bennett said he is confident the House and Senate will come to a com- promise as soon as Tuesday. "There is not a great deal of differ- ence between the two bills," Bennett said. Bennett said he admits his bill, which passed in the state Senate 37-1, will not affect many people in the state because the federal minimum wage of $5.15 See WAGES, Page 2 Br-- 4: _ !.l - .. .f Z , t .re.,-° a "* :' nw *q; ,".v-. + ,v~F: wv 'r. ' +wk._ . r "+wMl', . lei "- ': i k_ i , K . .Y= . , ., > 5 '. _ JOHN KRAFT/Dady, Lisa Dubrine, an LSA junior by day but a waitress at Good Time Charley's by night, says she makes $2.50 an per-hour plus tips, a normal wage for area wait staffers. Clinton: Syria must negotiate *Cupid, condoms share holi1day By Karen Molla For the Daily As cupid's arrow kicks off anoth- er Valentine's Day, many students are reminded of how much friends and loved ones care when they receive the traditional cards, candy, and flowers.' However, February 14 marks another holiday, but one sponsored y the American Social Health Association -- National Condom Day. National Condom Day was founded in 1992 to remind couples to make love responsibly by protect- ing their sexual health. But due to theAIDS Awareness Week festivities on campus that ended just five days ago, nothing Was planned at the University for Condom Week, which continues until February 21. Polly Paulson, health education coordinator at University Health Services, said there were no activi- ties plannned because of the AIDS NAMES Project Memorial Quilt's display on campus last week. LSA first-year student Andy Linquiest said most people are lready well-informed about safe ex issues. "I didn't know that there was a need for National Condom Day or Week since there has been more than enough education about sexu- ally transmitted diseases," Linquiest said. "Everyone has to know the danger of not using a condom by now, but there are always those who See DAY, Page 2 * Clinton discusses Mideast peace situa- tion with Netanyahu WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton said yesterday the recent Israeli-Palestinian agreement had creat- ed "a renewed sense of promise in the Middle East" but chances for compre- hensive peace rested on Syria resuming negotiations with Israel. C I i n t o n, standing along- side Israeli Prime Minister I do fe B e n j a m i n Netanyahu, encouraz said they had engaged in d $s uss$ "extensive dis- h v cussions" about h e had Syria and the -Pr peace process. But Clinton declined to reveal any details when asked if they had discussed any new Israeli proposals for land concessions in the Golan Heights. Clinton said talking publicly of any such proposals would set back negoti- ations. But he added: "I do feel encouraged by the discussions we have had that there are things worth working on." Netanyahu, for his part, said Syria could show its good faith by exerting its influence in Lebanon to reduce the military capacity of Hezbollah terrorists. Until then, he said Israel would not withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon because "if we simply walked away ... Hezbollah and other terrorists would simply come to the (border) and attack our towns and villages." It was Clinton's first meeting with Netanyahu since the Israeli leader and Palestinian Chief Yasser Arafat ended a dangerous impasse last month by agreeing to, then implementing, Israel's long-delayed pullout from Hebron and parts of the West Bank. I" Referring to the Hebron agreement, Clinton said: "There is a renewed sense of promise in the Middle East." Netanyahu said Israel already has acted and the next moves should come from others. "I think we've taken bold steps for peace," the Israeli leader said. "It's time that we see such steps from our partners as well," the prime minis- ter said."And if we have this mutuality, we will have, I think, a great future, a different future and hope for our chil- dren and our grandchildren." Netanyahu was the first of four ythe Middle East lead- d b ers scheduled to meet Clinton in Is we coming weeks. If The president also will see sident Clinton Arafat, Egyptian President Hosmi. Mubarak and Jordan's King Hussein. In talks with Netanyahu, Clinton explored possible steps toward resum- ing peace talks with Syria. Those dis- cussions were broken off a year ago after Islamic militants carried out sui- cide bombings in Israel. Syria is insisting that Israel surrender the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau along their border, as its price for peace. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Six-Day War. Netanyahu was said to have brought to Washington a territorial compromise on the Golan. The United States believes Syrian President Hafez Assad will not sign a peace agreement without getting back all of the plateau. In the Hebron agreement, Netanyahu accepted the principle of pulling Israeli troops back from land claimed by the Arabs. Previous Israeli governments had supported the land-for-peace for- mula favored by the Arabs and the United States, and were said even to have promised Syria to leave the Golan, but Netanyahu had been a holdout until last month's agreement. JOHN KRAFT/Daily Martin Folk, a chef at Stockwell residence hail, saws his way through a piece of ice for a St. Valentine's Day sculpture out- side the residence hall. Ice sculptures are on display in front of Stockwell every winter. Annual Kiss-In on D By Ericka M. Smith Daily Staff Reporter Heterosexual hearts are not the only ones hoping to receive chocolates and flowers today. The Queer Unity Project is celebrat- ing St. Valentine's Day by sponsoring a Kiss-In event at noon on the Diag. At least 100 students, faculty, staff and community members are expected to gather to hear poetry and listen to speeches in support of the gay, lesbian and bisexual communities today. Queer Unity Project President Ryan Moody-LaLonde, an Art senior, said protesting on the Diag "just seems like the most logical place for the rally." "The Diag has way too long been a place where opposite sex couples hang- out," LaLonde said. "We're just going to try and claim it for one day." During the demonstration, same-sex couples will be encouraged to kiss and be affectionate in public. i1agtoa Ronni Sanlo, director of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Programs Office, said the significance of this event extends not only to the gay community, but to the entire University community as well. "It's important to have an event like this to foster the visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender stu- dents" Sanlo said. "It's a symbolic showing of what heterosexual students take for granted everyday but gay stu- dents have to hide." _,dbk_ IEl- ; _ Lead spe absent fr ricka M. Smith Da Staff Reporter After the announcement that keynote speaker Nadine Strossen, president of the American Civil Liberties Union, could not attend last night's Diversity Days event, the crowd of more than 200 people quickly diminished to about 150. The audience t - was told that l , Strossen was suddenly called away to protest a proposal by 1 14 Alabama's gov- ernor to imple- -. - na .- aker om event acclaimed diversity expert Greer Dawson Wilson, the director of Newcomb Hall and University Union at the University of Virginia. Just before the announcement of Strossen's absence, the audience was welcomed to the Power Center event by 58 Greene, a 12-student a capella singing group. Wilson greeted the audience with "good evening." When there was no response, she repeated herself and audi- ence members answered. The focus of Wilson's speech cen- tered around what she called "making a human connection." "People with power have got to share nnt mnl p zitmfnnt iffrenctanti House OKs aid to family plannig The Washington Post WASHINGTON - The House narrowly approved President Clinton's request to release foreign aid for family- planning programs yesterday in the first congressional test of the divisive abortion issue since last fall's elections narrowed the Republican House majority. The administration mounted a major lobbying effort, including last-minute calls to lawmakers from Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, to get a victory in the president's first showdown with the new Congress. "It's a setback for the pro-life movement," Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) told reporters. "But I don't think it's a devastat- ing blow." The 220-to-209 vote also marked the second day in a row -,,A AM=