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One hundred seven years of editor l freedom
Tuesday
March 17, 1998
Jim
oberts
William Nash
ily Staff Reporter
The University suspended three facu
mbers in 1954, two of whom were fired,
ing up for their beliefs.
this day, the University has not
ily apologized for the dismissal
then-mathematics instructor
andler Davis, former biology Prof.
ement Markert, and former phar-
cology Prof. Mark Nickerson for
ing testify about their political
iations during the McCarthy Era.
The University's lack of acknowl-
gment became the basis for the
tion of the "Davis, Markert and Roh
erson Lecture on Academic at
llectual Freedom.'
The speaker for the 8th annual lecture v
iversity of Maryland journaisn Pr
eal may
ettle loan
nterest-
ate talks
Mike Spahn
ily Staff Reporter
proposal in the U.S. House ci
esentatives may serve as a coM-
omise in the recent debate over stu-
nt-loan rate reduction in the Higher
ucation Act.
The agreement was struck last week
the House Committe on Education
d the Workforce by Rep. Howard
cKeon (R-Calif.), who heads the sub-
mmittee that oversecs student-loan
ograms and Rep. Dale Kildee (D-
int), the panel's ranking Democrat. It
lower interest rates for students
6.8 percent while they are in school
d raise them to 7.4 percent after
aduation.
Thomas Butts, associate vice prei'
nt for government relations, called
is proposal "really good news for
dents." He said it could mean sav-
gs of $1 I billion over the next five
ars.
"I believe people on both sd s of the
are sincere when they say they
nt interest rates low for students,"
tts said.
The central part of the debate has
cused on how much profit guaran-
d-loan lenders should receive. While
e Clinton administration wants to
quire the lenders to accept these low-
ed rates, this agreement will allow
em to collect at rates that are .4 per-
nt higher.
e difference in funding will be
ded by taxpayer money.
Butts said two-thirds of
ichigan students with loans use
rect loans, which lenders do not
rectly control. That means
nders that may pull out of loan
ograms will not have a great
feet on University students.
Christopher Mansour, Kildee's chief
staff, said the agreement should give
nts the "full benefits of lowered
t est rates," while trying to keep
ders satisfied as well.
"We had to find some kind of a com-
omisc to make loans more affordable
r students and profitable for banks,"
ansour said.
Although lenders will receive subsi-
See LOANS, Page 2
SA hoped
Gerard Cohen-Vrignaud
ily Staff Reporter
The University's Information
chnology Division's new basic com-
ting pricing package has left many
dents frustrated, and some Michigan
udent Assembly candidates have
ized upon the complaint as a-hot cam-
issue.
t semester, ITD announced it would
d its $10-a-month plan, under which
dents could use any combination of
rvices until they reached their monetary
it. That meant students with no money
in their accounts were unable to print
speaks to faculty about rights, freedom
Eugene Roberts. Roberts is known for his
coverage of the Vietnam War, civil rights and
the labor movement.
Roberts spoke about freedom of expres-
sion on college campuses, for
which he has "grave concern."
"In the last 10 years, there have
been some disquieting develop-
ments," Roberts said. "Injustices
such as speech codes, seizures and
burning of campus newspapers, and
in some instances, college adminis-
trators who have looked the other
way, are cause for great concern."
Since graduating. from North
Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1954,
Roberts has worked for the New York Times,
the Detroit Free Press, and served as the
Executive Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
During his 18 years at the Inquirer, the news-
paper won 17 Pulitzer Prizes.
Roberts "is a person perfectly suited to
deliver this lecture," University President Lee
Bollinger said.
In 1989, the issue of formally expressing
regret for the dismissals was brought to the
University Board of Regents, but was not
acted upon by the regents at the time. The
motion eventually died.
"The lecture was set up, so to speak, to
remind the University year after year of their
actions," said mathematics Prof. emeritus
Wilfred Kaplan, who chairs the Michigan
Chapter of the American Association of
University Professors.
Davis was the only of the three professors
honored at the lecture. Markert is out of the
country and Nickerson recently passed away.
Davis was subpoenaed due to a pamphlet he
published attacking the U.S. House of
Also at yesterday's
meeting:
The Senate Assmebly voted to elect
English Prof. Jacqueline Lawson,
economics Prof. Sherrie- Kossoudji
and sociology Prof. Donald Deskins to
serve two-year terms on the Senate
Advisory Committee on University
Affairs.
Representatives for "Un-American activities."
He refused to testify in front of Congress
and was charged with contempt of Congress
for which he was sentenced to serve six
months in prison.
Davis, a mathematics professor at the
University of Toronto, was dismissed from the
See ROBERTS, Page 7
Senate Assembly
honors Nickerson
By William Nash
Daily Staff Reporter
Mark Nickerson, who died March 13, will be remembered
for his major contributions to pharmacology, including his
research on adregenic blocking drugs. But at the University,
he is best known for his dismissal during the Red Scare.
Nickerson faced a congressional hearing for his involve-
ment with the Community Party ten years prior to the
McCarthy Era. But at the time of the scare, he was not polit-
ically active.
He was posthumously honored during yesterday's Senate
Assembly meeting at the annual "Lecture on Academic and
See NICKERSON, Page 7
0, CIAl
'
role of MSA
Administrators have
differing opinions on
assembly's involvement
By Gerard Cohen-Vrignaud
Daily Staff Reporter
Although many students who do
not vote in Michigan Student
Assembly elections claim that the
governing student body is ineffective,
many administrators who regularly
interact with the assembly do not
share their sentiments.
Often, MSA has brought the student
perspective on issues to administrators.
"They're doing a terrific job;' Provost
Nancy Cantor said. "They help adminis-
trators talk- through issues that affect stu-
dents. We certainly try to listen to what
they're saying. MSA has brought many
issues to our attention."
Some administrators said MSA
needs to take full advantage of the
access it has to the administration.
"The potential is there. I'm not sure we
have realized that potential;' said Lester
Monts, vice provost for academic and
multicultural affairs. "One committee
I'm on, there are two seats for MSA
members who have never been there"
In addition to asserting its views to
administrators, MSA has managed to
voice its concerns on student issues to
the University Board of Regents.
Regent Philip Power (D-Ann Arbor)
said MSA influenced the board's deci-
sions on library hours, diversity and
tuition and called MSA's presence
"compelling and persuasive."
"The regents have always wel-
comed the views of MSA, since it
represents the students," Power said.
"1 think students always need. an
organization that gets things done
and represents the students with the
administration."
But MSA members do not always
get their way with the administra-
tion. As Power pointed out, the
assembly's current campaign to
include a student on the Board of
Regents is not likely to convince
regents to raise fees.
"The process of representation by
interest group is a never-ending affair
once you get into it," Power said. "In
the past, MSA attempts to force the
regents to make students pay higher
fees have generally been greeted by
negative reactions."
Many administrators said MSA has
been helpful to work with in the past.
Associate Vice President for
University Relations Lisa Baker said she
was impressed by the assembly's attempts
to boycott the U.S. News and World
See ASSEMBLY, Page 3
JOHN KRAFT/Daly
Engineering senior Ramon Johnson, a member of the PI Kappa Alpha fraternity, impersonates Dennis Rodman last night
during the "hero" portion of the Mr. Greek Week Contest at the Power Center. Johnson placed first in the contest.
Greek Week o a
By Erin Holmes
Daily Staff Reporter
As they passed a student up through the crowd, his
cream joined the shouts of the cheerleaders and people
Lancing in the aisles.
But the spirit and intensity that would rival a Michigan-
)hio State football game were not in support of the
Wolverines.
The cheers were th ose of about 700 students who
attended last night's Mr. Greek Week Contest - the offi-
:ial kick-off of the 10-day Greek Week festivities.
Bradley Holcman, a Kinesiology junior and president
>f the Interfraternity Council, said the event aimed to pro-
vide "fun for the entire campus community."
Holeman said the event's proceeds, which went to char-
ity, were just the beginning of the Greek Community's
goal of raising $100,000 during Greek Week.
During the competition, which featured 28 contestants
from various Greek organizations, fraternity representa-
tives strutted their stuff in a tuxedo competition and
demonstrated their sense of humor in a "hero" portion as
they portrayed the person they "most admired."
Engineering senior Ramon Johnson, who placed first
for the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, said the hero portion
was meant to be a little less than serious.
"It's supposed to be a pun," said Johnson, the Michigan
Marching Band's drum major. "I picked Dennis Rodman
See KICK-OFF, Page 7
Breaking out
fuls want to change ITD system
hours of dial-in service. Any pages or
hours outside of the basic package is
charged directly to the student's
account.
New Frontier Party vice presidential
candidate Michael Enright, an LSA
sophomore, said the old system should
be reinstated. Changing the ITD billing
system is a large part of the New
Frontier Party's platform.
"The ITD fee system is not good, and
we should change it back to the old sys-
tem," Enright said: "People should be
able to use their money in any way they
want within ITD services."
ECandidate
1 1 1 L debates held
a ~} last Friday will
be broadcast
tonight at 10
on WOLV
4T television and
on WCBN FM
Mae a 1 :h 88.3 at 6.
ITD fees
concerns.
"Saying to someone that you can
only have 120 pages of printing is not
enough," Rosenberg said. "It has
turned out to be the biggest issue in
the new system. The committee
thinks that the allocation needs to
meet the needs of a high percentage
of users."
ITD estimated that at least half of the
computer users will print more than
their allowance and will end up paying
eight cents per page for their additional
printing.
Laurie Burns, ITD interim director of
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presidential candidate Ryan Friedrichs,
an LSA junior. "It was an issue brought
up at the last four meeting between
MSA and ITD."
ITD and MSA currently are working
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