CEREMONY Elizabeth Sayraf, a mother from Ann Aibr who lost her daughter two years W as a result of genetic complica- tions, said she attended the event because she also experienced loneli- puss after her daughter's death. "It' really hard for people to under- stnd the depth of pain," Sayraf said. "They don't realize losing anyone, ess of the time you were able to with them, is hard." . Such feelings of loss prompted the Wr.anization of the memorial. *Parents feel like this couldn't have hajpened to anybody ese," Gibney sawi. "It's painful to feel isolated. thers must understand that the aches gSon for many years. The pain doesn't n4 with the funeral." The event began in a parking lot near nemergency roorn of the Medical and included a memorial pro- f with three speakers. Qne of the speakers, Robin Franks, cepei-enced the death of her child eight ytrs ago. As Frank spoke, tears 1ti&a ed down her face while she otfered encouragement to the families. Comforted by the speakers' intense display of emotions, Orians said her ,wtfeelings were validated. t1 realized this is a pain that doesn't away," Orians said. "Here was a woian whose child had died eight yests earlier, and her emotions were no different than my.own." After the speeches, the program con- ttiued with a walk to NicholsArboretum atfdhe planting of a star magnolia tree. dians said the tree-planting cere- mbony helped her own healing. "A tree goes through all the seasons 'i still remains. It allows us to focus celebrating life," she said. ,isirdwto sprinkle dirt on the tree's t'gts;, .the families also inscribed the tikns of lost love ones on cards shaped f4)CIeaves. The leaves wil eventually be igembled into a memorial book. '"ibney said she was pleased with the mehorial's ability to help the families' Wing process. t was so amazing to have so many le, say the walk validated and nor- Wized theirown pain,"Gibney said. Organizers hope that the memorial program;, which is scheduled for next year, will become an annual event. The boretum has established a grove for Oh Wprogram's future.tree planting. ANDHI ~~Imdfo Page 1A ing that by helping others, students are rewarding themselves. latiock told students that they have tfe responsibility of continuing to open doors that have already been opened fkrthem by past activists. only have to step through - itcopen," he said. "Go out there, work fI~td, be committed." lManali Shah, IASA volunteer coor- nator, said that although a service day not take place every day, she hopes t~ event .inspires everyone to get inve vd. "We have the potential to rke huge differences in our commu- ni$" Shah said. Project Serve planning team member Pmeho Gara, who worked as a site Iede, said he foresees an even more eil service dy next year. large- i1 because the two organizations draw c :each other's strengths. ngineering first-year student Sejal . said the tree gives the Indian American community on campus a prsical symbol of unity, just as other M.ority students have dedicated Itmges or monuments in honor ,of jpMividuals or to commemorate histori- oaly significant events. "It commemorates a hero that every- a ie as Indian Americans can look up to it's great bMcause eveyminority has #vething," Patel said. "Finally, we've f something for us. It's special." Tushar Sheth, 'ASA co-president, 'said the tree bears significance in the snse that it is a focal point. "I think it's a good point to concentrate nSheth said. "That is what we're here or This is what it's all about." ,As a surprise guest, John Briley, who in 1983 won an Academy Award for best original screeplay for his work on qbefilm "Gandhi," spoke to the group, ic"ng them not to lose the spirit monstrated and spread by Gandhi. Briley, a University alumnus, is cur- retly teaching aclass at the University. Matlock said students should use the event as an impetus for continued activism and communtiy involvement. "My message would be just don't iake this a one-day event," he said. "Activism should continue everday." - NATION/W ORLD The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 6, 1997- New Supreme Court term to begin today -~ A Los AngelesTimms WASHINGTON -The Supreme Court, repeatedly having signaled its disdain for race-based affirmative action, may sound the death knell for the practice during the term that begins today. In one case, Piscataway (N.J.) Township Board of Education vs. Taxman, a New Jersey school board's decision to lay off a white teacher instead of an equally qualified black colleague will test whether employers may ever prefer racial minorities to fos- ter diversity in the workplace. If the court answers with a flat "no," employ- ers nationwide will be forced to recon- sider their hiring and promotion poli- cies. In a second test of affirmative action, the court will consider whether states may totally outlaw "preferential treat- ment" based on race or gender in public programs. That case, a challenge to California's Proposition 209, is pending on appeal. The court also will explore the new legal frontier of workplace harassment. A decade ago, the justices first ruled that a man's sexual harassment of a female co-worker was illegal even if the woman did not suffer a direct job injury such as a lost promotion. In this term, the justices will decide whether the same rules apply in the case of a male worker who allegedly was subjected to gross advances by two other men. Taken together, the court's decisions in the affirmative action and sexual harassment cases could spell out rules for a new era of anti-discrimination law. Over the past decade, the Supreme Court repeatedly has rejected "affir- mative" discrimination, and some legal experts think the Piscataway case gives the conservative majority a chance to ban it throughout the work- place. The facts of the case are simple. In 1989, the Piscataway High School decided to lay off one of its business education teachers. Tied for the least seniority were Sharon Taxman and Debra Williams, who had started work the same day. Rather than flip a coin, school offi- cials invoked their affirmative action plan and laid off Taxman, who is white. The school district had no document- ed history of racial discrimination, and its percentage of black teachers actually exceeded that of the local labor force. Instead, the school board president explained the decision as based on the positive value of a "culturally diverse" staff. Taxman filed suit under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it ille- gal for employers "to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual ... because of such individ- ual's race, color, religion, sex or nation- ality." Conservatives say the landmark statute means just what it says: Employers may not use race as a basis for job decisions. But for the past 20 years, liberals have insisted that the law should be interpreted according to its spirit and purpose, which was to benefit previously disadvantaged minorities. In 1979 the high court, led by Justice William Brennan, upheld "voluntary affirmative action" by employers as a means to "break down old patterns of racial segregation." In Weber vs. United Steelworkers, the court rejected the claim of a white worker from Louisiana who complained when half of the new apprenticeship slots were reserved for blacks. Eight years later, the court ruled against a white worker who had been passed over for a promotion in favor of a slightly less qualified woman in a county road maintenance unit, which until then had no women in skilled jobs. In Johnson vs. Santa Clara County (Calif.), Brennan said employers could use affirmative action to remedy "a manifest imbalance" in the gender or racial makeup of its work force. Most lawyers have cited those two precedents as giving employers broad leeway to use affirmative action. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia read them dif- ferently. Upholding a $144,000 damage verdict in favor of Taxman, the appeals court said employers were prohibited from using affirmative action except to remedy past discrimination or an extreme work-force imbalance. Free Personal Statement Seminars. Need help writing your personal statements for Graduate School? Come talk to an expert! David Schwartz, Ph. D* ANN ARBOR October 21 To reserve a space, THE call (313) 663-2163 PRINCETON REVIEW The Princeton Review is not aMiiated with Princeton U, or the College Board *In progress -Open duily 10 am - 9 pm=K w weekends 10 am - midnight Puff Daddy - No Way Out Fiona Apple - Tidal Oasis - Be Here Now Beatles- Abbey Road Spice Girls - Spice Sgt.Pepper Matchbox 20 - Yourself or Someone Like - Magical Mystery Tour Jewel - Pieces of You Jimi Hendrix Sarah Mcachlan - any CD - The Ultimate Experience Prodigy - The Fat of The Land - Are You Experienced? Sublime - Sublime Bob Marley - Legend 1203 S. University between Church and S. Forest A Ep d (313) 996-9010;,,., Great eeenen escapes from MasterCard and United Airlines! Take Off For The Weekend With United Airlines And Return The Following Monday Or Tuesday To Get Substantial Savings When You Use Your MasterCard® Card. 4*' n i . r See how you can WIN FREE AIRFARE when you visit us at www.mastercard.com/college No purchase or on-line entry necessary. To enter you must be a resident of the contiguous United States (excluding Florida) and enrolled in college as of 9/1/97. A drawing will be held for each of the seven months in which entries may be received: September 1997 through March 1998. To enter any month's drawing you must e-mail or postmark your entry by the last day of that month. To enter by mail send a postcard with your name and complete address to: MasterCard Great Weekend Escapes Sweepstakes, P0. Box 9109, Medford, NY 11763-9109. To obtain a copy of the complete rules see our web site (www.mastercard.com/college) or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: MasterCard Great Weekend Escapes Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 1140, Medford, NY 11763-1140. Sweepstakes is void in Florida, Alaska and Hawaii. rm- r - - - -------------------- 71 Weekendr Zone Fare Certificat Promo Code: AV0157 Ticket Designator: AV0157 i ;;* Us You Mater~rd® ardTravel Complete: March 31,1998 o Use Your MasterCard@ Card For Great Savings On United Airlines. T1 make reservations,. "l United at 1-800-241-6522 1r 1urtravel professional. 1 Roundtrip Rates _Pease reference Weekender Zone Fare CertifcatAV157_ 1 1 WITHIN ZONE A ROUNDTRIP $168 TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Seats are capacity controlled and must be available in the required booking inventory WITHIN ZONE B ROUNDTRIP $148 Promo Code: AV0157 at the time reservations are confirmed. Discount applies to new purchases only and WITHIN ZONE C RO UNDT R IP $158 Valid Carrier:United Airlines, Shuttle by United, and/or United Express. No codeshare. will not be honored retroactively or in connection with the exchange of any wholly or WITHIN ZONE D ROUNDT R1IP $118 Valid Routing: Roundtrip travel must begin and end in the 48 contiguous United partially unused ticket. One ticket per certificate redeemed. Lower fares may be available in BETWEEN ZONE A & B ROUNDTRIP $188 States. Origin/destination travel to/from Illinois or Colorado not allowed; however, somemarkets. BETWEEN ZONE A & C ROUNDT R IP $208 connections via Chicago or Denver are permitted. All travel must be via the routes Ticketing Restrictions: Tickets are non-refundable. Change in origin or destination * BETWEEN ZONE A & D ROUNDTR IP $288 of UA in which UA publishes economy class fares. One way travel/stopovers/circle- is not permitted. Tickets MAY BE revalidated for a $50 per ticket fee. BETWEEN ZONE B & C ROUNDTRIP $198 trips/open segments/waitlisting/standby are not permitted. Open jaw travel allowed. ©1997 MasterCardintemational Incorporated ' BETWEEN ZONE B & D ROUNDTRIP $238 Valid Ticket Dates: Aug 30,1997- Mar1,1998. BETWEEN ZONE C & D ROUNDTRIP $168 VaIdTravelDate:Sept13,1997througMar31,1998ecludingBlackoutDales. AItravi UAL ATO/CTOseeS*PMD/AV0157 must be compleledbymidnight Mar31,1998 To enjoy these low Weekender Zone Fares - plus earn Mileage Plus@ Blackout Dates: 1997: Nov 22, 25. Dec 1, 20, 29. 1998: Jan 5. Mar 21, 28. Agencies see S*PMA/AV0157 credit on your trip - just call your travel professional or United to Cla2 of Service: V class. reserve your flight and redeem your certificate. Advance Purase: Within 24 h.s.of making reservations atleast 14 days priorto departure. 1. Treat as Type W Discount Certificate ITUDY Reid also commented on the pos- si!le bias of the samples since they ,,y included blacks and whites. AlThough the researchers did sample Mhilns. Hispanics. and Native 1mo i