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One hundred eight years ofeditonrdfreedorn
Thursday
November 5, 1998
d -
Wash.
nItiative
ends use
race
Washington voters
decided Tuesday to
prohibit race preferences
By Katie Plona
Daily Staff Reporter
Voters in the state of Washington
approved a referendum to ban racial
C nd gender preferences in its public
hools' admissions policies
Tuesday.
The vote, coupled with California's
Proposition 209, indicates declining
support nationwide for racial and gen-
der preferences as the University of
Michigan faces two lawsuits challeng-
ing the use of race as a factor in its
admissions process.
Washington state legislators and
attorneys have 30 days to determine
how to mold the initiative into practi-
*al law, according to The Seattle
Times. Universities that use race in
their admissions programs will have
to remove that factor from their
process.
Although the issue is affirmative
action in both Initiative 200 and the
lawsuits facing the University, the
proposition does not have any direct
impact on the University's cases.
"I think it has no bearing on the law-
*uits, and that is because in the law-
suits, we're talking about a constitu-
tional issue," University President Lee
Bollinger said.
Miranda Massie, head attorney for a
coalition of high school and college-
aged students who made a motion to
intervene in the lawsuit filed against
the Law School, said Initiative 200's
passage is not a sign of throwing in the
towel in the national struggle to
e efend affirmative action.
"I don't think there's any place for
defeatism in this fight," Massie
said.
About one year ago, the Washington,
D.C.-based Center for Individual.
Rights filed two lawsuits against the
University on behalf of a total of three
white applicants. CIR first targeted the
College of Literature, Science and the
Arts' admissions policies and then the
Oaw School's practices.
Initiative 200, which mirrors
California's Proposition 209, passed
two years ago, prohibits considera-
tion of race, gender, national origin
and ethnicity from college admis-
sions and government hiring and
contracting.
A political move such as Initiative
200, Massie said, wouldn't stand a
chance in Michigan.
She cited state Rep. Deborah
hyman's (R-Canton) unsuccessful
ttempt to bring a similar referendum
to a statewide vote.
"I don't have any worry that such a
proposition will ever pass in
Michigan," Massie said.
What did concern Massie, however,
is that the wording of the ballot ques-
tion was deceiving, causing voters to
vote down affirmative action when
they really support it.
"I'm certain the vote would have
been different if it would have been put
in (simpler) language," she said.
Former University of California
Regent Ward Connerly, whose visit to
campus last winter heightened tensions
See INITIATIVE, Page 7A
ower's defeat
ends
By Erin Holmes
Daily Stiff Reporter
The senior member of the University Board
of Regents will end an 11-year term and a fam-
ily legacy when he leaves the board in January
Regent Philip Power (D-Ann Arbor) lost his
seat in the neck-and-neck election to fellow
Democrat Kathy White and Republican David
Brandon, who both obtained 25 percent of the
vote. Republican challenger Jessie Dalman
finished just ahead of Power's 22 percent with
23 percent of the vote.
"I've served on the board ... and I think I've
contributed my share to the University," Power
said. "Now it is time to move on to new chal-
lenges and opportunities."
The success of White, an Arbor native who
is a law professor at Wayne State University, is
an example of the trend of women winning in
elections involving state education, Power said.
"Women always run ... better than men in
education" Power said, adding that White's
victory will be beneficial to the board. White
"is a very, very able person ... I think she'll be
a good regent" Power said.
University President Lee Bollinger said
both Brandon and White will be an asset to
the board when they take their seats in
January.
"They both bring a number of important
qualities to the position," Bollinger said. "They
are both authentically and deeply dedicated to
the University."
Regent Dan Horning (R-Grand Haven) said
that while he was "thrilled with the addition"
of Brandon to the board and excited for White
to start her term, he feels badly for Power -
someone he said gave so much of his time to
the University
"I'm sure it is very difficult for (Power);
Horning said. "Deep in his heart I'm sure he
cares greatly for the University of Michigan
and that is the greatest aspect of any regent. I
feel for him.
Power said an overall feeling of Republican
confidence dominated voter response.
"If you look statewide, the Democrats over-
all lost education votes;' Power said.
But Horning said he is uncertain about what
the results demonstrated in terms of party
splits.
"I'm having mixed feelings," Horning said,
explaining that in 1994, when Engler did not
win by such a large margin, Republicans cap-
tured both open board seats.
"I don't think it is true that it is a total land-
See POWER, Page 7A
legacy
Regent Philip
Power (D-Ann
Arbor) will leave
his ranking
position on the
University Board
of Regents this
January. Power,
who has served
on the board
since 1987,
received only 22
percent of the
vote in Tuesday's
election.
I LeiPHOTO
Republicowans
ballot retu-,lk,.ns
Democrats make historic gains
By Mik Spa-
By Mike Sp ahn
Daily Staff Reporter
Election '98 was supposed to be the
rebirth of the Republican Revolution,
marked by vast gains in Congress and
a stranglehold on the governorships.
But like any good story, this one
yielded many surprises - and now
experts are scrambling to figure out
just what it all means.
Congressional Republicans, poised
to wield ultimate power in Congress
as impeachment proceedings are to
begin against President Clinton, were
surprised to see their projected 10-20
seat gains in the House and five seats
is ihe Senate evaporate.
While Speaker Newt Gingrich and
his Republican colleagues said they
thought the presidential crisis and
Republican policies would sweep his
party into a greater majority, voters
appeared virtually unaffected by the
crisis.
For the first time in 64 years and
only the second time in history, the
president's party gained seats in a
mid-term election. And after a 54-seat
gain by Republicans in the last mid-
term and low-projected voter turnout,
the result is all the more surprising,
political science Prof. Chris Achen
said. But turnout dropped only 1per-
centage point from 1994 and the gains
did not materialize.
"My guess is that politics has been
in the news for the last two months, so
this election seemed important" to
voters, Achen said.
Political science Prof. Vincent
Hutchings said the 1994 gains were
revolutionary, but they have not
endured.
"The Republicans had a tremen-
dous victory in '94, but they have lost
seats every year since,' Hutchings
said.
Voters sent a "clear message to
Republicans," Achen said, adding that
this could cause an internal battle in
the party over the future of impeach-
ment hearings.
"The H ouse was awfully close;
Achen said. "Now it's even closer.
Now it's not even a working majority."
In the Senate, whcre Republicans
hoped for a five-seat gain that would
give them the ability to stop a fili-
buster, the night ended as it began -
with a 55-45 Republican majority.
Projected gains from California to
Wisconsin did not rnaterialize, so
Republicans will be forced to settle
for a few new members, but no
increased power.
"Most of the vulnerable seats this
year were Democratic' Achen said.
"We're going to see the Republicans
trying to develop a distinctive strategy
over the next two years, which could
prove divisive."
Hutchings said the lack of move-
ment in the Senate kills any enthusi-
asm for an impeachment trial, which
would require 67 senators for a con-
viction.
"President Clinton is more likely to
be struck by lightening than be con-
victed in the Senate," Hutchings said.
But both Hutchings and Achen said
that the next two years, if precedent is
valid, will not provide many new ini-
tiatives or programs.
"We'll be fortunate if the final two
years of an eight-year presidential
See ELECTION, Page 7A
Stories inside on
Election '98
It
i GOP regains control of state
House, giving Engler a
comfortable third term. Page SA.
+ Jessie "The Body" Ventura
i elected Minn. governor. Page 9A.
What affect did the media have
on the election? Page 9A.
AP PHOTO
U.S. Senator-elect Charles Schumer gives the thumb's up while David Letterman talks to the audience during his show in
New York yesterday. Schumer won a close battle against three-term incumbent Republican Alfonse D'Amato.
nler setsg s or
DETROIT (AP) - Cutting the
state income tax will be the first
priority in the third and final term
of Republican Gov. John Engler,
who said yesterday he is anxious to
put some often-delayed plans into
place.
Defeated Democratic challenger
Geoffrey Fieger remained true to form
in the wake of his lopsided loss -
defiant, saying he had nothing to say
to Engler, and refusing to rule out
another run for office.
Engler celebrated his victory yes-
terday in Lansing, with an auditorium
crammed with noisy Republican can-
didates and staff members. He said he
is looking forward to working with a
Legislature controlled by
Republicans. The party won control
of the state House from Democrats,
who had bottled up many of his pro-
posals.
"I can predict with certainty that
cutting taxes will be the first item of
business" in the new Legislature,
Engler said. "With these successes we
had (Tuesday), we are poised to finish
the rest of the century in strong fash-
ion'
Engler's tax plan, introduced in
his State of the State address in
January, would cut the state income
tax rate, now at 4.4 percent, in 0.1-
percent increments from 2000 to
2004.
The cuts passed the Republican-
controlled state Senate earlier this
year, but were tied up by Democrats
in the House who wanted considera-
tion for their own tax reduction
plans.
The cuts would save a family of four
that made $50,000 a year $37 in the
See ENGLER, Page SA
GEO offers new plans
Basketball or ballet?
y Paul Berg
aily Staff Reporter
Unresolved issues and new affirmative action
proposals confronted negotiators during a
Graduate Employees Organization contract bar-
gaining session last night.
The GEO bargaining team offered the
University's bargaining team four proposals con-
cerning affirmative action in hopes that they could
become contractual commitments.
"We're asking them to put their money where
their mouth is," GEG bargaining committee co-
chair Eric Odier-Fink said.
The GEO asked for "a symbolic gesture on an
official document," Odier-Fink said, consisting of
an understanding that the University is committed
to its admissions policies, which create a diverse
pool of potential graduate employees.
In another proposal, the GEO hopes to create a
ties and women," GEO bargaining committee
spokesperson Chip Smith said.
Clarifying hiring policies also was among the
goals of the proposals, Odier-Fink said, by offering
explanations to graduate students who are not hired.
"If there is a problem, there should be account-
ability," Odier-Fink said. "We are looking to elim-
inate discrimination and to potentially improve our
teaching abilities."
Academic Human Resources Director Dan
Gamble, chair of the University's bargaining com-
mittee, said more information is necessary before
his team can respond. Gamble referred to the Joint
Appointment Review Committee's report on hir-
ing procedures.
"Many of these proposals come out of a report
that hasn't been shared," Gamble said. "The GEO
seems to have a little more information than we do"
"We don't have a draft copy, but some of us
LSA-SG against
administaton on
Fleingmove
By Susan tPort
Daily Staff Reporter
For the first time in recent years, members of the Literature
Sciences and the Arts Student Government are publicly
expressiuig opposition to the University administration's
actions.
LSA-SG members oppose University President Lee
Bollinger's plan to move administrators from the Fleming
Administration Building to Angell Hall - a switch that
will push LSA Academic Advising, the LSA Honors
Office and the Office of the Registrar out of their current
offices.
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