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One hundred seven years ofeditorndfr edom
Wednesday
October 22, 1997
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Mulroney
highlights
cooperation
Neal Lepsetz
Daily Staff Reporter
Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney dis-
cussed the United States' role in the international commu-
nity and emphasized the importance of continued
American involvement both politically and economically
at a speech on campus yesterday.
"Trade enriches and empowers great nations, allowing
the United States to provide leadership and stability,"
Mulroney told a near-capacity crowd at the Business
hool's Hale Auditorium.
The program was the second of the J. Ira Harris
Distinguished Lecture Series at the University, which
began two years ago with a speech delivered by 1996 vice
presidential candidate Jack Kemp.
Mulroney spoke of the benefits of participating in free
trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade
Agreement, but warned of a current trend hindering the
development of U.S. free-trade relationships with other
nations.
"There's a big and heavy cloud on the horizon,"
1ulroney said. "The momentum under American leader-
ip is about to be lost."
Leaders of Western Hemisphere nations agreed in 1994
to work on developing a free trade agreement between the
Americas by 2005. But due to the lack of congressional
support in the United States, many nations, such as Chile,
have inked agreements with other nations in the region.
Chile, one of the richest South American nations, signed a
free trade agreement with Canada, Mexico, and the
Mercosur countries of South America.
As a result, Mulroney said, the United States is losing
jhut on markets that would further enrich the American
onomy.
"Trade creates jobs," Mulroney said. For college grad-
uates especially, he said he feels it will make a difference
in the availability of future opportunities. "America's grad-
uates desperately need what comes from international
trade," Mulroney said.
Mulroney discussed how the importance of not practic-
ing economic isolationism is growing as China's global
status becomes more economically oriented. With its cur-
rent rate of population growth, China will need a much
neater production capacity to sustain itself. Mulroney
See MULRONEY, Page 7
Book blasts
Michigan
Mandate
By Jeffrey Kosseff
[Daily Staff Reporter
While the University's affirmative
action policies are being challenged in
federal court through a suit filed last
week, a University alum is challenging
their effectiveness in a recently released
book.
Frederick Lynch, a professor of gov-
ernment at Claremont McKenna
College, devoted a whole chapter in his
book, "The Diversity Machine," to
flaws in the Michigan Mandate, an
affirmative action program that was
instituted by former University
President James Duderstadt in 1988.
"The underlying mission of the
Michigan Mandate is that we change
the culture of the campus by changing
the color of the student body," Lynch
said. "The Mandate has not really
changed much on the campus"
Through efforts in the areas of finan-
cial aid, academic programs and admis-
sions policies, the Mandate aimed to
increase diversity in the faculty and stu-
dent body. The proportion of minority
students at the University increased
from 13.5 percent in 1987 to 25.4 per-
cent in 1996.
"My own belief is that the Michigan
Mandate has clearly made the campus
more diverse, the numbers indicate
this," Duderstadt said. "It has signifi-
cantly reduced racial tension, as any
comparison of racial incidents and
activism before, say in 1986, as after-
wards would indicate, and improved the
quality of the student body and the
institution, again, based on actual data"
Lynch, however, said the Mandate
increased tension on campus.
"By emphasizing race and gender,
you increase tension," Lynch said. "I
found there was an underlying resent-
ment because of financial aid prefer-
ences."
For his research, Lynch interviewed
more than 80 University administrators,
faculty and students in addition to look-
ing at minority statistics.
Lynch said it is difficult to view the
University from a macroscopic level.
"One of the problems with doing
research at U of M is that it is so big,"
Lynch said. "The only generalization
you can make about the U of M is that
you can't generalize."
Susan Rasmussen, the University's
associate director of affirmative action,
said the Mandate is not the first affir-
See MANDATE, Page 7
JOHN KRAFT1D
Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney offers gratitude for a trophy in honor of his keynote
address yesterday at the J. Ira Harris Lectureship Series. Dean B. Joseph White presented the award.
Car thefts on
rie n county
MSA gives $70K for service programs
By Susan T. Port
Daily Staff Reporter
University student tuition dollars and a new com-
n@ity service board will combine to provide $70,000
for service projects.
As a result of a ballot question passed by students
last spring, each student pays an additional $1 fee to
fund community service.
The Michigan Student Assembly voted this semes-
ter to create a board of seven members, chaired by one
MSA executive and one person not affiliated with
MSA, to direct the funding allocations.
MSA President Mike Nagrant said the importance
of having one MSA representative and one non-MSA
ber on the board is to have a dual perspective on
k issues. The MSA representative should hold the
assembly accountable, while the other student should
be someone who has knowledge and background in
community service, Nagrant said.
"This is a brand new project," said LSA sophomore
Heidi Lubin, who co-chairs the board. "We just got
this massive effort to make sure people are aware that
it's there."
Nagrant said he hopes the funding commitment by
MSA will spark more interest in working on commu-
service projects.
think you can never have too much of a good
thing," Nagrant said. "(The funding) will hopefully
encourage as much initiative in that area as possible"
Lubin said the board's purpose is to support com-
munity service activities.
"We are hoping to encourage collaborative groups
on campus that will have services that benefit both the
community as well as the University," Lubin said. "We
are not funding the student group but the specific pro-
ject."
Nagrant said the grants will allow groups to spend
more time on projects instead of on fundraising.
"They will be able to concentrate on doing more
service work and less time on fundraising, he said.
LSA junior Eric Allenspach said the student group
in which he participates has applied for $20,000 in
community service funding.
"We are applying for starting a coalition Habitat for
Humanity spin-off," Allenspach said. He said the
group is a coalition of student groups like Project
Serve, Panhel, the Interfraternity Council and other
organizations.
Allenspach said Habitat for Humanity turns away vol-
unteers because oftheir abundance. Ifthe spin-offgroup
received funding, University students would receive pri-
ority to work on the projects, he said.
Allenspach said with MSA's contribution, this com-
munity service project's goal is approachable. He said
"They will be able to
concentrate on doing
more service work and
less time on ferndrising. "
- Mike Nagrant
MSA President
the competition between service groups is fierce
because there is a large demand for funding.
Allenspach said the committee makes the process eas-
ier.
Allenspach said that "last year the possibility of get-
ting a fraction of the money for a house was a long-
term goal."
The board is currently accepting applications from
community service groups on campus. The deadline
for applications is Friday.
There is a workshop tomorrow from 5:30-7:30
p.m. in the Michigan Union to give applicants a
chance to voice their concerns and questions by
filling out an application.
Inside: MSA passes resolution to support North
Campus nursing services. Page 3.
Report says car theft
in Washtenaw County at
a five-year high
By Alice Robinson
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Association of
Insurance Agents released a report
this week stating that auto theft in
Washtenaw County increased by 4.3
percent last year.
The report also stated that auto theft
for the entire state was at its highest in
five years, largely due to an increase in
stolen cars in Detroit.
Ann Arbor Police Sgt. Larry Jerue
said auto theft can result from a variety
of motives. "It's difficult to say what the
motive sometimes may be," Jerue said.
He pointed out that joy riding and
obtaining auto parts are two likely
motives for stealing cars.
"Any unauthorized driving away
of the automobile belonging to
(another) is considered auto theft,"
Jerue said. "There's certainly differ-
ent styles of auto theft."
Jerue said a student borrowing a
friend's car and not returning it falls
under the definition of auto theft.
AAPD Lt. David Lovell said
police officers always keep their
eyes open for stolen vehicles when
cruising around Ann Arbor.
"We arrest the driver if he's dri-
ving a stolen car," he said.
The Michigan Association of
Insurance Agents, which issued the
report, is a trade group that works out
of Lansing.
Despite the overall increase in
Washtenaw County in 1996, the
Department of Public Safety docu-
mented only 29 University car thefts
last year, representing a sharp
dropoff from 1995, when 47 car
thefts were reported.
Despite the trade group's find-
ings, students who drive on and
around campus say they do not take
many precautions to avoid auto
theft.
"I just lock my doors, that's about
it," said Kinesiology sophomore
Chad Henman, who said he drives
from home to class every day.
"I don't think it's common
(because) I don't hear much about
it," he said
See CARS, Page 7
'U' researcher links magazine
images to eating disorders
Gerard Cohen.rignaud
Staff Reporter
From Melrose Place to Mademoiselle
magazine, media images of glamorous-
ly thin women permeate popular cul-
ture. According to recently published
research by communications studies
assistant Prof. Kristen Harrison, the
media may share part of the blame for
eating disorders and other unhealthy
obsessions in women.
"The obsession with being thin is a
ural trend that the media are capital-
izing on," Harrison said. "Young kids
watch a lot of TV and they are influ-
enced by what they see. I think media
images play a big role in the way
women think they should be."
Harrison surveyed 232 female under-
graduate students at the University of
The findings, which were recently
published in the Journal of
Communication and the Journal of
Broadcasting and Electronic Media,
also show that women who frequently
read fashion magazines are more likely
than occasional readers to possess "a
drive for thinness" and dissatisfaction
with their bodies.
Harrison's research indicates that
media exposure accounts for about 5-10
percent of eating disorder problems.
"The mass media is one of many
problematic causes," Harrison said.
"When you're dealing with an epidem-
ic type of problem, something that is
responsible for 5 to 10 (percent) is a
significant factor."
The findings also indicate that about
15 percent of surveyed women meet the
female students agree with the findings,
saying the media's role is critical in
women's perception of their own bodies.
"I think that popular culture has a
very negative impact on women's body
image because they set unrealistic and
unattainable standards for women," said
LSA senior Monisha Shetty. "A lot of
these images are put forth as ideals.
They can undermine self-esteem and
make young women feel inadequate."
Other students said the impact of the
media depends on an individual's reaction.
"I think it depends on what kind of
person you are," said LSA junior Sara
Parent. "Some people are very confi-
dent and will not be affected at all.
Others look at the images and think
they're not meeting the perfect stan-
dards the world sets."
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