Tl- f'%-:1- r-A- A --.I A -7 .4 nrO LOCAL/STATE e v a / .Panelists encourage environmental justice legislation .0 By Lee Palmer .Daily Staff Reporter Environmental activists met with students last night in the Michigan Union to address what they see as a failure of the Michigan Legislature to enact effective environmental policy. LSA senior Trisha Miller, who chairs The Environmental Clearinghouse that sponsored *the panel, said the event was a chance to unite leaders working for environmental justice and students interested in learning how to affect the legislative process. The Environmental Clearinghouse, part of the Michigan Student Assembly's Environmental Issues Commission, recently sent more than 50 University students to Lansing to lobby for envi- tonmental legislation. "We are trying to mobilize students to pro- mote environmental justice issues at the state level," Miller said. "There is a beginning of a movement within the state which is trying to get Michigan to follow the lead of the federal gov- ernment in implementing environmental justice legislation." Panelists said existing environmental policies do not adequately protect people's health and are not sufficiently enforced. Tracy Easthope, who works at the Ann Arbor Ecology Center, said Michigan ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for the number of tox- ins released into the environment. Of the chem- icals used, 71 percent lack toxicity data, and 90 percent have never been evaluated for the effect they have on children, she said. Coupling this with declining rates of reported current law enforcement results in a "failure of current policy to protect us" Easthope said. There is also a significant dis- parity in the rate of enforcement based on race, she said. "The result of this inadequate regulatory scheme and enforcement are health conse- quences - health consequences that are biased" said Easthope, citing the rates of cancer inci- dence among blacks as 6 percent higher than for whites. Donele Wilkins said her organization, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, works to increase the "capacity of community people to build a voice" concerning the use of land and the quality of water and air in their neighborhoods. Her organization became incor- porated in 1994 to combat what she determined was environmental injustice prevalent in Wayne County. "One of the issues we are dealing with is apa- thy because people are so used to (environmen- tal injustice) just being a natural part of their lives," Wilkins said. Many people from low-income communities suffer from what Wilkins characterized as "quiet desperation." Instead of fighting unfair environ- mental burdens, such as disproportionate amounts of landfills in their neighborhoods, res- idents fear the economic consequences of protesting, she said. "This is what we're up against - this should not be an issue of jobs versus the environment," Wilkins said. "They should be able to co-exist for a healthy economy and a healthy environ- ment" Public Health Prof. Sylvia Tesh said people should not be discouraged by the statistics or cynics who say it takes too much work to make change. "If we take a long view, we can see there has been a substantial transformation into an envi- ronmental consciousness in a short time?' Tesh said. "Today, (environmental legislation) has become a major part of the political agenda. Public Health graduate student A my Gildemeister said she is optimistic about future state environmental legislation. Her research studying mercury and trace medals in downtown Detroit has sparked discus- sions with city officials. "They definitely are concerned and interested in meeting the currently required permits and potentially improving the situation in the down- town area," Gildermeister said. Surfing the net STADIUM Continued from Page 1 plays, similar to those outside of Yost Ice Arena and the remaining two boards probably will be installed in the Varsity Tennis Center. Cecchini said Athletic Department officials are still researching the type of videoscreen they will purchase, but that a decision should be reached sometime next week. "We have been evaluating videoboards since early December and that process has not been completed," Cecchini said. He added that contractors have been hired to build the scoreboard structure and production facility. Cecchini said the different technologies involved with the videoboards have contributed to the lengthy search. "There's a big move in technology related to videoboards," Cecchini said. "We're kind of on the cusp of where its changing." Cecchini said some of the systems' differences include picture quali- ty, power usage and durability. "Image quality is what we're looking for" Cecchini said. The company contracted to create the scoreboard, Daktronics Inc., based in Brookings, S. D., has created several information boards on campus, including those outside of Yost and Crisler. Jack Janveja, facilities planning and design director, said the project is on track with its $6 million budget. "Everything is on schedule," Janveja said. But Vice President for University Relations Walter Harrison said graduates at Spring Commencement may graduate in a half-finished sta- dium. "Every expectation is that it will be finished," Harrison said. The construction is divided into two phases. The first phase includes the halo that will add an additional 5,000 seats to the sta- dium, and the second phase that involves relocating the rest rooms and food vendors. "The infrastructure of the stadium will be finished," Harrison said, adding that food vendors may remain in temporary buildings similar to those they occupied in previous seasons. Eventually, all of the vendors will be in per- manent structures in order to clear the walkway outside the stadium. Washington D.C. for the summer, where she been awarded for her will be an intern to First Lady Hillary the state Senate also Rodham Clinton. community service After the White House internship, Rose, as a Rhodes Scholar, will attend Oxford University ed in the University's in the fall. e. Alternative Spring "I'm very proud that I will represent not of Humanities and the only the United States, but I will also represent for Students with the University of Michigan," Rose said. Rose plans to earn a Masters degree in clas- pient of the Harry S. sical archeology at Oxford. Rose said she has- congressional schol- n't made any further plans for her future at this ward will take her to time. ROSE Continued from Page 1 recognition. "I want to point out that really this state has brought this honor to me," Rose said. "Really, this is a tribute to public schools more than anything else." Sen. John Cherry (D-Clio), co-signer of the resolution, is a University alumnus. "It is always a moment of pride to have a stu- dent from the University of Michigan get such an honor,"Cherry said."It is a special moment, a special recognition." Not only has Rose t academic success, but acknowledged hert efforts. Rose has been involy Child Care Task Forc Break program, the Year Arts and Services Disabilities. Rose was also a reci Truman Scholarship, a arship. The Truman av NATHAN RUFFER/Daily Ten-year-old Rebecca Schaffner from Heritage School in Saline learns all about the Internet in the Ann Arbor Public Library. . RESIDENCY Continued from Page 1 in Michigan, left the state and later returned to attend school. "You may think of Michigan as still your home, but you gave up your resi- dency," she said. "We wanted to clarify that with people." If a student is denied Michigan resi- dency after going through the Residency Classification Office, the *student can maintain non-Michigan res- ident status or appeal the decision. Of the nearly 1,300 applications processed during the 1996-97 school year, 627 were approved by the Residency Classifications Office and 608 were denied. From that pool, 194 students appealed the office's decision. Only 1,3 students succeeded in over- turning the office's ruling. The appeals committee reviews applications submitted by students who think they were unfairly denied Michigan residency by the Residency Qlassification Office - a part of the Office of the Registrar. After reviewing a student's appeal application, the committee either denies or accepts the student's claim. If the student receives Michigan resident status, he or she will be reimbursed for the difference of paying out-of-state residency tuition for the duration of the appeals process. LSA senior Stephanie Brimo, who served on the committee from fall '95 through fall '97, said some of the cur- rent guidelines' language is "deceiv- ing," and caused many students a great deal of anguish. "It's a very serious issue" Brimo said. "So, people were getting very upset because they were being led to believe Osomething because of the language." Brimo said students who wish to obtain Michigan residency cannot apply to or attend the University and then try to get in-state residency. In most situations, they must show interest prior to that point. "One of the big hang-ups (is that) peo- ple think you have to live in the state of Michigan for one year, but that's not true," Brimo said. "If you show an inter- est in the University of Michigan before you come here, you won't get residency." SNRE sophomore Joe Thompson received word earlier this semester that the University approved his Michigan residency status. "I'm not really sure what their justi- fications are for letting me keep in-state (status), other than the fact that I'm here for three-fourths of the year," Thompson said. Thompson lived in Michigan when he applied to the University as a high school senior. His family then moved away from Michigan, but Thompson maintains that he is still a Michigan resident. "My parents lived here for a few years and paid taxes in the system," Thompson said, adding that if the University had not approved his appli- cation, he would not have been able to afford out-of-state University tuition. "If I couldn't do it, I would have to go to school in Wisconsin" Although it is not common, some students choose to take their case to the Michigan court system if the appeals committee denies their claim. "The number of students who take their case to court is very small," Dunn said, adding that the court cannot deter- mine a student's residency status in this context. "They simply decide if the University has been fair and consistent in its determinations." Dunn said that out of the small num- ber of residency cases filed by University students in the Michigan court system, she is not aware of a case the University has lost in 20 years. HOPWOOD Continued from Page 1 could not speculate on Morales' actions concerning the request Wednesday. Whether the 5th Circuit overturns its decision depends on the panel of judges chosen to hear the case, Farabee said. But Lino Graglia, a UT law professor, said he did not think the court would over- turn its original decision banning the use of race in admissions to the law school. There is a possibility that the court may increase the damages awarded to the plaintiffs, said Graglia, who does not support affirmative action policies. "There's a possibility that the plaintiffs are entitled to more damages. They could hard- ly get less'" Graglia said. "The only substan- tial amount was the lawyers' fees, and that was half or less of what they asked." Monty Jones, UT System director of News and Public Information, said Cunningham wouldn't comment on the letter Wednesday. -Daily Staff Reporter Katie Plona contributed to this report. College Graduate Program/Student Discounts $0 To Start All Leases Just Sign& Drive! '98 MONTERO SPORT '98 ECLIPSE RS '98 GALANT ES Automatic, 4x4 air, power windows/locks, Air, power, moonroof, Moonroof, AM/FM/Cass., air. alloy wheels and more. Stk. #WP002672. AM/FM/Cass. Stk. #WE027565 Stk. #WE025080 $329l* $0 out of pocket $0 out of pocket $0 out of pocket per mo. i2s9 per mo. i $2s9 per mo. 42 mo. lease 42 mo. lease 'W 36 mo. lease The Department of Recreational Sports ad that appeared in the April 16 edition of The Michigan Daily contained an error. The application deadline should have read April 21. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. (Te SOd igan &iigj Tau Beta Pi Michigan Gamma Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Honor Society, was founded to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. We, the officers and faculty advisors of the Michigan Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Pi, wish to congratulate the following people who have achieved our high standards and have successfully completed the initiation rituals, thereby becoming active members of Tau Beta Pi: Aaron Aguirre Jonathan Arnold Mazin As-Sanie V-An...Rnr Samir Gupta Cameron Hamilton-Wright A nni Hnciin Frances Lee John Leung Cheryl Lim Tnhn L in Joseph Piech Christopher Pratt Rich Ratke Michele Rngrs