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News: 76-DAILY
Advertising: 7640554
One hundred seven years of ediori dlfreedorm
Friday
October 31, 1997
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roups
unite for
affirmative
action
By Christine M. Palk
Daily Staff Reporter
Speaking to a crowd of reporters
yesterday, leaders of different campus
groups gave symbolic and vocal
backing of the University's affirma-
tive action policies.
panel of I1 student group repre-
s atives delivered a statement on
behalf of 45 campus organizations
that collectively "support the promo-
tion of diversity and equality through
the continued implementation of
affirmative
-l action policies at
the University of
Michigan."
Groups back-
ing the statement
include the Black
Student Union,
the United Asian
A me ican
Organizations,
Baker the Native
A m e r i c a n
Student Association and Alianza, a
Latino/a student group.
Led by moderators Diane Nguyen
and Keith Parks, leaders of the
nizations said they began meet-
i the day the lawsuit was
announced.
"We have come together in the hopes
of educating those who are not as
informed on this issue" Parks said.
"We're hoping to educate the stu-
dents and to limit misconceptions of
affirmative action," Nguyen said.
"We're willing to work with anyone
who supports affirmative action."
nelist Ponni Perumalswami, a
UWAO representative, said many orga-
nizations have come together with a
common pur-
pose.
"We came
together to edu-
cate our com-
munity and
begin the dia-
logue on this
i s s u e,
Perumalswami
said. "We want
Nguyen to further help
S'
celebrates Homecoming
Alumni return,
events planned
By Lee Palmer
Daily StaffReporter
With one of the largest alumni pop-
ulations in the world, the University
began this weekend's Homecoming
celebration with a pep rally last night
at the Power Center.
Highlights for the weekend include
the Alumni Association-sponsored
Go Blue Brunch on Saturday morn-
ing and a free University Men's Glee
Club concert on Ingalls Mall on
Saturday afternoon.
"Because this year is the Alumni
Association's 100th anniversary, the
number of visiting alums is up from
previous years," said Janice Nuttle,
Alumni Association manager of pro-
grams and adviser to the Student
Alumni Council's Homecoming
Committee.
Nuttle had no exact estimate of
how many alumni would arrive this
weekend, but said planners "are
expecting close to 2,100 alums at
(the) Go Blue Brunch."
Despite the large number of alum-
ni in town, and almost 1,000 maize
and blue pom-poms distributed on the
Diag yesterday and today, many stu-
dents are unaware that this weekend
is Homecoming, said Engineering
junior Nicole Roth, co-chair of the
University Activities Center and its
Homecoming committee.
Roth attributed students' lack of
participation in Homecoming activi-
ties to the busy time of year, not to
lack of interest.
"homecoming is very underpubli-
cized," Roth said. "Also, a lot of stu-
dents don't get involved because they
are busy with exams, and that's just
too bad."
Some students who had heard of
Homecoming said the event holds a
valuable place at the University.
"I think Homecoming is very nec-
essary for the University, for people
to come back and show their school
spirit," said LSA sophomore Amy
Schulsinger.
LSA sophomore Andrew Blau
agreed, adding that Homecoming
gives him the opportunity to see
friends who graduated last year.
One way black students can get
involved with Homecoming is
through the annual Student-Alumni
Exchange, sponsored by the African
American Alumni Council, said John
See HOMECOMING, Page 7
PAUL TALANIAN/Daily
The Michigan Dance Team shows its maize and blue spirit at a pep rally at the Power Center fast night. The pep rally is
one of many events scheduled for the Homecoming weekend.
Fan shows spirit with glass eye
By Jennifer Yachnin
Daily Staff Reporter
If you look Del Young in the eye, you may
need to look twice.
Young, an Ann Arbor resident, lost his
left eye in a hunting accident many years
ago and has since worn a glass eye. This
summer, he had a block "M" painted on an
alternate glass eye, which he wears on
football Saturdays.
"I have (a glass eye) for every day and
one for football games," said Young, a
graduate of the University of Arkansas. "I
have one with a big block M on it for game
day."
Young, a Michigan native, has held season
football tickets for 35 years and said he's got-
ten a little more attention since he started
wearing his new eye.
"All the people in our area know that I'm
coming,"Young said. "It's kind of embarrass-
ing, but it's fun too."
Young said he wears the eye on football
game days, but otherwise wears his regular
glass eye.
Young's wife Iris said she thought her hus-
band was joking when he first mentioned the
idea.
"I thought he was kidding. I never
believed he would really do it," Iris Young
said.
Iris Young said her husband's glass eye
isn't the only way he shows spirit. An RV
camper the family used to own, which they
took tailgating, was decorated with a large
M on the back, until last year when it was
sold. She said the eye is a replacement for
the RV
"He has to have some kind of Michigan
symbol," Iris Young said.
Both of the Youngs retired a year ago and
plan to travel to the Penn State and Wisconsin
games in their new RV camper, complete with
Michigan blankets, tablecloths, napkins, an
18-foot flag and cheerleader Barbie. Even the
Young's dog Charlie wears a Michigan ban-
dana.
The Youngs have seven children from ages
30-42 who have varied opinions about their
father's eye, Iris Young said.
"Our 17-year-old grandson thinks its terri-
ble," Iris Young said. "(People) think it's gross
or it's hilarious."
See EYE, Page 2
the dialogue to
move along, and the press confer-
ence is the first step in terms of
putting it forth to the community
that students are a part of this - that
we have a voice.
The conference centered on the
groups' reasons for supporting affir-
nve action at the University.
oe Reilly, a panelist and co-chair
of the Native. American Student
Association, said affirmative action
is essential to maintaining racial
harmony on campus.
"Affirmative action is definitely nec-
essary in order to get equality, to get
our voices heard," Reilly said.
"Affirmative action is a step in promot-
in this diversity"
*guyen said the learning process
at the University will be hindered if
the University's demographics are
altered.
"When I heard of the affirmative
action lawsuit, I wasn't shocked as
much as I was disappointed," Nguyen
said.
"Affirmative action has really
enriched my life. My understanding of
the world is so much greater. Learning
i t only from text, but from who and
w at is around us."
John Baker, a panelist and represen-
tative of the Students of Color of
Rackham group, said the number of
minority students will drop if affirma-
tive action is eliminated at the
University.
"Affirmative action is the one
thing that's in place that ensures
diversity on this campus," Baker
s . "Qne thing that drew me to the
University was its diversity. Many
students choose Michigan because
of its diversity, so if this lawsuit goes
through, many may not want to
come here."
Panelists said they have planned
events such as teach-ins and letter-writ-
ing campaigns to increase awareness
PAUL TALANIAN/Daily
Ann Arbor resident Del Young sports his football Saturday
glass eye. Young lost his eye in a hunting accident.
I
Tomorrow in Football Saturd
Who:
No 4 Michigan (4-0 Big Ten, 7-0 overall)
vs. Minnesota (0-4, 2-6)
Where:
Michigan Stadium (cap. 102,501)
When:
Tomorrow, 12:20 p.m
Line:
Michigan by 26 W
Weather:
Chance of thunderstorms, high of 57.
Television:
Channel 20 (Channel 6 in Ann Arbor)
Series history:
The last time the Gophers had the
Little Brown Jug was in 1986.
Leader of the boft
t.
x
Compared with other schools,
'U' Homecoming is a tepid affair
a
By Reilly Brennan
and Mike Spahn
Daily Staff Reporters
University organizers try every year to boost
school spirit during Homecoming week. But, their
efforts cannot compare to a 40-foot-tall monument
built out of corn or a daylong chicken wing eating
contest, activities at the heart of other schools' cele-
brations.
"I don't think we've found the right programs yet,"
said Janice Nuttle, University adviser to the Student
Alumni Council. "We don't have the right appeal yet to
involve students in Homecoming."
LSA junior Cody Ryder said despite the University's
attempts to promote Homecoming week, she has not
been affected.
"I don't know anything about Homecoming, but I got
a great pom-pom out of the deal," Ryder said,
While Homecoming organizers stand on the Diag
handing out maize and blue pom-poms to promote
school spirit, Engineering students at the University
of Iowa take it upon themselves to build a 40-foot
monument completely out of maize, Iowa's biggest
crop.
"All students here look forward to the game and
the parade," said Mark Sedgwick, an Iowa junior. "A
lot of students help with the parade and the many
other activities. Student involvement is big during
Homecoming."
Iowa senior Jesse Lad said many alumni return to the
school for the week's festivities.
"The unique experience about drinking on
Homecoming weekend is that while on a regular week-
end, I'm surrounded by drunk 20 year olds. During
Homecoming weekend, I'm surrounded by drunk 40
year olds," Lad said.
University of Florida hosts one of the largest
Homecoming activities in the nation. The week's many
activities culminate in The Gator Growl, a daylong festi-
val that brings in major entertainers, such as Jerry
Seinfeld and Bill Cosby, and attracts more than 60,000
See SCHOOLS, Page 2
Local leaders look to toughen marijuana penalties
By Peter Meyers
Daily Staff Reporter
Some members of the Ann Arbor community
hope to toughen the city's lenient approach to mari-
juana offenses, which penalize offenders with fines
as low as 2.5 percent of the state's maximum fee.
According to Ann Arbor's city code, people who
possess an ounce or less of marijuana are fined
$25 for the first offense, $50 for the second
offense and $100 for the third offense.
Last week, Mayor Ingrid Sheldon (R-Ann
priate penalties to the crime," Sheldon said. "It's a
very confusing issue."
The issue is particularly confusing because
both city and state police patrol Ann Arbor.
"Many times, but especially during
Hash Bash, people are stopped by
police expecting to get a ticket," said
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian
Mackie. But if they are stopped out-
side of the city limits or by state or
county police officers, they face the
year in jail and fined $1,000.
Mackie said that for some crimes, a city can
have laws that override existing state legislation.
"You can have ordinances on things that
would be misdemeanors," Mackie said.
"A city can have an ordinance that is
less tough."
The Ann Arbor law originally
called for a $5 fine, but was
changed to $25 in 1990. Since the law
is part of Ann Arbor's City Charter,
nance.
"I kind of get hot about that," Kwan said. Critics,
he said, often unjustly point in particular to frater-
nity members as people who abuse marijuana.
"They're good citizens as far as I'm concerned,"
Kwan said. "Most students that I've met are very
mature." Kwan attributes most of Ann Arbor's
image problem with marijuana to Hash Bash.
Most Hash Bash participants, he said, are from out
of town.
It has been shown statistically that marijuana