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ws: 76-DAILY
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One hundred siv years ofeditoria freedom
Thursday
March 13, 1997
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follinger reaffirms support for Fisher
y Katie Wang
aily Staff Reporter
In light of criticism surrounding recent
'' violations, University President Lee
oWger and Athletic Director Joe Roberson
sued a joint statement reaffirming their sup-
ort for Michigan basketball coach Steve Fisher.
"We want it to be clear to everyone that
teve Fisher's career at Michigan, both as an
ssistant and as head coach, is a career that has
emonstrated a commitment to principle, a
assion for integrity and a loyalty to Michigan
iat represents in the finest possible way the
4ichigan tradition," Bollinger and Roberson
a written statement.
u niversity report issued Monday revealed
tat several members of the men's basketball
:am violated two NCAA bylaws for their
involvement with Detroit booster Ed Martin.
On incident involved Martin presenting a
birthday cake to a player, who has been identi-
fied by team members as sophomore center
Robert Traylor.
In the second incident, Martin was present at
Traylor's home while Fisher was there recruiting.
Since admitting to violating NCAA bylaws,
Fisher has been the subject of sharp criticism
for failing to warn Roberson of the "inappro-
priate offers of extra benefits," made to stu-
dent-athletes. Martin's offers allegedly includ-
ed providing free plane tickets for Michigan
players' families and paying for security
deposits for several players' apartments.
However, these transactions never took place
due to intervention by Fisher, according to the
report. Although Roberson initially criticized
the coaching staff for failing to report these
incidents immediately, his statement yesterday
credited Fisher for preventing further damage.
"It was Steve Fisher who discovered the
attempts to provide inappropriate benefits to
both families and student-athletes, and it was
Steve Fisher who promptly thwarted those
efforts," Roberson said. "Had it not been for
Steve's intervention, major violations of
NCAA regulations - over which Michigan
had no control but for which the Michigan pro-
gram would have been held accountable -
would likely have occurred."
Senior Associate Director of Athletics Keith
Molin said Roberson's statement of support
was necessary due to the wave of criticism
directed at Fisher.
See FISHER, Page 7A
Basketball player responds
to allegations about car
By Alan Goldenbach
and Heather Kamins
Daily Staff Reporters
,Michigan center Robert Traylor responded
yesterday to allegations that he may have
improperly obtained a $47,906 customized
Chevrolet Suburban last month.
The suspicions arose after the University's
Athletic Department announced that it planned
to conduct a standard investigation into how
Traylor obtained the automobile, which was
leased by his aunt, Lydia Johnson, on Feb. 25.
"The lease of the new car in question by my
aunt was made entirely by her," Traylor said in a
news release. "She works two jobs, has great
credit, and selected the car for both of us to
drive. It is her money, and she should be able to
spend her money as she wishes. We have done
nothing wrong."
See TRAYLOR, Page 7A
M4SA
hopefuls
tdress
diversity
y Katie Piona
aily Staff Reporter
Oh a recent University admissions
xtension for potential minority student
pplicants, candidates running for the
4ichigan Student Assembly face chal-
nges in increasing campus diversity.
The Office of Undergraduate
dmissions sent out 4,000 letters to
igh school minority students and top
cholars encouraging them to apply.
Matt Tomback, vice presidential can-
idate for the Pissed Off with Korrupt
xltives Party, said it is obvious
ere should be more minority students
n campus.
"There
seems to be a
definite divi-
sion between
a lot of differ-
ent groups,"
TR m:Tomback
said. "It's our
TRACEY HARRIS/Daily responsibility
to work
oward uniting everyone."
United Rebels Front vice presiden-
jal candidate Stuart Krein said the
Jniversity can increase minority reten-
ion by creating a comfortable atmos-
>here on campus, which will improve
he University's reputation and attract
nore minority applicants.
"If you're uncomfortable all the
when can you be happy?," Krein
Students' Party presidential candi-
late Mike Nagrant said one of his
arty's ideas includes the formation of
minority student leaders roundtable
liscussion.
"What we're proposing to do is set-
ing up dialogue with minority students
in campus," Nagrant said.
Nagrant said MSA could create a lia-
o osition that would communicate
minority student groups at least
very two weeks.
Michigan Party presidential candi-
ate Probir Mehta said increasing
inancial aid and lowering textbook
rices, along with better academic ser-
ices will help combat low minority
tention.
"I think the biggest issue is the avail-
bility of financial aid," said Mehta.
'(The Michigan Party has) worked on
4rity retention and will continue to
do so in the future."
See ISSUE, Page 3A
I
BUY A BONE
Museum
sells
bones
for cash
By Meg Exley
Daily Staff Reporter
Looking for a unique gift to buy
for that special someone? How about
a whale bone?
Thanks to a collaborative effort
between the University's Exhibit
Museum and its Museum of
Paleontology, the public now has the
opportunity to "buy a bone" belong-
ing to the Dorudonatrox, a whale that
lived 38 million years ago.
When the "Back to the Sea: The
Evolution of Whales" exhibit opens
in October at the Exhibit Museum,
the complete and partial skeletons of
six whales will be displayed. The
exhibit will illustrate the evolution of
whales from meat-eating, hoofed
land mammals to fully aquatic
whales - a transformation that took
15 million years.
"'Buy a Bone' programs are not
new," said Exhibit Museum
Administrative Associate Daniel
Madaj. "Larger museums, like the
Field Museum in Chicago, frequent-
ly use similar programs to raise funds
for exhibits. 'Buying a Bone,' howev-
er, does not mean one gets to keep
the actual bone."
Instead of receiving actual fossils,
purchasers of the bones will receive
personalized certificates and
donation
receipts.
A donor
plaque list-
ing the
names oft4tt
all sponsors
will be
mounted
when the
exhibit is
completed.
All donors
will be
invited to a
special pre-
public
unveiling of the exhibit in early
October.
Individuals or groups can help
finance the whale exhibition by
"buying" body parts of the
Dorudonatrox, like teeth for $5 each,
fingers for $25, ribs for $75 and ver-
tebrae for $40. Larger parts, like the
skull, go for $1,000.
"So far the program has been suc-
cessful, although we haven't had a lot
of press," Madaj said. "Most of the
donations we have at this point have
come from longtime supporters of the
museum and from readers of our
newsletter that is published quarterly."
Two groups have already pledged
$1,000 each for the skull.
"I think that this is a great way for
Graduate reps
move to sever
ties with MSA
By Katie Plona
Daily Staff Reporter
Leaders of the University's five
graduate schools are looking to break
off from the Michigan Student
Assembly and form their own student
government, taking with them the bulk
of the money graduate students cur-
rently pay to MSA.
Students of each of the University's
five graduate schools will be asked
during the next two months to vote on
a referendum that
calls for a secce-
sion from MSA There
and the formation
of a solely gradu- signiica
ate student gov-
er n me n t, RnI ifd
Rackham Rep.
John Lopez our inter
announced at
Tuesday night's b
MSA meeting.
Sarah-marie
Belcastro, co-
president of the
Rackham student government, said the
$1 student fee that currently goes
directly to child care would not be
removed by the proposed Council of
Graduate and Professional Students,
but the remaining $2.69 of the MSA
fee would be used mainly to fund grad-
uate student groups "in some way,
shape or form."
Lopez, who also serves as the co-
president of the Rackham student gov-
ernment, said the graduate school lead-
ers believe the concerns of their con-
stituents would be more adequately
addressed to the administration and the
campus community through GaPS.
Lopez added that some of the issues
most important to graduate students -
such as health and child care, student
loan defer-
ment and
f a m i i y
housing -
it number are not as
I
p
Fon't feel
rests are
!presented3 "
- John Lopez
Rackham Rep
important
to under-
graduate
students.
"I think
there are a
significant
number of
-g r ad u ate
students
that don't feel our interests are being
represented 'by (MSA)," Lopez said,
adding that this is because the majority
of assembly representatives are under-
graduates.
MSA President Fiona Rose said she
See MSA, Page 5A
JENNIFER BRADLEY-SWIFT/Dail
Philip Gingerich, director of the Museum of Paleontology, stands with a
Dorudonatrox skeleton, a whale whose bones can be bought to raise funds.
" _,.42 a 3, 4t;)
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SEDER BURNS/Daly
SEDER BURNS/Daily
I
me --I
sense of ownership.'
The Friends of the Museum of
Paleontology, a local organization
that focuses on the specific study of
animal fossils and ancient animal
life, was one of the two groups to
"buy" the Dorudonatrox skull.
"Our club is basically dedicated to
raising funds for projects at the
Museum," Thompson said. "We felt
that this exhibit was definitely wor-
thy of our support."
The exhibit will highlight the
research of anthropology Prof. Philip
Gingerich, director of the Museum of
Paleontology, and will be the most
complete display of ancient whale
specimens in the world.
"We are very fortunate to have (the
$ 100,000.
"Pinpointing an exact cost is com-
plex;" Madaj said. "It depends on
what factors are included in the over-
all estimation."
Madaj said donations will go to
cover the exhibit's expenses, includ-
ing research, staff and excavation
costs, as well as money spent in
transporting the bones.
"The wood and glass alone needed
for the construction of the display
itself will be in the tens of thou-
sands" he said.
Madaj emphasized that any
amount of community support is
important.
"It really doesn't matter if some-
one buys a tooth or a leg," Madaj
AA DEKLEVA COHEN/Daily
Ted Humphrey checks EMU first-year student Jessica Thornell's ID before she
purchases cigarettes at the Diag Party Shoppe.
e
New cigarette laws
lighing Up on -campus
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
University students who have a
nicotine craving face now may face
an inconvenience when purchasing
their favorite brand of cigarettes, due
to a Food and Drug Administration
ruling that took effect Feb. 28.
years-old.
"This is the most important public .
health initiative of our generation,"
Health and Human Services
Secretary Donna Shalala said in a
written statement. "Our children's
futures are at stake.'
But many local residents and store
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