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One hundred six years ofeditorilifreedom
Wednesday
February 26, 1997
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Work-study plan
to
target illiteracy
. Jeffrey Kosseff
ily Staff Reporter
When Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) was grow-
g up, his older siblings and mother were avail-
> teach him how to read.
'here is just no substitute for that," Levin said.
But Levin is concerned that many children
-owing up now do not have that advantage.
Levin said this is one reason he is proposing that
'iversities and colleges nationwide meet the
merica Reads Challenge, a program proposed by
esident Clinton. The program requests the insti-
lions to use half their work-study students as lit-
acy tutors for elementary school students.
*in said it is a large step in fighting illitera-
i ly on in life.
"There's been a literacy effort in the past,'
evin said. "But there's never been anything this
-amatic."
Rep. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) is propos-
ing similar legislation in the House of dents have to be doing something meaningful,"
Representatives today. She said literacy should be Rose said. "We must guard work-study from
a high priority in the nation. becoming like slave labor."
"This is a wonderful pro- Some work-study students at the University
gram" Stabenow said. "It is said they would prefer to tutor children.
incredibly important that we "It would be cool," said Engineering first-year
meet the literacy goal." ;student Cherita Hunter, who currently does
Stabenow said it also will work-study at the Department of Public Safety.
also benefit the university "I wouldn't mind doing that."
students who provide the In his State of the Union address, President
tutoring. Clinton called for one million tutors nationwide to
"It's also good for college ' ,: help fight the 40-percent third grade illiteracy rate.
students to serve as role Officials said the University is preparing to
models," Stabenow said. participate in the America Reads Challenge.
Michigan Student Stabenow "We're clearly going to be involved," said
Assembly President Fiona Walter Harrision, vice president for University
Rose said she agreed that the program will be ben- relations.
eficial to University students. The University recently posted a new job posi-
"I have long thought that the work-study stu- tion for the program's coordinator, said Margaret
Rodriguez, the associate director of the Office of
Financial Aid. Rodriguez said the coordinator is
responsible for matching University students with
local elementary schools.
"We're probably as far or
ahead of most schools at
this point;' Rodriguez said.
But some said the'
University, which has about
3,000 students in work-study T
programs, may not be able to
meet the goal of employing
half of its work-study partic-
ipants as tutors.
"It's a very important pro- Levin
gram and something stu-
dents would like to take part in, but we also have
other work-study programs," said Thomas Butts,
the University's associate vice president for gov-
ernment relations. "There's a difference between
a mandate and a goal."
Rodriguez said she "would be surprised if the
schools needed 1,500 students."
But Stabenow said there will be a great need
for literacy tutors. "There will be substantial
demand," Stabenow said. "And if the demand is
there, the University should meet it."
Levin said it is important that the University
takes part in the challenge.
"The U of M is a great role model," Levin
said. "If it carries through here, it will set a won-
derful example."
The America Reads Challenge is part of the
Education for the 21st Century Act, which Levin
co-sponsored. In addition to funding literacy
programs, it provides resources for college stu-
dents to decrease their financial aid debt and
increases technology awareness.
"We need help. We need our Michigan friends to
on board and say ... They 're our team, and we zw
help them get a victory"'
jump
ant to
--- "! l
MSA committee
repnimands Mebta
- Steve risher
Mihi ~ b, a11 k b , "h
For gahrss naSt e P
' For Fisher's statement, see Page 10.
u coach
Fis her
asks fan
to fire up
iii McCahill
Sports Editor
For the first time in his career, Michigan
men's basketball coach Steve Fisher is des-
perately appealing to fans for support.
The team is in the midst of a three-game
losing streak and will be presented with
another tough opponent tonight, when
Minnesota, the nation's second-ranked team,
visits Crisler Arena. A berth in the NCAA
tournament, which once seemed a certainty
f the 24th-ranked Wolverines, may also be
a take.
Fisher issued a statement Monday exhort-
ing fans to turn out in full force for tonight's
game, an unusual measure, but one he said is
warranted by the team's precarious situation.
"We need help," Fisher said. "We need our
Michigan friends to jump on board and say ...
They're our team, and we want to help them
get a victory.'
"I've not asked that since I've been head
coach. That's important to us right now. We
all the fans to say, 'We're behind our
team."'
In his statement, Fisher cited the crowd at
Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena as an example
of the role he hopes Michigan fans might
emulate.
When the team visited Iowa City last
Thursday, the Hawkeyes had lost three games
in a row, and the possibility of the team
receiving a bid to the NCAA tournament
med faint.
Out with a raucous, capacity crowd of
15,500 behind the them, the Hawkeyes
defeated Michigan, 80-75.
"The Hawkeyes were coming off three con-
secutive losses, and their fans would not allow
them to lose;" Fisher said in the statement.
"They were 'on their feet for player introduc-
tions and never sat down and were a huge fac-
tor in Iowa's victory."
Unlike the Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the
13,562-seat Crisler Arena does not have a rep-
ion for being one of the tougher venues in
Me Big Ten, Michigan players said.
By Katie Plona
Daily Staff Reporter
While Michigan Student Assembly Vice
President Probir Mehta waited outside assembly
chambers last night, his colleagues voted to take
away Mehta's signing privileges for the remain-
der of his term.
The assembly also issued a reprimand based
on the premise that Mehta did not immediately
report a $500 allocation he signed in early
September for the United Asian American
Organization without assembly approval.
"I feel the punishment fit the violation," said
Engineering Rep. Mark Dub, who chaired the
select investigative committee that looked into
Mehta's actions. "As a committee, we wanted to
present an iron-clad report which would be
passed and be based strictly
on the facts of the case."
At the time the allocation
was made, MSA did not4
have the quorom needed to
vote on whether to approve'
the allocation.
The committee also found
that Mehta did not violate
the ethics portion of the
MSA Compiled Code. The
assembly retroactively Mehta
approved the $500 alloca-
tion.
The funding will come from MSA's commit-
tee discretionary fund.
"That's more of principle," Dub said. "It says
that we're not using our operations account to
fund student groups."
Dub's report last night came two weeks after
the assembly voted to begin an investigation.
Mehta said he was relieved to have the inves-
tigation come to an end, but added that he
would have liked to see some suggestions made
to avoid similar situations in the future.
Mehta suggested that lowering quorum
requirements during the summer months or pro-
viding student groups with information about
the assembly's summer allocation procedures
may help prevent similar situations in the
future.
"Although my procedure was incorrect, my
intentions were in the right place, and the com-
mittee said the same thing," Mehta said.
"It's not the best feeling in the world to be the
subject of intense scrutiny for something that
The Committee's Ruling
Mehta was given an official reprimand
because he did not immediately report a
$500 allocation he made to the United Asian
American Organization.
Mehta's signing rights were revoked for
the remainder of his term as vice president.
O The committee concluded that Mehta did
not violate the ethics portion of the MSA
Compiled Code.
The committee retroactively approved the
initial $500 allocation.
has been openly and honestly admitted to, but 1
look forward to serving students in the future
and I always have to the best of my ablity" he
said.
Mehta added that the report is "basically
everything I've said in written form."
Dub said the committee reached a unanimous
and successful conclusion.
"We took each charge and answered it based
upon the MSA Constitution and the Compiled
Code," Dub said. "I feel this investigation went
really well."
Mehta said that he has not signed for any
financial disbursements since early February,
when his actions were first scrutinized.
LSA Rep. Andy Schor, who proposed the
formation of the investigative committee, said
the assembly's decisions will give future MSA
representatives a model to refer to in the
future.
"This is the one time MSA sets precedence,"
Schor said, adding that the assembly has acted-
responsibly. "I think the general premise of
what I wanted is what the assembly passed
tonight."
Mehta said MSA representatives can some-
times get caught up in issues involving other
assembly members, such as forming an inves-
tigative committee, especially during election-
season.
"People who really looked for ways to politi-
cally hurt other people do so through these
types of redundant commitees," Mehta said.
"This is a chapter in my life I would like to
close."
SARA STILLMAN/Daily
Energetic fans show support for the Michigan men's basketball team. Players and supporters,
however, say such crowd enthusiasm is a rare sight at Crisier Arena.
"Sometimes it's loud here, but it's not as
much as the players would like it to be;" said
Travis Conlan, Michigan junior guard and co-
captain: "Some of our games, the fans have
been excellent, and in other games, they
haven't been as excellent"
Sophomore Robert Traylor, the team's
other co-captain, said Crisler Arena fans pull
for their team a little differently than those at
other Big Ten stadiums.
"The fans at Crisler are kind of laid-back;'
he said. "At the same time, they're rooting for
their team, but they just root in a different way
than fans at other arenas."
Fisher concurred with Traylor.
"Sometimes (the fans) sit, and they're qui-
etly supportive," Fisher said. "But now we
See FANS, Page 7
American graffiti
U' professor chosen to head ACLS
D'Arms plans to strengthen
ties between humanities
and the public
By Katie Wang
Daily Staff Reporter
Former Rackham Dean John D'Arms has
been selected to lead one of the nation's
most nrestigious organizations for the
The ACLS is a non-profit organization that
seeks to advance humanistic studies in the
social sciences. The group acts as an umbrella
organization for instructors and professional
academics within the field.
"In selecting John D'Arms to serve as presi-
dent of the ACLS, this prestigious organization
taps the expertise of one of Michigan's most
distinguished faculty members and respected
leaders." University President Lee Bollinger
"His broad experience in the world of
scholarship and teaching, and in the institu-
tional settings that make scholarship and
teaching possible, have prepared him well
for the national leadership that we have come
to expect from the president of the ACLS,"
Hackney said.
D'Arms said he already has a number of
goals in mind for the 78-year-old organization.
He said he plans to focus on strengthening
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