LOCAL/STATE The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 15, 1999 -- 3 OCRIME $ 'emplo ee boyfriend A University employee was assault- *by her live-in boyfriend Tuesday afternoon, according to Department of Public Safety reports. The women was transported to University Hospitals' emergency room by Huron Valley Ambulance personnel. Warrant checks on the 23-year-old sus- ppet by DPS officials were negative. He was arrested and taken -to Washtenaw County Jail. A report was filed. *wo radios taken from CCRB Two University radios were reported missing from the Central Campus Recreation Building early Monday morning, according to DPS reports. The radios, valued at $1,500 each, were taken from room 4740 in the CRB. Housing cafeteria employees hurt during work In two separate incidents, University iHousing dining hall employees were injured while working this week, according to DPS reports. In the first incident a student ployee in Couzens Residence Hall was cut by equipment' on Monday evening, DPS reports state. The student cut one finger on a slicer in the kitchen area and the cut appeared to require stitches. The student was not taken to University Hospitals' emer- gency room and was instead take to ;their residence hall room. In a second, unrelated incident, a *ockwell Residence Hall dining hall employee also cut her finger and declined transportation to University Hospitals. Nearly $4,000 in books destroyed by water in NUBS Water damaged destroyed $3,966 in oks located -in the North University Building on Wednesday afternoon, DPS reports state. DPS officers ruled the property damaged in room 1035 as accidental. Snow and ice threaten safety * DPS officials received several quests to remove snow and ice from University property, DPS reports state. * Icicles forming on the West Hall Arch were removed by University grounds employees Tuesday afternoon, according to DPS reports. Pedestrians disregarded yellow caution tape parti- tioning off the area. No injuries were reported. In a second incident, a caller told DPS officials Wednesday afternoon at snow falling from the roof of the 7 urie Engineering Center appeared to be dangerous. University Grounds employees put up barricades near the West entrance of the building. -dale student falls ill in Markley A male student was transported om Mary Markiy Residence Hall to University Hospitals' emergency room Wednesday evening, DPS reports state. The male student had a fever and severe shivering, and was unable to get out of bed. DPS officers requested an ambulance for the student who was taken to University Hospitals. The stu- dent returned to his room two hours later. - Complied by Daily Staff Reporter *Jennifer Ycnn GEO waits for wage counterproposal By Nick Falzone Daily Staff Reporter Following the cancellation of a negotiation meeting between the Graduate Employees Organization and the University, last night GEO members expressed disappointment that they hadn't yet received a wage counterproposal from the University. The meeting was canceled due to the illness of GEO Chief Negotiator Eric Odier-Fink. University negotiators had been expect- ed to present a wage counterproposal. "We expect a wage counterproposal," said GEO member Charles Smith. "It doesn't seem (the University) feels there's any great rush to get this done." GEO currently is waiting for a response to their counterproposal for a 37-percent increase in graduate student instructor average monthly income. GEO bargaining team member Seth Quartey said the group is asking for a large increase because of the high cost of living in Ann Arbor. "The main idea behind the need for a wage increase is due to the fact we give out more than half our monthly, post-tax earnings to rent," Quartey said. "Some of us have cars and we also need books, so we have nothing in our pockets at all." In addition to a 27 percent wage increase and an abolishment of the graduate employee registration fee, GEO also is asking the University to restructure its payment system to more accurately reflect how many hours a GSI works. Currently, the average GSI is expected to work 40 percent of the hours of a full time University faculty member. Smith said many GSIs work more than this specified amount of time but are not adequately compensated for their work. "You can't be forced to work more than you're getting paid for," Smith said. "The system should be more representative of the time actually spent working. If you can't get your work done within the allotted time, there should be a reassessment of the system." GEO is planning to hold a rally next Thursday at noon on the Diag to increase the University awareness on the organization's issues. "Every time we start a new term, there's a large turnover of GSIs," Smith said. "At this membership rally, we want to try and say we have a contract negotiation that's really important." Smith said the most important group GEO wants to appeal to is the University's undergraduate population. "Half of their in-class hours are spent with GSIs" Smith said. "If they don't have good GSIs, they're not getting what they're paying for. We want to raise awareness with them especially." University Chief Negotiator Dan Gamble said GSIs' frequent con- tact with undergraduates is one of the reasons they will not strike, even if their contract is not renewed. "I think it would be extremely unfair to the undergraduates if that would happen," Gamble said. Snow volleyball Budget to consume early legislative session By Kelly O'Connor Daily Staff Reporter As the Michigan Legislature's pre-session activ- ities are concluded, including an orientation for its newest members, forming the fiscal year 2000 budget has emerged as an important issue for all involved in the process. Gov. John Engler's budget proposal will be pre- sented to the Legislature in approximately the second week of February, said Kelly Chesney, spokesperson for the Department of Management and Budget. Engler doesn't take his role in the creation of the budget lightly, Engler spokesperson John Truscott said. "He has always been extremely involved, going through virtually every line of the proposal, department by department, issue by issue," Truscott said. Overall, Truscott said he doesn't expect a major overhaul of the budget from last year. "The increase across the entire budget could be less than the rate of inflation," he said. The inflation rate for 1998 was 1.8 percent, which is less then the 1997 rate. As he has in the past, Engler will stress educa- tion, Truscott said. "He is interested in preserving higher ed. fund- ing at one of the highest levels per capita in the country," Truscott said. Another concern of Engler's is "getting more money into the class- room." Last year's higher education budget provided a 2.5-percent increase for the state's colleges and uni- versities, well below the University's request. This year the University Board of Regents requested a 5- percent increase in funding from the state. After the DMB presents the budget to a joint meeting of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, those bodies will begin deliberations on the proposal and work out their own proposal. These proposals must then pass the full houses, where individual legislators will have their say. Many legislators already have carved out spe- cific areas they would like to see prioritized when state money is allotted. Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek) said ensur- ing that the state allocates sufficient funds for higher education is top on his list. "I am interested in seeing the appropriations for all 15 (public) universities being at the level where we don't have to see any tuition increase," said Schwarz, who has chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Colleges and Universities in the past. Assignments for this session are still pending. More specifically, Schwarz estimated that about $320 million was doled out to the University. He said he hopes to see a higher number in this year's final plan. "I would like to see that increase a minimum of $20 million," he said. The issues legislators make a case for during budget appropriations are the same issues they emphasize in their other work in the Legislature, said Rep. Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor). "Priorities for the budget tend to reflect our prior- ities in general," she said. Overall, Brater expressed an interest in seeing an increase in the budget equal to or above the rate of inflation. There also have been many programs passed over in the past which should get some extra attention, Brater said. "We've closed 15 mental hospitals in Michigan and we're ending up seeing a lot of people getting criminalized" because of under-funding, she said. Brater said that a failure to protect the environ- ment can directly affect aspects of life people take for granted. NATHAN RUFFER/Daly iSA first-year student Craig VanKempen bumps a ball during a snow volleyball game in thesouth courtyard of East Quad Residence Hall yesterday. Report outlines steps in charter school approval LANSING (AP) - The Michigan Association of Public School Academies released a report on charter school authorization yesterday, an issue leaders say is critical as they lobby to lift the state cap on charter schools. The report, prepared by the Detroit law firm Dykema Gossett, outlines the authorization process and explains who has oversight over the state's 137 char- ter schools. For example, the report determines that the State Board of Education does- n't have the constitutional authority to revoke school charters. But the state board is able to withhold or deny state funding to charter schools that aren't performing. And while those who authorize the charters receive and dole out state funds, the board of directors of the charter school is responsible for devel- oping the school's budget. The autho- rizing body is not allowed to manage the financial aspects of the school. Charter schools may be authorized by four entities: local school boards, intermediate district boards, communi- ty college boards and university boards. Universities may issue charters statewide; the others may only issue charters within their own districts. Dan Quisenberry, president of the Association of Public School Academies, said the report is the first to clearly explain the duties of autho- rizing bodies. It will be presented to the Department of Education and the state school board in the next few weeks. Jim Goenner, the director of Central Michigan University's charter school office, said the report is one way to sim- plify the difficult task of chartering a school. Goenner said his office is also using the Internet to improve the autho- rization process. "We're looking for ways of stream- lining so that they can focus on the chil- dren, not the paperwork," he said. The report could also help schools gain a measure of legitimacy after reports of low test scores and otheradif- ficulties. "Every time I read in the media that charter schools are going to have less bureaucracy, it's a myth," said Pat Sandro, who authorizes charter schools for Grand Valley State University. Sandro said charters are almost doomed to fail, since they face tremendous financial drawbacks and must meet dozens of codes and reg- ulations. We thought so. That's why, this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 15-17, Ann Arbor's new pair of record> independent record stores, Pn&RCK and .Z' are giving you a reason to brave the snowy streets by announcing the first annual THIS WEATHER SUCKS SALE Stock up on the finest in jazz, blues, rock, pop, techno, hip hop, world music, folk, country, bluegrass, soul, R&B, and much more, from our vast inventory by taking 20% off our regular prices STOREWIDE.! liii! ! Every CD in the store is at least 20 % off its retail price with some titles being sale priced even lower. So, whether it's the hits you are looking for, some obscure, moldy oldie, a box set or something no one else but you has ever heard of, it's cheap, cheap che ! IlL Q kLLN L AR FRIDAY D "Kathy Constantinides, Publi on Art & Politics of Profh Sexual Exploitation," Sp by National Endowment Ants and School of Art & Art and Architecture B Room 2104, 7 p.m. "Welcome Back Sh Sponsored by Hillel, Hille What's happening in Ann Arbor today Kiwanis Building, 200 S. First St., Rem( corner of Washington, 9 a.m-12 p.m. Prese ic Panel Audi essional SUNDAY AU"The onsored Affi for the U "Falun Gong Workshop," Sponsored Spon Design, by Falun Gong Practice Group at U Affirr uilding, of M, Dow Building, Room 1005, .iusti 1320 Baldwin Ave, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Ange abbat," U "GAP Swing Dancing," Sponsored by I, 1429 Hillel, 1429 Hill St., 7:30 p.m. embering, Discovering & erving," onsored bySchool Music, aham Building, torium, 3 p.m. First Open Debate on mative Action at U of M," nsored by Academics for mative Action and Social ce and College Republicans, ell Hall, 3-5 p.m. .E '