LOCAL/STATE I The Michigan Daily--Monday, April 7, 1997 - 3A a~ ~. Rep. Ehlers links researchers to Congress' Radio exhibit opens today at ~raduate ibrary An exhibit celebrating the 25th anniversary of radio station WCBN FM will be mounted today through May 30, in the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library. "Radio Free Ann Arbor: A History of Student-Run Community Radio at the University of Michigan" chronicles the history of campus broadcasting at the *niversity, highlighting student initia- tives to create a voice for students in radio. The exhibit, located in the North Lobby of the library, will include clip- pings, photographs, program guides and posters. Excerpts from former news director David Salzman's biography of Gilda Radner, who was the WCBN "Weather Girl" between 1965 and *66, will be part of the exhibit. Equipment such as an old radio, turntable, reel tapes and vinyl, plus the home-made FM operating board that served the station from 1972-95, will be some of the features on dis- play. A2 walkers get set for MS walk The 1997 Multiple Sclerosis Walk is scheduled to take place next Sunday. Ann Arbor walkers plan to join more than 300,000 walkers nationwide to raise pledges. The walk includes routes ranging from 10 to 20 kilometers in length, free lunch, rest stops, support vehicles, medical support, prizes and entertain- went. Proceeds go to help fund research, support groups and educational pro- grams for people with multiple sclero- sis and their families. For details on pledging or volunteering, call 1-800- 247-7382. Book sale to take place at UGLI 0 More than 2,500 withdrawn and duplicate volumes from the University libraries will be available for purchase at the Public Book Sale this week. The sale is scheduled to take place Friday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the atrium of the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. The selection represents a wide nge of subjects, including a large election of works in literature and his- tory Survey says many scholarships go unclaimed yearly A recent survey of college appli- cants found that the rush for scholar- '*hip applications comes at the start of the school semesters, in September and January. Yet, many scholarships have rotating or multi- pie award dates, awarding scholar- ships to applicants two, three or more times per year. According to the National Commission on Student Financial Aid, there are billions of dollars of scholar- hips available to students each year, et many students are not aware of them. More than 80 percent of the 375,000 available scholarships do not depend on family need or exceptional grades, but instead are awarded based on fac- tors such as the student's interests, hob- bies, academic focus, age, heritage, parent's occupation or military service. Through the resources of the National Academic Funding *dministration, a publication is avail- able that provides information to help all students seeking financial assis- tance. - Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Carrie Luria. By Jeffrey Kosseff Daily Staff Reporter U.S. Rep. Vernon Ehlers was trying to get University researchers to relate to life as a member of Congress on Friday, and he found a few similarities. "Being in Congress is like being in one perpetual faculty senate meeting," said Ehlers (R-Grand Rapids). His speech was part of the Distinguished Lecture Series on National Research Policy, sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research. Ehlers, a former physics professor and the current vice-chair of the House Science Committee, said federal fund- ing is important to research and noted the commonalities'between the human- ities and the sciences. He said research is important for the well-being of future generations. "We are hampered by the public's request for quick answers," Ehlers said. "But we must worry about the long- term future. We need more individuals who worry about the future." Another concern of Ehlers is the basic education of the public. "If you conduct a survey of U.S. adults today, you will find that 50 percent of adults do not know how long it takes the Earth to orbit the sun," Ehlers said. The general public, Ehlers commented, has a low regard for scientific thought. "It has become fashionable to be ignorant of science," Ehlers said. "The public has begun to regard science as a cult, with scientists as the high priests of the cult.' But Ehlers said Congress is "above average with their understanding of sci- ence." Ehlers recalled times when he taught at Calvin College and he would educate many of the humanities professors about science. "What's very important is to integrate the sciences and the humanities" Ehlers said. University Associate Vice President for Research Julie Ellison, an English professor, agreed there must be more communication between fields. Like many lobbyists for the sciences, Ellison said people in the humanities also plan to ask Congress for funds at the "Humanities Day on the Hill" this year. "Our message will be that we are try- ing to create a national paradigm," Ellison said. Similar to many political issues, Ehlers said research breaks down parti- san boundaries in the House. "The Republicans tend to favor basic research, and the Democrats favor applied research" Ehlers said. "But science does- n't break down that conveniently." House Speaker Newt Gingrich asked Ehlers to write a House science policy, and Ehlers said he is eager to complete the task. "The new policy must recognize the unique nature of science and the djis- covery process," Ehlers said. The lecture series has brought many politicians and researchers to the University to speak about research funding. Previous speakers include f'or- mer Ohio Gov. Richard Celeste °id Harold Varmus, the director of the National Institutes of Health. "These lectures have been absolutely important and enlightening," said Acting Vice President for Research Frederick Neidhardt. House Democrats return, hope to put stamp on FY98 budget: LANSING (AP) - As House law- makers return from spring break this week, Democrats' attention will turn toward putting their party's stamp on the state's 1997-1998 budget. With much of the House Democrats' 90-day agenda complet- ed, Appropriations subcommittees now go into action to ready spending plans for votes on the floor by the end of April. "The next 60 or 90 days, a lot of time is going to be spent on the bud- get;' said Dan Loepp, chief of staff to House Speaker Curtis Hertel (D- Detroit). LGBPO Continued from Page 1A visible role model (on campus);' Thorson said. "Students should know that you can be a grown up and be out." As the discussion drew to a close, Sanders said the University is a place where she feels comfortable expressing her sexuality. "I feel free to be out" Sanders said. "So here I am where I feel safe to be a lesbian. After the discussion, audience mem- bers were encouraged to attend LGBPO's reception and evening soiree. The House and Senate aim to get final approval on all budget bills for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 by June, before lawmakers break again for summer. Meanwhile, the Senate still has another week left in its two-week recess, which was staggered to begin one week later than the House's. The Senate resumes work on April 15. The Senate already has approved all 10 of the budget bills that originated in that chamber. The House has yet to move even one of its bills out of the Appropriations Committee, and has not begun considering the ones sent to its committees by the Senate. But Loepp said criticism from Republicans that Democrats are way behind on getting budget bills passed is unfounded. Since GOP Gov. John Engler's pro- posal provided the starting point for all budget work, it will take Democrats longer to bring the fiscal blueprint in line with their priorities than its took the Republican-controlled Senate to basically agree with Engler's proposals and make only minor changes, toepp said. "When Republicans had total control of the Legislature, you could run sort of a Mussolini train schedule;' he said. ROB GILMORE/Daily Sociology Prof. Max Heirich speaks at a health care forum on Friday, where experts discussed the future of the nation's health care system. Panel debates futue ofhealth care system By Brian Campbell Daily Staff Reporter As Medicare and Medicaid costs continue to climb, a panel of world- renowned health policy experts assembled at the University Medical Center on Friday to debate the future of the nation's financially ailing health care system. In the conference, titled "Managed Care: The Challenge of Regulation," panel members discussed the feasi- bility of continuing coverage under Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) versus reforming the entire health care system. Dr. Clifton Cleaveland, past presi- dent of the American College of Physicians, described the neglect 6f health care reform as "the inability to read the handwriting on the wall when one's back is up against it." Cleaveland said he couldn't under- stand how the wealthiest nation in the world could allow 36 million of its citizens to be uninsured. "This population has to throw themselves on the staffs of poorly equipped clinics or show up in hospi- tal emergency rooms and hope some- one will take care of them" he said. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are covered under some form of managed care system, in which a few large corporations, such as HMOs, provide insurance coverage. Cleaveland, who attributed runaway costs to administrative waste and increased use of high-tech clinical tests, said managed care suffers from poor organization and depersonalized care. "We must have uniform benefits and public accountability. The Canadians have done it and so can we," Cleveland said. Chair of the Board of the American Associated of Health Plans, Michael Herbert, maintained that managed care offers patients comprehensive services with affordable premiums. Herbert said managed care, which began its boom during the Nixon administration, has helped to slow rising costs and receives too much criticism from reformers. "We have revolutionized the health care delivery in America and broken the back of medical infla- tion," Herbert said. "We've gone from being a success story to being the whipping boy in our business."' Cathy Hurwit, member of Citizen Action in Washington, D.C., said patients save money in HMOs because they receive less quality care. Hurwit said that under managed care, physicians are frequently unable to refer patients and are forbidden to perform certain clinical tests. "One of the concerns that con- sumers have is that costs will be saved in the system but shifted to the con- sumers," she said. "The way they save money is through the rationing of care." Cleaveland said he worries that HMOs are unable to regulate them- selves to prevent abuses. "HMOs demonstrate only limited abilities to police themselves," Cleaveland said. "When there is an abuse, I can't find anyone to help me fight it, either at the state or federal level." But Herbert maintained that man- aged care can regulate its own poli- cies."We need time to show the world that self-policing can work," Herbert said. "Patient satisfaction is high but much more needs to be done." While HMOs began primarily as non-profit corporations, a majority of HMOs today are for-profit. Hurwit said because HMOs are more con- cerned about cutting costs than caring for patients, they replace skilled nurs- es with unskilled technicians. But Business Prof. Keith Crocker said managed care is a rational way to cut costs. "Managed care is not a universal panacea. There's no mystery on how to cut health care costs - you ration the care," Crocker said. "Managed health care, if it's managed correctly, is a good buy and probably not a bad idea?' More than 40,000 served every day. The Michigan Daily. Don't R If you think you're p call us-we listen, w PROBLEM PREGN 769-7283 Any time, any day, 24 hour Fully confidential. Serving Students since 1970. I l r r r This summer... take a course or two at Cleveland State University ...and transfer those credits back to the college you re attending. -z pA. T lr:.-' 4a ratq 4kN M. x~ln~ 1: v:6 2d df M 4 awns Tell! "4' zvrL4 .4. w.. 'Sei 4 " More than 1200 courses available " Day and evening classes 4 1131......... LLLF 'L kR What's happening in AnnArbor today " Accelerate your degree program... or get back on schedule For a free course schedule or to register by phone, call toll-free 1 ~,~~fXI IfT-IC GRouP MEETINGS . Bible Study, 741-1913, Angell Hall, G-144, 7 p.m. 1429 Hill St., 7 p.m. Q "Medical School Application Process," sponsored by CP&P, 3200 Student Activities Building, 12:10-1:30 p.m. Lobby, 8 pm-1:30 a.m. Q Psychology Peer Academic Advising, 647-3711, East Hall, Room 1346, 1a .m.-4 pm. U Safewaik, 936-1000, 8-2:30 a.m. i I