LOCAL/S TATE
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 5, 1998 - 3A
ESEARCH/
Campuswide
technology plan
in the works
The University may go through a
ries of changes in the near future that
would re-direct information technology
funding campuswide.
The Information Technology
Strategic Directions Group was formed
to address these issues and to make bet-
ter use .of the limited resources at the
University.
The use of these resources has been
under scrutiny as a result of increased
,faculty and student needs, the increas-
g cost of computers and a trend
ward a one-size-fits-all computer
workstation.
The group's overall goal is to
optimize the University's informa-
tion technology investments by
forcing all University departments
to work together to negotiate con-
:trats that will decrease the prices
of each unit.
The University may also have to
andon its specialized workstations
or a more cost-effective general
model.
Other scenarios have been present-
ed to make better use of information
technology resources, including the
decentralization of student labs. This
strategy would provide all University
students with their own laptop com-
puters.
The downside of this plan is that
security risks would skyrocket, forcing
e University to increase spending to
protect its computers.
'U prof. takes
pictures of Jupiter
University astrophysics prof John
Clarke recently produced the clearest
images ever of Jupiter's polar aurora,
using the Hubble Space Telescope and
- specially designed filter.
Clarke's images are 10 times more
sensitive than previous pictures of the
planet and are expected to help scien-
tists gain a better understanding of
Jupiter and its moons.
When the Hubble telescope took its
first pictures of the planet in 1994, sci-
entists were able to get glimpse of the
electromagnetic activity that makes
Jupiter's atmosphere glow. These first
blurry images depicted Jupiter's
*on, lo, and its bright path through
the sky.
Clark's images clearly show the "lo
footprint" a bright belt across the planet
believed by the astronomy community to
be the result of lo's atmosphere coming
in contact with the seething Hydrogen
ions surrounding Jupiter.
The power created by this process is
enough to continuously power 1.2 mil-
'on 100-watt light bulbs.
One of Jupiter's many other moons,
'Ganymede, also appears to have an
electromagnetic footprint, although it is
not ,nearly on the scale of lo's.
The light tails created by these
motons are the most sensitive detection
of ultraviolet emissions from Jupiter.
Clean teeth may
prevent strokes
Several groups of University
'searchers are investigating the link
between dental disease and cardiovas-
cular disease. If their preliminary find-
ings are true, regular teeth cleanings
ia9 help prevent strokes.
bental Prof. Walter Loesche found
at hospital patients ages 65 and older
mho had their teeth cleaned at least
once a year were five times less likely
to have a stroke than patients who did
Wt have their teeth cleaned as often.
A related study by Loesche shows
that patients with coronary artery dis-
ease are substantially more likely to
exhibit symptoms of gum disease,
including bleeding and high levels of
tbacteria.
"-Although the results of the study are
still preliminary, good oral hygiene
may prove to be an important factor in
the prevention of stroke and coronary
,i1apry disease.
Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Sam Stavis.
Medical dean search committee selected
By Jennifer Yachnin
Daily Staf fRpo ter
The members of the search advisory committee
that will select the next Medical School dean were
announced yesterday.
The nationwide search will be chaired by
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs
Gilbert Omenn.
"It is a national search," Omenn said. "We'll
take a look at any one who is nominated or
requests to be considered"
The committee hopes to find a replacement for
current Interim Medical School Dean Lorris Betz
by next fall, Omenn said.
"We want to find at least three worthy finalists
and recruit them to come to the University,"
Omenn said.
The committee will accept recommendations
and will also search for candidates across the
country using advertising, Omenn said.
"We're going to be proactive and contact key uni-
versities and medical centers across the country,"
Omenn said. "There will be advertisements placed
in the New England Journal of Medicine and anoth-
er appropriate place."
The 18-member committee is made up of
one Medical student and faculty members
from the Medical School, College of
Engineering, School of Dentistry and the
College of Literature, Science and the Arts.
"I invited suggestions (for committee mem-
bers) from all through the Medical School and
other parts of the University," Omen said.
"The Medical School is a very important part of
the University ... we have partners in many other
parts of the campus," Omenn said.
Omenn said he hopes the search process will not
only find a new dean, but also strengthen bonds
between the Medical School and other academic
units.
"I'm eager to stimulate more connections
with (the Institute for Social Research) and
members of the LSA departments," said
Omenn, adding that the variety of representa-
tives will help to identify all areas of candidate
qualification.
"We are capable of identifying a broader
array of candidates with such partners,"
Omenn said.
Physiology Prof. Louis D'Alecy said the search
committee needs to stay focused on the importance
of academics.
"While there are financial pressures that need
to be dealt with, at greater risk is the academic,"
said D'Alecy, chair of the faculty's governing
body. "We're going to need someone who is very
strong in supporting the mission of the Medical
School in the face of financial pressure"
D'Alecy added that the academic mission is cen-
tral to the success of both the University's Medical
Center and Medical School.
"I feel personally that the issue that should drive
the mission of the Medical School is academic
excellence and not its financial importance to the
University," D'Alecy said.
Medical second-year student Fabian Salinas
said he is not surprised that he is the only student
representative on the committee.
"I definitely would say I feel the school has been
committed to getting student input on such matters."
Salinas said.
"It's along the lines of being a Medical stu-
dent and a member of the medical community,
looking for what's best for the Medical
School."
Salinas said an important consideration will be
how well the candidates can communicate with
students.
"I'll be looking for someone who works well
with us as students,' Salinas said.
Omenn said he wanted a student on the com-
mittee in order to have student input during the
search.
"I'm pleased that this student has agreed to
serve and other (members) all over campus have
agreed (to participate)," Omenn said.
Several students and younger faculty were asked
to serve on the committee, Omenn said, but they
declined because of other projects.
"I tried not to put younger faculty in a position
where they felt they were being overly burdened,"
Omenn said.
'
part of state coalition to
lower health care costs
N State universities join
forces in an attempt to
keep health care
expenditures down
By Nika Schulte
Daily Staff Reporter
Although the University competes
against rival state universities in many
areas, the search for more efficient
health care services will not be one of
them.
Starting last month, the University
began working with 12 other
Michigan public institutions to form
the Michigan Universities Coalition
on Health.
The group, which includes repre-
sentatives from schools such as
Michigan State University and
Eastern Michigan University, will
meet every other month to discuss
how to minimize the cost of health
care benefit plans and services at
the universities.
Marty Eichstadt, director of the
University's Benefits Office and a
MUCH board member, said she is
enthusiastic about the group's potential
to keep expenses down.
"Health care for employees and
retirees is a cost to the University,"
Eichstadt said.
"We want to moderate these costs
and keep them in reason. This way,
they will remain constant and won't
incur higher costs that would affect
areas like tuition," she said.
One of the common goals of the
group is to consider health care alterna-
tives in value purchasing because it
allows "a high quality, efficient
provider at a reasonable cost," Eichstadt
said.
Dr. Keith Groty, assistant vice
president of Human Resources at
Michigan State University and the
coalition's chair, said a main focus
of the group will be sharing knowl-
edge.
"All public universities have
agreed to work together and share
information to look for opportuni-
ties to increase efficiency, control
cost and improve quality," Groty
said.
"We want to look and see what
other schools have tried and see if it
could work somewhere else," he
said.
Groty also stressed the importance
of keeping each university's expenses
low.
"The cost of health care has a history
of rising much faster than the consumet
price index." Groty said. "This has an
impact on how a university spends
money.
"To keep tuition cost affordable, wa
have to keep these costs under control$'
Groty added.
Students said they were pleased that
there is a group focused on keeping
health care costs down, especially when
those costs could limit tuition increases:
RC junior Erin Rogers said she is
glad to hear about the group.
"Keeping tuition down is always pos-
itive. How could you object? Especially
when medical costs are so inflated,'
Rogers said.
EngineeringjuniorTodd Bonney also
said he supports the concept the group;
but said lie hopes health care coverage
doesn't suffer.
"It's a good idea if it can keep
tuition down," Bonney said. "I just
hope they can still get the best health
care."
LOUISBROWN/Daily
Rackham student Steven Hernandez speaks last night at a panel discussion.
The discussion was a part of the 1998 Chicano Awareness Week.
Panel celebrates
Chcnohistory
KiTh
By Rachel Edelman
Dlaily Staff Reporter
The celebration of chicano histo-
ry and culture continued last night
as a panel of faculty and graduate
students discussed chicano repre-
sentations in higher education, cul-
tural identity, and chicano aware-
ness.
The panel discussion, titled
"Cultural Ideologies in Higher
Education," began with discussion
of the role that cultural identity plays
in educational attainment.
"Clearly these institutions
weren't designed for us. Other
groups have eventually gained
access. We're not on the radar
screen for the most part," said soci-
ology and American culture Prof.
Tomas Almaguer, director of the
Latino studies program. "It's a mat-
ter of opening up opportunities for
people, and having those opportu-
nities matter."
The panel featured Almaguer,
English and American Culture
Instructor John Gonzalez, Rackham
second-year student Cassandra
Mungia, Rackham second-year stu-
dent Steve Hernandez and Rackham
first-year student Elida Bautista.
The prejudices that chicanos face
in academic institutions and the role
of affirmative action were among
the issues addressed.
"It's an awkward experience when
people look at you and think that the
only reason you're here is because
you're a person of color,", said
Mungia.
The panel was organized "to pro-
voke thought and generate ideas
among students who have haven't had
an opportunity to talk to faculty and
graduate students," said La Voz
Mexicana co-chair Christina Urbina,
an LSA junior. "The whole purpose is
to educate people. Things aren't black
and white issues"
About 20 students attended the
panel discussion, which was spon-
sored by La Voz Mexicana.
Panelists also discussed ways the
University can be changed and
restructured in order to better sup-
port the latino/a community.
Panelist John Hernandez said
"latino studies, Asian American
studies and women's studies are all
part in challenging the forms of
knowledge that exist."
"We need to reconstruct the
University so that we can be more
effective said LSA junior Diego
Bernal.
Almaguer said that stereotypes of
chicanos exist and can cause divi-
sions within the community.
"The sooner we realize the com-
monalties we all have, the better we're
going to be, she said. "There are too
few of us to start drawing lines."
Social and political activism
among the chicano community is
important, Almaguer said.
Almaguer said students have "the
power to disrupt, raise their voices
and draw attention to the issues that
are important to them."
QUALITY DRY CLEANING
& SHIRT SERVICE
332 Maynard
(Across from Nickels Arcade)
lii
-N /'
Would you like to:
- Plan and attend concerts?
- Plan and implement your own programming
events?
- Meet new people while gaining ualuable lead-
ership experience?
Th" Michigan League Student Programming
HOArd is currently accepting applications. To
up your application. stop by the Michigan
l.eague Programming Office (Ist floor of the
Leaque) 911 N. Llniversitq. or call us at X6346S7..
668-6335
I '
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
GROUP MEETINGS
Arab-Jewish Cultural Awareness
Group, 764-7962, Frieze Building,
Room 3050, 7-9 p.m.
I Circle K, 763-1755, Michigan Union,
Anderson Room, 7 p.m.
U Graduate and Professional Mishneh
EVENTS
J "Andrea Barrett," Fiction reading,
Sponsored by the Department of
English, Rackham Building,
Ampitheatre, 5 p.m.
LJ "F C Neidhardt. UM Research 1997
- Measure by Measure,"
SERVICES
U Campus Information Centers, 763-
INFO, info@umich.edu, and
www.umich.edu/-info on the
World Wide Web
Q "HIV/AIDS Testing," Community
Family Health Center, 1230 N.
Manie cIRd..6- om.
Ems