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One hundred eight years f editorialfreedom
Friday
February 19, 1999
Phi Delts await March pre-trial
By Yael Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Seven of 10 Phi Delta Theta fraternity
m hbers charged with alcohol-related mis-
dWanors were at the Washtenaw County
Courthouse yesterday for their pre-trial pro-
ceedings.
The misdemeanor charges are for the serv-
ing of alcohol to minors and allowing minors
to drink on the premises. Five members were
also charged with use of false identification
to purchase alcohol.
The charges stem from an Oct. 16 party at
the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house. LSA
f' year student Courtney Can~tor attended
tl arty on the night of Oct. 15, where she
Attorney: No plans for
plea bargait,
was seen drinking. She later died after falling
from her sixth-floor Mary Markley
Residence Hall window.
There is no relationship between the Oct.
16 party and Cantor's death, said Al Addis,
attorney for four of the members.
Phi Delta Theta member Jeremy Bier, an
LSA sophomore, was dismissed on one
cy of evidence," said Washtenaw County
Assistant Prosecutor Eric Gutenberg.
The prosecutor's office still plans on follow-
ing through with the other charges, he said.
Simon said that he is still in discussions with
the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office.
"It is a reasonable attempt with respect to
Mr. Bier" to get all the charges dismissed.
Simon said.
But Gutenberg did not express the
same sentiment. "No, it's not likely" that
the other charges will be dismissed,
Gutenberg said.
On Feb. 5, Phi Delta Theta fraternity mem-
ber Jordan Schmidt, a Music sophomore,
See PHI DELTS, Page 7
count yesterday - the purchasing of alcohol
with false identification.
"He was mis-identified as a purchaser:'
said Joe Simon, Bier's attorney, adding that
Bier was not at the store where the alcohol
was purchased.
The dismissal of the first charge was "not
part of a plea agreement, but an insufficien-
NATHAN RUFFER/Daily
Two Phi Delta Theta members stand In a Washtenaw County
courtroom at yesterday's scheduled pre-trial, which was
postponed until March.
I
Regents
increase
sousing
costs
By Mihael fuss
ad Jalme Wnidr
Daily Staff Reporters
Students planning to live on campus
next fall can expect a 2.3 percent
i1~ase in University room and board
costs.
The change, which the University
Board of Regents approved at its month-
ly meeting yesterday, will increase the
room and board costs for a double room
in a traditional residence hall like West
Quad Residence Hall from $5,488 to
$6,674 per year - a $150 difference.
After little discussion on the Housing
increase, the regents moved on to other
J Wegent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-
Ann Arbor) asked about the status of a
Housing proposal to consolidate dining
areas for the Hill area residence halls.
The project is part of the Master Plan,
President Bollinger's initiative to physi-
cally unify different areas of the
University's campus.
The project would be located near
Palmer Field, between Alice Lloyd and
10her-Jordan residence halls, consoli-
daa'ng dining halls at those hals as well
as those at Couzens, Mary Markley and
Stockwell residence halls. The
University is "one of the few universities
where every residence hall has its own
dining hall," Newman said.
Bollinger told the regents that the
Dining Center is not being pursued at the
moment because of other University
business."I've put it on hold. I'm not pre-
pared to authorize it' Bollinger said.
.antor said the implications of the
e solidated dining hall must be
weighed against the set-up of living-
learning communities housed in Hill
area residence halls like Markley and
Alice Lloyd. "Our biggest concern is in
the aim of living-learning communities
is to create a sense of neighborhood,"
Cantor said. "How is that affected by a
consolidated dining hall?" she asked.
Cantor said the living-learning com-
Iutles are designed to give incoming
students, a chance to be part of a small
neighborhood within the scope of the
larger University community.
Chief Financial Officer Robert Kasdin
said there are some financial benefits to
the project, but "those savings could
evaporate in the first cost overrun'
Hatford said the kitchens in the Hill
area are some of the oldest unrenovated
ones on campus.
In addition to discussion about
Ifsing-specific issues, the board
approved all proposals set before it yes-
terday.
Bollinger said recent attention
focused on projected football ticket
cost increases for next season has
prompted him to ask for more for-
mal discussions on the subject.
Bollinger asked Kasdin to chair a
committee to advise him "on the
r~ct ure of financial management
~long-term planning for the
Athletic Department."
During her monthly report, Provost
Nancy Cantor told the regents about the
University's intent to recruit and retain a
"first-rate" faculty.
"This is a place where people have
Code
Sae
- NATHAN RUFFER/Dai
TOP: Pianist Robert Banks watches Social Activist
HIS L R yAmir Baraka for a beat while Gene Phipps Sr. jams on
the saxophone. ABOVE: Baraka performs a poem at
Poet reo..tells past i pem
By Michael Grass
Daily Staff Reporter
The University Board of Regents
unanimously approved an amendment to
the Code of Student Conduct yesterday,
taking the final say on Code changes
away from the board and giving it to
University President Lee Boll inger.
The Code -- the University's internal
discipline system -- is currently under
review by the board and was discussed at
its monthly meeting yesterday.
The change allows the Michigan
Student Assembly, the Senate Assembly
or University executives officers to pro-
pose amendments, that are then reviewed
by the Student Relations Committee of
the Senate Assembly. Committee on
University Affairs. The committee will
then forward its recommendations on to
the University president.
Currently, if MSA, SACUA or
University administrators want to make
changes to the Code, they have to pro-
pose amendments directly to the regents.
"It's a step in the right direction,"
MSA President Trent Thompson said.
For several months, the Office of
Student Affairs and MSA have been
working separately and jointly to propose
yesterday's final recommendations to the
board. The joint recommendations come
from individual reports that they have
since meshed together.
Before yielding her speaking time to
assembly representatives, Vice
President for Student Affairs Maureen
Hartford officially presented the Code
report, which compiled information
and suggestions from internal and
external review processes.
The University conducted a review
of how the Code is implemented,
whereas MSA conducted a broader
review of the Code itself.
Along with the amendment approved
by the regents yesterday, Hartford also
recommended increasing communica-
tion between MSA, the General
Counsel's Office and the Office for
Student Conflict Resolution - which
oversees the Code's implementation-
to make changes in the Code's language.
Other recommendations included in
the report are:
® Working to communicate informa-
tion about the Code to all students
through MSA.
Sharing greater information about
Code cases with the media, while still
protecting anonymity.
11 Merging OSCR with the judicial
office of University Housing.
Creating a pool of advisers for stu-
dents involved in the Code process.
Moving OSCR from the Fleming
Administration Office to a more acces-
sible location for students.
Hantford said the amendment to the
Code will go into effect immediately.
Bollinger may decide proposed Code
amendments by the board's next meeting
which is scheduled for March 18-19.
For many MSA members, yester-
day's meeting with the regents marked
the culmination of months of hard work
review ing the C ode. M any regent ,,xr s e o m r s e h y w r
with the assembly's report, describing i:
as thorough and comprehensive.
"I've never seen a report like this
before," Regent Andrea Fischer.
Newman (R-Ann Arbor) said, compli-
menting MSA's report spurring mane
interesting ideas among the board.
Regent Olivia Maynard (D-Goodrich;
said she "appreciated the time, energy=
and intellect put into the report?'
By Jody Simons Kay
Daily Staff Reporter
in a completely darkened Rackham theater last night,
figures dressed in all black invited the audience to enter
into a world of poetry and jazz. Amiri Baraka, a poet and_
black activist, and performance group Blue Ark: The
World Ship performed "Black History Music."
"Africa ... go back;' Baraka said as he opened his per-
formance, which encompassed black history from the
time of slavery to present times.
"This is more than just a performance, it's like reliving
part of an experience;' said LSA sophomore Erin Gilbert,
who is the Black Student Union's academic and profession-
al chair.
BSU sponsored the event, along with the Black
Volunteer Network, the Center for African and Afro-
American Studies and the Office of Academic
Multicultural Initiatives.
Blue Ark utilized a combination of blues, jazz, gospel
and theatrics to enhance and accompany Baraka's spoken
and sung words that included some haiku poetry.
"One thing about doing poetry and jazz together is I think
it makes it easier for the audience to take in the poetry," said
English Prof. Richard Tillinghast, who attended the event.
"The music helped deliver the message to the crowd.'
See SPEAKER, Page 2
" -
When the cookie crumbles1
GEO members to vote on
whether to authonize stnike
M GEO's membership has until
midnight tonight to cast ballots
By Nick Falzone
Daily Staff Reporter
After five months of tug-of-war contract negotiations
with the University, members of the Graduate Employees
Organization have until midnight to decide whether to
give GEO leadership the ability to authorize a strike - a
step many GEO members say they are ready to make.
If the majority of the membership votes yes, the GEC}
steering committee will be able to authorize many
University graduate student instructors to take job
action, which could include a strike or a walkout.
GEO spokesperson Chip Smith said that, based on the
University's response to his organization in bargaining
sessions, the steering committee could opt for something
more serious than most people think.
"People should expect a serious, extended action and
"When Gamble responds to us, we always get a two-
letter answer: n-o," Smith said. "If we strike, it's because
he's unwilling to negotiate about anything."
But Gamble said he believes the members of the
University bargaining team are unified, despite GEO';
claims of dissension.
Smith said the steering committee will meet extensive-
ly this weekend to discuss job action plans if the majori-
ty of the membership votes yes on the ballot proposal. He
said the committee will present its information at a GEC
membership meeting Wednesday night in the Michigar
League Ballroom.
GEO Chief Negotiator Eric Odier-Fink said GEO will
present its current contract to its membership if the:
majority vote down the strike authorization. But, if the
majority says yes, Odier-Fink said the membership will
take a job action vote.
"We'll use the opportunity of a huge mass meeting to
decide what to do and when to do it," Odier-Fink said.
"We'l wcethe- time to determine exactly what are the
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