TL.... AA:...L.:.r..- f"1-A., rL........J A. -.1 0 4nntl -iA RESEARCH Researchers design a plan for fair schools' While many cities have adopted ool choice plans, few have a rigorous method of assigning students to public schools inside and outside their districts. , But economics Prof. Tayrun Sonmez along with Atila Abdulkadiroglu of the University of Rochester tackled the problem and developed what they claim is a fair way to assign students to public schools. -In a method the researchers call the "top trading mechanism," student ' gnments would be based on the s ools' priorities for racial, ethnic, gender balance and school preference rankings that students submit. Students with the highest priority for at least one school could either keep their assignment at that school or swap places with other highest-priority students. The process would then continue in the same way for the remaining students. The researchers say previous educa- literature has provided some guid- ance for such plans but has not detailed the process of student assignment. The new plan could help reduce manipulation of the school choice sys- tem through the appeals of parents. A new food sterilization method that uses electricity instead of heat may be important in providing the U.S. Army with food rations. Scientists improve Od sterilization A research team at Ohio State University recently received word from the Department of Food, Science and Technology that it can continue a study of the new non-thermal sterilization method termed Pulsed Electric Fields technology, according to a report in The Lantern. ' EF processing moves food through atment chambers with a high voltage electric field, killing harmful microor- ganisms but preserving flavor, color and nutrients. The research team, headed by Ohio State food science Prof. Q. Howard Zhang, received a $1.04 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, which hoped the team would find ways to improve military rations. The researchers are in the process of *lding PEF machines to be sent to companies in the food industry, includ- ing Nestle and General Mills. Orange, apple and cranberry juices and cider, carbonated beverages, choco- late milk and salsa are among the items researchers tested with PEF processing. Northwestern pe ns Internet msearch center Hoping to propel studies of the com- plexities of the Internet, Northwestern -University announced Tuesday the opening of the International Center for Advanced Internet Research, a joint effort between Northwestern and sever- 41 technological corporations. ,U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (R-Ill.) and executives from IBM, Ameritech and sco Systems will collaborate with rthwestern researchers to create dig- .ital technologies for communications, :Ssiness, education, medicine, engi- feering and entertainment, The Daily -Northwestern reported. Northwestern Minounced plans to create iCAIR in August. Cancer drugs may e more effective y combining anti-cancer drugs with Vitamin B12, scientists at the { niversity of Utah found ways to enhance the body's fight against can- cer, the Daily Utah Chronicle report- ed. Vitamin B 12 is used in the body by rpidly dividing cells as well as can- cerous cells. But when Vitamin B 12 combines with anti-cancer drugs, researchers say it acts like a "Trojan e" - cancer cells take in what looks like something good for them, but end up being destroyed by the drugs that come along with it. University of Utah chemistry Profs. Charles Grissom and Fred West said the breakthrough may mean cancer patients can take lower doses of anti-cancer drugs, many of which have side effects. - Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Asma Rafeeq. LOCA LSTATETne Micnigan uaily - I nursday, Apri l 1999 AAPD alcohol project enters next phase - 3A By MartaBrill Daily Staff Reporter The Ann Arbor Police Department is scheduled to begin the second phase of Project Spotlight next week, a program that targets false identification and underage drinking local restaurants and bars, AAPD Lt. Mike Zennick said. AAPD received a state grant to conduct the three phase program. The first phase was to publicize the program, making potential underage drinkers aware of the increased crackdown on false identifi- cation. "The second phase is training people who work in liquor establishments," Zennick said. The restau- rant and bar employees will be taught how to spot fake ID's and underage drinkers. It is currently unknown when the third phase is scheduled to begin. In this final phase, undercover officers enter the restaurants and bars posed as employees. If minors are caught ordering alcohol, they will be ticketed with a minor in possession charge on the spot, said Caroline King, manager at Conor O'Neil's restaurant located on Main Street. Phil Klein, manager of Rick's American Cafe, said that while he thought the staff at Rick's was already well qualified to spot fake ID's, additional training by the AAPD will be helpful. "I think any time the police get involved it will be effective," Klein said. Zennick said the purpose behind Project Spotlight is to shift some of the responsibility to the underage drinkers. Previously the main targets were the establishments where the alcohol was served. "We do believe this is good deterrence" King said. AAPD plans to hold training sessions at Rick's, Conor O'Neil's and the One Eyed Moose. Officials "We do believe this is good deterrence." - Caroline King Manager, Conor O'Neil's are scheduled to be at Rick's on April 15, Conor O'Neil's on April 19 and the One Eyed Moose on April 20. The sessions will include staff from the three restaurants as well as other local restaurant employ- ees. They are scheduled to last from one to two hours. "We are participating solely to deter minors from drinking in our restaurant," King said. King added that Conor O'Neil's staff have par- ticipated in training similar to this in the past, using a program called TIPS. The TIPS program is a six hour training session on how to serve alcohol responsibly. Conor O'Neil's was one of four local establish- ments that AAPD ticketed in September for not checking for age identification before serving alco- hol. In the raid, undercover police officers posed as customers and asked to be served alcohol. Shalimar Restaurant, the Parthenon Restaurant and Old Heidelberg Restaurant were also ticketed in the sting. "At the time, it was the server's first day on the floor. We always had a policy. We were always strict," said King, adding that servers would be instantly dismissed if she discovered they had served alcohol to minors. Leap of faith Week-long celebration to honor GSIs nationwide N, By Cori McAfee Daily Staff Reporter "What week?" and "I had no idea" were common responses University students gave when asked their opin- ion of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, sched- uled until April 10. GPSA Week, a celebration that has been sponsored since 1995 by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, is designed to recognize the contribu- tions of graduate and professional students to universities, the govern- ment and neighborhood communi- ties. "Grad students often work behind the scenes, as assistants to profes- sors or researchers, quietly doing much of the work on some of our country's greatest achievements," said Anthony Rosati, NAGPS Webmaster and co-founder of the GPSA Week concept. "Without them, tuition would be higher, research wouldn't be as successful, our society wouldn't solve as many problems, and our lives wouldn't be as rich." Northwestern University is one of the many schools participating in an organized week of events, sponsor- ing several lectures and workshops throughout the week. In addition to events, there is a table on campus every day giving graduate students information on the events and "goodies" such as refreshments or pins. "We take the time to organize and put on this event because it is really important. Most of us would not have jobs at the university if it weren't for the graduate students," said Linda Evens, who works in the graduate school at Northwestern and also is on the GPSA Week commit- tee. "We just want to take the time to reach out to them and show them that we care and really appreciate what they do," she added. The University is not among the few campuses across the country holding special events, awards, workshops and speakers this week. Mark Dilley, a member of the University's Graduate Employees Organization, said GEO did not have time to organize any events because they were so busy with contract negotiations with the University. Opinions on campus of the con- cept of an appreciation week varied. Most people did not even know that GPSA Week existed. "I think it is very funny actually, I have never heard of it," said Ulrike Peters, a graduate student instructor in the foreign languages department. "I- had no clue it was graduate stu- dent appreciation week. It's not a bad idea, but I don't think people will pay much attention to it", said Craig Podolski, an LSA first-year student. Several students shared the opin- ion that the appreciation should be continuous as opposed to allotting a certain time period for praise and recognition. "I think the idea is nice, yet it's always interesting to me because it seems like the appreciation should last year round. But if taking a week out of the year is the way society chooses to appreciate graduate stu- dents, then I still think that's nice," said Karen Goodyke, a GSI who teaches English. Several students liked the idea of the GSPA Week merely because they said the intention of the week is good and worth while. A few stu- dents feel that the idea is good because it emphasizes the elimina- tion of ulterior motive from work people do. "I think it's a great idea because it puts the focus on just what is signif- icant about higher education, and that is the teaching and learning which best takes place in the give and take in the conversation of the classroom," said Eric Kos, a politi- cal science GSI. Some undergraduates agreed with Kos' feelings. "When I get a good GSI, I respect them so much more because they are not teaching for their needs, they are selflessly teaching," LSA first-year student Fazeela Siddiqui said. ° . DHANI JONES/Daily Northville resident Brandon Helserenjoys the nice weather by rollerblading in front of the Museum of Art yesterday. Day of Silence builds awareness By Jennifer Sterling For the Daily A gay activist living in East Quad Residence Hall wrote a powerful mes- sage yesterday morning on a message board encircled by gay pride stickers. Despite the fact that her stickers had been torn down before, she was persis- tent in delivering her message that read: "Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. I believe that laws and attitudes should be inclu- sive of people of all sexual orientations. The Day of Silence Project draws atten- tion to those who have been silenced by hatred, oppression, and prejudice. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What can you do to end the silence?" LSA sophomore Naomi Baum copied the quotation off of a yellow card she car- ried with her yesterday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., along with several other Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender organiz- ers, students and supporters. Participants remained silent and wore black clothing during the day, handing out the yellow cards to others to explain their silence. At 5 p.m., only about five participants gathered on the Diag to break the silence together. At this moment participants intended to make as much noise as possible for a full minute but due to a low turnout, an informal gathering took place instead. LGBT commission chair Ozell Xiante, an LSA junior, said in a written statement, "We're looking for a lot of people to do something simple for us: keep their mouths shut. April 7 is the Day of Silence, a day where we're asking peo- ple of all sexual orientations to be silent to help spread awareness and protest the silence that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender face." University of Virginia student Maria Pulzetti initiated the National Day of Silence during the University of Virginia Lesbian Gay Bisexual Union Bisexual Gay Lesbian Awareness Days week in 1996. "The National Day of Silence is a day to show the world how silent our worlds would really be without the input of LGBT people and their allies, not only in aspects of sexuality, but in our daily lives" according to the event's Website. A student taking part in yesterday's Feminist Fair on the Diag, who did not wish to be quoted, said that she did not think silence was the best way of com- municating LGBT's message. Engineer junior Adrian DeLeon, said "This event is more inclusive because it increases dialogue, other events are more demonstrative." "Silence as a sole way of activism is only one tactic of getting our point across," Baum said. Yet, she thought the silence was successful, "My silence was a presence in class," she said. When Baum returned to her residence hall room later in the day, she found a big, black "X" across the quotation she had written on her message board. "It's so ironic that I was being silent on the day that was commemorating other people being silenced" said a livid Baum. "My stance everytime they alter some- thing of mine - two more stickers are coming up! I won't be a victim of this." Other supporters nodded in empathy as they listened to her story. _. _ _ _ _ i w L IiLL' 1 L IzI What's happening in Ann Arbor this weekend IN