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'Highei
Clinton appro
By Katie Plona
and Mike Spahn
Daily Staff Reporters
* President Clinton signed a bill yesterday that,
in addition to lowering student interest rates on
college loans, could allow the University to
release the identity of students who violate the
University's Code of Student Conduct.
In the midst of a Congressional term marked
by argument, irritation and inaction, the signing
is being lauded as a model of bipartisanship.
The reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act, passed with an overwhelm-
Vieger's
tax cut
proposal
ecriticized
By Mike Spahn
Daily Staff Reporter
Democratic gubernatorial candidate
Geoffrey Fieger poses political prob-
lems of all sorts for Michigan elected
officials. Many are running from him,
some are questioning his morals and
still others are attacking his proposals.
In no uncertain terms, Regent Daniel
Horning (R-Grand Haven) and Regent
candidate David Brandon said yester-
day that a Geoffrey Fieger
Administration
would be devas-
tating to
Michigan's col-
leges and uni-
versities.
"Any way you
W ok at it, e
Fieger's plan is a
bad one,
Brandon said.
"Heaven help us Fieger
if we get in a sit-
uation like the one Geoff Fieger is tak-
ing us."
The regent and candidate were refer-
ring to Fieger's proposal to eliminate
Oe single business tax, which annually
yields $2-$3 billion. The loss in rev-
enues from that tax would reduce the
size of the general fund - a major
source of college and university appro-
priations - by 32 percent.
Fieger has not yet said how he would
make up for this loss in revenue, but
some people assume money to pro-
grams like high education would have
to be reduced significantly.
Repeated attempts to reach the Fieger
japaign yesterday were unsuccessful.
While last year some feared a 7-8
percent tuition increase under Engler's
plan, Horning said the Fieger plan
could mandate an increase of two or
three times that.
"The taxpayers and parents of stu-
dents at the University would have to
pay then. And that's just not fair,"
Horning said.
The proposed Fieger tax cuts must
+ead to a dramatic cut in higher educa-
See FIEGER, Page 8A
Detroit
Rep. Hood
dies at 64
lE ia
tt
One hundred eight years of editorialfreedom
Thursday
October 8,1998
AM 1111F 1
p k 5/ f 7 f v¢ery ks y P e9 a.B s 3fl N :5 t Rax
f
Ed. Act alters pnivacy lay
Pvisions of the
lower 7.43 percent loan interest rate Higher Education
Act
vs
ve
img majority byunonhnousesot fCongress
last week, contains numerous provisions
that will affect the University.
The bill contains campus safety provi-
sions that could change the face of
University law enforcement.
Chief among the changes is an amendment
to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act that would allow the University to
release the name of any student found
responsible for a violation of the Code. That
act, which currently precludes the University
from releasing the names of any individual
invoived in a d .Ve case, protects the rights of
students found guilty of crimes on campus
such as underage drinking, sexual harass-
ment and violent offenses.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Maureen Hartford said the University could
be affected by the changes, but it is too early
to tell what those effects will be.
"There will be a fair amount of discussion
on this piece of the bill, as well as the alcohol
provision," Hartford said.
University Attorney Dan Sharphorn, a
member of the Office of the General
Counsel, said the office has not yet looked at
the act and its amendments to FERPA, so it is
too soon to know what changes in University
policy - if any - might result from it. But
he said a review would commence soon.
"I'm aware of some of the new provisions,
but we have not yet had a chance to review
the entire bill," Sharphorn said.
The Code of Student Conduct, which is
being reviewed this semester, is the
University's internal discipline system.
Under the Code, students and other mem-
See BILL, Page 8A
N Lowers student loan rates from
8.23 percent to 7.43 percent
Amends the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act
Requires universities to keep an
open police log
Allows universities to inform
parents when underage students
are caught drinking
,
;
AIDS deaths
declme by
47 percent
Virus no longer among
nation's top 10 killers
Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON - For the first time
since it joined the list in 1990, AIDS is
no longer among the nation's top 10
leading killers, as deaths last year
dropped by a whopping 47 percent.
The disease moved from 8th to 14th
after the unprecedented declines in
1997, according to a report released
yesterday by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention's National
Center for Health Statistics.
The data came from the CDC's
annual vital statistics report on
births and deaths in the United
States, and reflected information
from 1997. The study also reported a
new low for infant mortality and
continued declines in teen births and
the homicide rate.
Health and Human Services
Secretary Donna Shalala called the
"tremendous decline" in AIDS deaths
"particularly striking." She and others
attributed the dramatic reduction to the
huge impact of powerful new AIDS
drugs that have come onto the market in
recent years.
"What this says is that the benefits of
the research effort that has been ongo-
ing for last 15 years is clearly paying off
for patients," said Dr. Robert Schooley,
who chairs the executive committee of
the federal government's AIDS Clinical
Trials Group.
"This is why we do the research, and
it's really gratifying to see these
improvements show up so dramatical-
ly," he added.
"I would challenge anybody to come
up with any single disease that has had
such a dramatic change in mortality in
such a short period of time."
Similarly, Daniel Zingale, executive
director of AIDS Action, called the
news "one of the most extraordinary
accomplishments in the 15-year fight
against AIDS," adding: "Just a few
years ago, those diagnosed with AIDS
received a sentence to near-certain
death. Today, despair has been trans-
formed into hope."
AIDS deaths dropped for the first time
in 1996, reflecting both the introduction
of potent protease inhibitor drugs and
increases in resources devoted to treat-
ment and prevention, and the trend has
Deaths decrease
Powerful new AIDS drugs helped
dramatically reduce the number of
AIDS deaths in the United States
last year. The numbers dropped to
their lowest rate since 1987. A
look:
AIDS deaths per 100,000
11
7138
12 .62 .
011.3 111
10
98
138.7
1t6.7
6 .~
5.5
continued, with staggering declines.
In 1995, there were 43,115 AIDS
deaths, according to health statistics cen-
ter. By 1997, the number had plummet-
ed to 16,685, down from 31,130in 1996
In other statistics, the governmen
reported that the overall infant mor-
tal ity rate reached a new low of 7.1
deaths per 1,000 live births, and the
teen birth rate fell about 3 percent lasi
year, continuing a six-year trend.
Also, the homicide rate fell 12 per-
cent in 1997.
In addition, life expectancy for those
born in 1997 reached a record high o1
76.5 years, CDC said.
Schooley, noting that advocates for
increased funding for other diseases
have attacked AIDS funding hikes in
recent years as unfair, said that current
AIDS therapies have proved vastly
more cost-effective than other, more
routinely used interventions for other
diseases.
AIDS drugs cost about $10,000 a
year, but are offset by savings resulting
from fewer hospitalizations and AIDS.
related illnesses, Schooley said.
Low-income Americans in many
states are still being denied access to
these life-saving drugs under Medicaid
or other assistance programs.
ANDI MAL0/Oa~iy
LSA junior Joel Heeres and LSA first-year student Tara Arrendondo participate In the second annual Scream-in for
awareness of mental illnesses yesterday In the Diag.
]LET
IT
OUT
By Jaimie Winkler
Daily Staff Reporter
Aaahhhhh-wareness filled the Diag yesterday, mark-
ing the middle of National Mental Health Awareness
Week with the second annual Scream-in.
The Scream-in, co-sponsored by student mental-
awareness group Mentality and the Project SERVE Issues
Team, was designed to bring the issues of mental health
into the open.
The main event centered on a one-minute scream con-
sisting of the many voices gathered on the Diag. The
scream was immediately followed by readings and
speeches.
"The idea came (about to) draw attention to the issues.
It serves as a metaphor for breaking silence surrounding
mental illness,"said Natasha Verhage, a University alum-
nus and member of Mentality.
"When we think of mental illness, we think of
really scary things," Verhage said. Mentality works
to challenge these stigmas and educate both those
interested in mental health, and those who are cop-
ing with it.
Mentality, founded in 1996, tries to educate people
See SCREAM, Page 2A
'U'students scream
for awareness
on the Diag
By Mike Spahn
Dafiy Staff Reporter
State Rep. Morris Hood, Jr., the
Detroit Democrat who chaired the
House Appropriations Committee, died
yesterday at the age of 64.
Hood, the longest-serving member
of the Michigan House of
Representatives, was well known as an
dvocate for equal opportunities in
igher education and the citizens of
Detroit.
The 28-year House veteran also
chaired the Appropriations
Subcommittee for Higher Education,
which helps determine the University's
annual funding from the state.
Superfan title to be shared A1LA
By Jennifer Yachnin
Daily Staff Reporter
Fans aren't seeing double. There real-
ly are two Superfans.
Public Health alumnus Jeff
Holzhausen recently passed the cowbell
to his successor, LSA first-year student
Reza Breakstone, who will carry on the
tradition of donning a cape and montage
of Michigan symbols in an effort to rouse
fans at Michigan sporting events. But
Holzhausen isn't retiring his cape just yet.
"After (Michigan Daily Sports
During the Michigan-Syracuse
game, Holzhausen, who graduated in
May, and Breakstone met face-to-face
for the first time.
"Jeff was the one and only Superfan,"
Breakstone said. "I was not going to say
I was Superfan before I sought his
grace, his blessing."
Breakstone, a Boston native, said he
became a Michigan fan at age 8, when he
first gained an understanding of sports.
"I wasn't necessarily Superfan the
figure my whole life, but the spirit was
aliavcin a" rakc~trnam~
"We met at Touchdown's (Cafe) ... to
discuss the intricacies of doing it,"
Holzhausen said. "I told him you try to
annoy people as little as possible."
The new Superfan also received
advice on face painting and the impor-
tance of "finding a good seamstress"
Breakstone said he will not be taking
the role of Superfan away from
Holzhausen - who still attends many
Michigan athletic events - but will
continue the tradition.
"One thing that always sticks in my