v tnhnrranarn Onie hunidred seveni years of editorlaifreedomn News: 76-DAILY Display Ads: 764-0554 Classified Ads: 7640)557 Friday September 25, 1998 R atC\+'r" - i House inquiry may expand The Washington Post WASHINGTON - The House Republican who will preside over any hearings on the fate of President Clinton set a speedy timetable yester- day for opening a formal impeachment in uiry and announced that he may den his investigation to include matters beyond the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Rep. Henry Hyde (R-1ll.) said he expects his House Judiciary Committee to vote Oct. 5 or 6 and the full House to vote by Oct. 9 on whether to convene hearings to determine if Clinton committed perjury or obstruct- ed justice in concealing his sexual liaisons with the former White House intern and, if so, whether he should be iBeached. But whether the House inquiry will expand beyond the Lewinsky matter depends on what the committee receives from the office of Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, Hyde said. It could encompass other White House controversies - such as the Clintons' involvement in the Whitewater real estate development in Arkansas before h presidency, irregularities with con- ntial FBI files and the firing of the White House travel office staff. "We want to hear anything and everything - good, bad, indifferent, exculpatory, accusatory - that bears on the main question," Hyde said. "There may be other matters that we feel bear on the main question of the fitness of the president for this office" At the White House, presidential spokesperson Mike McCurry cautioned tht the public may chastise Hyde for ring too quickly and unfairly and he warned that the committee's work so far has raised "quite legitimate concerns about the way in which politics intersects with these proceedings." And House Democrats, who prefer public hearings before any inquiry is launched, decried the Hyde committee for not seeking testimony from Starr or Lewinsky before moving ahead with a f House vote. 'his is an effort to run out the clock before the (Nov. 3) election," charged Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) a leading Judiciary panel member. "They're try- ing to make the president look bad and their side good. The Republican posi- tion is totally hypocritical." Hyde announced the House timetable at a news conference in the Judiciary Committee room, flanked by two large portraits - one of himself, tJ other of former Rep. Peter Rodino (N.J.) who chaired the committee during the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration. Hyde's portrait had been unveiled only a dy earlier. "The reason I have called this meet- ing is for you all to admire the picture See CLINTON, Page 5 Asian nrolhnent declines on campuses By Susan t. Port Daily Staff Reporter ue to the financial crisis that is rav- a g Asian economies, many U.S. col- leges and universities are experiencing a decline in the number of students from those struggling countries. Campus officials from U.S. schools said they expect a sharp decline of stu- dents from Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand this semester. But University International Center Director Zahir Ahmed said he has not )qnoticed a drop in Asian students. 'We attract some of the wealthier students;' Ahmed said, adding that this year there are more undergraduate international students. But Ahmed said there are a number of undergraduates enrolled who are experiencing financial problems. Bill aims at punishing sports agents By Mike Spahn Daily Staff Reporter Michigan safety Marcus Ray may never play in another Michigan football game because of his alleged dealings with an agent. The football team, the University and Ray himself will all be penalized if the allegations are proven true. But the agent who contacted Ray suf- fers no consequences from his actions that are legal, but violate NCAA rules. That may not be the situation in sim- ilar cases for much longer. The state House of Representatives passed two bills yesterday that, in addi- tion to a third bill passed in May, will give the University ammunition in its fight against agents and boosters. The bills, sponsored by Rep. Kirk Profit (D-Ypsilanti), would hold liable any individual who "interferes with a prospective advantage" through contact with student athletes. That means any contact with an individual that could potentially cause the athlete to break the NCAA's rules regarding contact with boosters or agents would now have ramifications for the athlete and the other individual. In addition, the bills would allow uni- versities to declare agents trespassers on campus and subject them to prosecution. Profit said the work on the bills has been long and arduous, but the combi- nation of bills hopefully will help all schools, especially the University. He said problems in the Michigan and Michigan State athletic programs were catalysts for the legislation. "The University's athletic programs have a strong commitment to play by the rules, but I think it's important to add to that commitment the force of law," Profit said. If passed by the Senate and approved by Gov. John Engler, Profit's legislation will impose a $50,000 penalty and up to one year in jail to anyone who breaks the rules. Profit said he does not antici- pate any problems in the Senate, and Engler's administration has expressed support for the measure. Members of the Michigan Athletic Department have been asked to give their input on the legislation, and Athletic Director Tom Goss said he plans to support the bill. "We work diligently with our athletes to be sure they know the rules, but the agents know them too," Goss said. "It really bothers me because the agents are the adults in the process, and they are the ones in this for a profit." Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr said during his press conference concern- ing Ray's suspension that he would not discuss his feelings about agents in a public forum. Carr said the department tries its best to protect players, but some- times there are breaks in the system. "We have an educational process," Carr said. "We bring the FBI in once a year to discuss - among other things - the gambling issues, the drugs. And a big part of that discussion centers around the agent issue in intercollegiate athletics. "Throughout the country, this is an issue that confronts nearly every major college," Carr said. Proponents of the bill said they hope it never has to be fully enforced, rather they hope it will be used as a deterrent to potential boosters and agents on campus. "There needs to be something on the books so that at least the fear of a law- suit exists" Goss said. Bo Schembechler, the former Michigan football coach whose biogra- phy included a chapter titled "Get Those Agents Off My Campus," said most agents he's come into contact with have not been very reputable. He said that despite coaches' efforts to inform ath- letes about the dangers posed by agents, players are constantly harassed by agents. "The agent problem is not new, and its not going away," Schembechler said. "Any legislation that would put some fear into those guys would be good." The agents often times "just don't give a damn" about the consequences for athletes, he added. - Daily Sports Editor Sharat Raju contributed to this report. DANA INNANE/Oai~y ILSA sophomore Mary Olsen gets an "M" drawn on her cheek yesterday with face paint she purchased to show her spirit row at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines will take on the Spartans in the annual rivalry game tomorrow 'fces old-time-rval By Mark Snyder Daily Sports Editor When the talk turns to the Big Game, fans around the state of Michigan split their families. Wives don't speak to husbands, brothers divide their allegiances and the state's very core splits over the fall Saturday when Michigan plays Michigan State (i.e. tomorrow at 12:10 p.m. at Michigan Stadium.) Some of the players will tell you that this game means everything. Some will say it's just another week. What: Michigan-Michigan State When: Saturday, 12 p.m. Where: The Big(ger) House and ABC Channel 7 in Ann Arbor But beyond the facade, deeper in the soul, lie the feelings of hatred. For Michigan natives it may be that the opposing school didn't recruit them or that they grew up on one side. For the out-of-staters it's because the intensity is forced upon them. Regardless, it's all about war. "Every guy in this game on both sides of the ball knows the impor- tance of it," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "The state is immersed" This year's game has less national luster than in the past, but the game plans are just as intense for the coaches. Inside: The 100-year rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State, Page 13. See STATE, Page 7 'U'keeps, tradlition of 'real' operators Campus operators answer a variety of questions from the useful to the unthinkable By Adam Zuwernk Daily Staff Reporter They've probably helped you dozens of times. But if you passed them on the street, you wouldn't recognize them. They are the University's telephone oper- ators. With the push of only a "0," any student on campus can be connected to a live per- son who can provide them with everything from campus numbers to pork chop recipes. "We are one of only two schools left in the Big Ten who still have real people" working as telephone operators, said University operator Beth Roth. Located across from Crisper Arena, University operators take calls from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day, answering phones with the familiar, "Good afternoon. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor." On weekdays during the school year, the University's 17 operators - 14 female and 3 male - receive on average 4,700 calls per day, said Tim Donnelly, supervisor of operator services. This number drops to around 1,500 calls on the weekend and reached 7,331 calls on Sept. 8, the first day of classes. Unfortunately, the operators can't answer everyone's questions. "A lot of them ask for Ann Arbor restau- Wrong digi creates phone confusion Applicants reach pornography hotline By Katie Plona Daily Staff Reporter Some Flint area high school students and parents hoping to* join the ranks of the Maize and Blue got a little surprise when they dialed a University of Michigan-Flint information hot- line. A one-digit error in a phone number that was printed in an information packet and distributed to prospective Flint cam- pus students directed them to "a 1-800 gay hotline that was giving out 900 numbers," instead of the University's infor- mation hotline, said Donna Ullrich, director of University and alumni relations for the Flint campus. The admissions office at the University's Flint campus mailed the packets to more than 15,000 prospective students about 10 days ago. Ullrich said the letter was intended to recruit students and inform them about the application process. The University found out about the error when a parent called officials in the admissions office to tell them she had trouble getting through to the University information line. Andrew Flagel, the director of admissions for the Flint campus, said the office already has responded by mailing a postcard this week to all of the high school students who received the original letter. The postcard apologizes for any inconvenience and embarrassment the misprint may have caused dialers. John Crouch, a counselor at Flint Central High School, said he heard about the misprint from some students who were talking about it earlier this week. But, Crouch said, he is not too worried about the repercussions of the mistake. "We have a great rapport with (the University), so it's .. one of the things we laugh off," Crouch said. Sue Frederiksen, Frankenmuth High School's guidance director, said the school's football coach approached her after one of his football players showed him the letter. "From my understanding, there were about three students -G._.,..- ......t4 _&L.. - ...A^ar . U n+ x 1 ; NATHAN RUFFER/Dady University operator Felica Smith takes a call yesterday during her shift. The University is one of few Big Ten conference schools to still have live operators. tor Alice Morrill said. Operators say the majority of students are friendly and willing to work with the operator to find the information they need. Some of them need guidance, but most of them are really patient," Roth said. "If we're courteous to them, they are courte- ous in return." Students have differing opinions about the demeanour of the operators. "They've been friendly and helpful every time," said LSA senior Daina Stein. "I used them a lot when I lived in the dorms. They never weren't able to help me." But other students did not receive the same friendly service. "Thet were curt and nasty," LSA senior Erin Kaminitz said. "They were able to help me, but it seemed like I was putting m"r"at"Ol . I VI"'"" IJca' p speas V1W% ' "'" "'/ var answering a continuous stream of calls, they are still able to joke and not take themselves too seriously. "It's sad when you make somebody's day