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One hundred sixyears ofeditorlafreedom

Friday
April 11, 1997

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Graduation
peaker for
Uremans
0
annunced
Officials plan to name speaker by
next week's regents meeting
Katie Wang
y Staff Reporter
C ith just three weeks remaining before Spring
encement, the University has yet to announce this
ear's keynote speaker.
"Our general practice is not to announce the com-
encement speaker or honorary recipients until April,"
aid Vice President for University Relations Walter
arrison. "Usually we try to do it before the April regents
eeting."
This month's meeting of the University Board of Regents
s scheduled to take place April 18 and 19.
But with graduation right around the corner, some seniors
y they are curious about who will be speaking.
*'s my graduation and I'd like to know ahead of time,
specially since I have family coming in from out of town,"
aid LSA senior Jane Penniman. "The ceremony is so imper-
onal, therefore the speaker is very important."
LSA senior Jeffrey Pogany said it did not make a differ-
nce to him when the speaker is announced.
"I have no 'preference on who they pick," Pogany said.
'Anyone influential in history ... even (University President)
ee Bollinger."
Regent Shirley McFee (R-Battle Creek) said she does not
ow who the commencement speaker is, but anticipates it to
*dynamic one.
"I know (the administration) is seeking someone who is
oing to be exciting and acceptable to the students," McFee
aid. "When it happens, it happens."
Harrison said an honorary degree committee comprised of
aculty, administrators, students and alumni composes a list
f people they feel could receive an honorary degree.
The list of nominees are subject to approval by the
niversity Board of Regents, which then forwards the list to
he president to select a speaker from the list.
"Traditionally, the speaker has been someone with a dis-
i ished career worthy of an honorary degree," Harrison
aic. "It helps to have some previous connection to the
niversity, but that is not the requirement."
Michigan Student Assembly President Michael Nagrant
aid the speaker should be someone who represents success.
"It should be someone who would bridge a gap between
tudents and real life," Nagrant said. "Someone who repre-
ents unconventional success."
Harrison said anywhere from three to six people receive
onorary degrees each year.
Previous commencement speakers include Spelman
ge President Johnnetta Cole, President George Bush,
ovelist and Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and Supreme
ourt Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
enators may
modi ' higher
dcation funds
Jeffrey Kossoff
ily Staff Reporter
As the state House finalizes its plan for higher educa-
ion appropriations, some in the state Senate agree with
he lower chamber's plans to raise Gov. John Engler's pro-
osed 2.5-percent increase.
"I would like to modify it upward from 2.5 percent,"
S Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek), chair of the
e-member Senate Higher Education Appropriations
ubcommittee. "If you look at it from a historic view, the
roper increase would be around 3.5 percent."
Schwarz said he hopes to begin making modifications

o the budget within a few weeks.
State Sen. Jon Cisky (R-Saginaw), another member of
he subcommittee, said he also hopes to keep university
nd college funding increases at least to the rate of infla-
ion.
"If we're ever going to expect universities to control
heir tuition, we need to keep their increases to the cost of
lig," Cisky said.
Cisky also said he disagrees with Engler's across-the-
board appropriation increases. He said there are some uni-
ersities that receive a disproportionate amount of fund-
ing, and raising all funding by the same rate will only add
to that problem.
"All you do is add to the inequalities," Cisky said. "I'm
a full-tenured professor, so I'm pretty close to this."
Engler's proposed increase drew criticism from some
legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, for being
1o r than the rate of inflation. But Maureen McNolty, a
saesperson for Engler's budget department, said that if
the House and Senate can recommend ways to save money
in other areas, Engler may consider increasing funding to
universities.
"We are always open to changes," McNolty said.
Associate Vice President for Government Relations
Cynthia Wilbanks, the University's Lansing lobbyist, said

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Court orders

U

to pay

$250,000

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By Heather Kamins
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Court of Appeals
upheld a decision against the University
and two professors in the case of
Carolyn Phinney, a former research
associate who accused one colleague of
stealing her research and another of
retaliation.
On April 4, the court awarded her an
additional $250,000 as interest due on
damages she was awarded in the
Washtenaw County Circuit Court in
1993. The additional money changes
her award total from $1.5 million to

Phinney saidshe complained to
Richard Adelman, director of the
Institute of Gerontology. She said
Adelman's response was to threaten
her, harrass her and suspend her for
insubordination.
"It is unbelievable what they did to
me," Phinney said.
Attorneys for Adelman and
Perlmutter could not be reached for
comment yesterday.
In 1993, the Washtenaw County
Circuit Court awarded the sum of $1.1
million to Phinney. Adelman was found
guilty of violating the Whistleblower's

$1.75 million.

ft

V ic ebb4
President for This is h
University 
Relations Lisa to junior J
Baker said the
University dis- overfthe CC
approves of the
verdict.
"We dis- Former U' re
agree with the
appellate decision," Baker said. "We
will continue to stand by our personnel
in this matter and we believe that they
acted appropriately."
Baker said the ruling will be studied,
but she said she did not know whether.
the University would appeal to the
Michigan Supreme Court.
In 1989, Phinney first complained
that Psychology Prof. Marion
Perlmutter lied to her in order to get
privileged access to Phinney's research.
After gaining access to her work,
Phinney claimed that Perlmutter
defrauded her in many ways.
"Some of my work was actually
stolen from my lab," Phinney said. "She
claimed first authorship on some of my
research where no authorship was due."

iarppeninj
;ientists
ntry a a
- Carolyn Phin
esearch assoc

Protection Act
and Perlmutter
9 was found to
have committed
fraud.
Phinney said
she offered to
settle the case
iney in 1990 under
late the terms that


the University
return her intellectual property and
agree to pay her legal fees, which at the
time amounted to $20,000.
Phinney said there are still issues for
which she could file lawsuit against the
University.
"I'm widely considered by the feder-
al government to be the first person in
the country to win a case like this"
Phinney said. "This is happening to
junior scientists all over the country,
particularly to women."
Phinney said that she has learned to
be cautious.
"The important message is don't be
so trusting. I was extremely naive;
Phinney said. "I never in a million years
thought I had to protect myself in any
way."

Former M SU president evaluates future

By Regena Anderson
Daily Staff Reporter
A former Spartan tried to grab the
Wolverines' attention yesterday, challenging
the University to prepare educationally for
the 21st century.
Clifton Wharton, who was president of
Michigan State University from 1969-1977,
spoke passionately yesterday to about 30
people during his lecture at the Rackham
Amphitheater on the topic, "The New
Millennium: Is Higher Education Ready?"
Wharton was the first black president of
Michigan State, as well as the first black pres-
ident at a predominantly white university.

Wharton spoke on a broad range of issues
concerning the future of education, specifi-
cally addressing the roles of technology and
global cooperation.
"Expanding international relations and
education is an investment in human capital,"
Wharton said. "The returns are significant to
the individual and society as well, and people
are an investment and not an expense"
Richard Brown, a physics Ph.D. candidate,
said Wharton was knowledgeable about a
wide range of issues.
"The lecture was very stimulating. I was
truly impressed by his wisdom," Brown said.
Wharton eloquently discussed the advan-

tages and challenges of education in the new
millennium. He said the
Internet and fax
machines make educa-
tion more accessible to
some but can also create
problems, making stu-
dents overly dependent,
on this new technology.
"If students can't
write or read well, the
Internet is going to serve
as a substitute" Wharton Wharton
said.
Wharton said knowledge from all parts of

the world will be accessible from the
Internet, allowing anyone to advance in their
field of expertise. However, Wharton said he
is concerned that computer technology will
erase the need to go to class and create "dis-
tant learning"
"No computer can replace personal
warmth in the classroom, competition
between classmates and experience in the
lab," Wharton said.
Engineering first-year student Ravi Smith
said computer-related education has advan-
tages and disadvantages.
"Not having to wake up to go to class is
See FUTURE, Page 2


LUCha
meets with
Bollinger
By Katie Wang
Daily Staff Reporter
One week after storming a reception held for
student leaders and University President Lee
Bollinger, members of Latinas y Latinos
Unidos for Change met with administrators
last night to discuss issues concerning
Latino/as on campus.
The 12 administrators and four spokespeo-
ple for LUCha sat squarely across from each
other, seeing eye-to-eye on some issues, but
emotionally clashing on others.
"I think this institution is passionately devot-
ed to equality,' said Vice President for Student
Affairs Maureen Hartford.
"I think it takes courage for you to stand up
and say it's not fair. We may not always agree
on solutions, but I hope to agree on what the
end will be,' Hartford continued.
Points of contention between the two sides
included guaranteed funding for Latino/a orga-

Forner 'U'
employee
charge;d
with arson
By Ajit K. Thavarajah
Daily Staff Reporter
Former University employee Norah
Callan, suspected of setting a rash of
fires in Ann Arbor, will undergo a
series of psychiatric tests to determine
if she is mentally fit.to stand trial on
two felonious arson-related charges.
Callan, a former University clerk,
was granted a defense motion request-
ing a complete psychiatric evaluation
by Washtenaw County District Court
Judge Elizabeth Hines late Wednesday
afternoon.
Sgt. Larry Jerue of the Ann Arbor
Police Department confirmed that
Callan is the key suspect in as many as
"70 suspicious fires in the last five
years." Callan was arrested March 28
after being suspected of setting fires in
the front and back seats of a car.
Scer' ---..,... .-P ., ... r__..L.A

JOHN KRAFT/Daily
LUCha members sat down yesterday to talk with University President Lee Bollinger and other
administrators about latino/a issues on campus.

would he a nlace where we have academic

tion.

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