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Wednesday
January 19.2000

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forms

GHB

task force

By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
Once again thrusting GHB into the local spot-
ght, Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.)
nnounced yesterday his plan to form a task
force that will promote the education of the so-
called date rape drug in Michigan schools.
Abraham's announcement comes after both
the U.S. Senate and the House of
Representatives passed separate bills last
December to tighten federal restrictions on
GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate.
The task force combined with the legislation
is part of a larger campaign to stop the abuse of
*Engler to T
focus on I

GHB. In Michigan, the issue has received par-
ticularly heavy attention after the death of
Samantha Reid, a Rockwood teenager who
ingested Mountain Dew laced with GHB at a
party on Grosse Ile.
Abraham's task force will work with school
drug education programs already in place in an
attempt to bring awareness to the potential dan-
gers of GHB and other date rape drugs.
"If we can educate people about the hazards of
using these drugs, we feel we can stop people from
using them," said Dave Woodruff, press secretary
for Rep. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph), the author of
the GHB bill that passed the House last year.

Upton decided to push for GHB legislation
after a hearing last March that explored the dan-
gers of date-rape drugs like GHB. Reid's mother
testified at the hearing.
"We want to make sure there aren't anymore
families that have to go through this," Woodruff
said.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
has accounted for at least 32 deaths since 1990
from GHB overdoses.
The legislation tightens the restrictions on
GHB by putting it on Schedule 1, the most strin-
gent level of classification by the Food and Drug
Administration, allowing harsher sentences for

convicted offenders.
The effort to curb GHB usage is not only a
Republican issue.
Rep. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing), who is
challenging Abraham for his senate seat in
November, also has been a long time proponent
of anti-GHB legislation.
"She's got a long history of working on this
issue. Both (Stabenow and Abraham) agree this is
something we need to get off our college campus-
es," said Karin Polla, press secretary for Stabenow.
Stabenow was a co-sponsor of the Upton bill.
Another Michigan Democrat, Rep. Bart
Stupak (D-Menominee), also has been a major

player in the anti-GHB campaign.
"We don't view the GHB issue as a partisan
problem. We certainly welcome Sen. Abraham
on board to the issue," said Bob Meissner, press
secretary for Stupak.
The legislation has not yet been passed on to
the President because the Senate and the House
passed different versions of the bill. The differ-
ences in the two bills are not expected to hamper
the passage of a final GHB bill into law.
"I am confident a final mutually agreeable
piece of legislation will move,' Meissner said.
- The Associated Press contributed
to this report.

emptin' twang

education
,in address
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
With the Michigan economy leaving
nothing to worry about, in his 10th
State of the State Address tonight Gov.
John Engler will once again make edu-
cation the focus of his speech.
"Education will make up 50 percent"
of the address, said Susan Shafer,
*ngler's deputy press secretary.
The governor will "continue different
types of education initiatives," she said.
Last year, one of Engler's main edu-
cation initiatives included placing the
reins of public school education in the
hands of the city mayors.
Rep. John Hansen (D-Dexter) said
while "the state has never been healthi-
er economically, in education we've got
a ways to go."
Rep. Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor) said
terms of education, the governor
"should be seeking to further level the
playing field."
Brater said she feels reforms are
needed to address other issues includ-
ing the environment of the students.
Problems like domestic abuse and
hunger, Brater said, create "kids that
aren't ready to learn"
{Economically, the state is in excellent
 ~pShafer siciting Michigan's
cord low unemployment numbers and
the fact that Engler has cut taxes 26 times
during his 10-year tenure.
Hansen said he expects Engler to
announce more tax cuts tonight.
"There's a decent amount of revenue
coming in' he said. "Tax-cuts are one
thing you can do with a lot of money.
You can also feed the hungry, find
homes for the homeless."
Brater said the whole nation has bene-
&ed from a good economy, "but there are
Tme people that have been left behind:'
Although education will likely be the
main focus of tonight's speech, higher
See ENGLER, Page 2

Delta Sig
to become
dry house
By Caitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter
The national chapter of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity has
announced that all alcohol will be banned from all chapter
property by Dec. 10.
Following the reinstatement of the campus Delta Sig chap-
ter, national authorities noted in a written statement that the
removal of alcohol is part of the Delta Sigma Phi Challenge,
an initiative "that provides a values-based experience for all
members."
"Our organization isn't about alcohol and we need to make
sure the chapter houses which are living and learning envi-
ronments are not about" alcohol, Delta Sig Executive
Director Jon Hockman said. "They are not bars."
"I think that going dry is a move a lot of frats will have to
make," said Steve Lezell, Delta Sig president. "It is necessary
in order to improve our image and standing within the com-
munity. There is a misconception that frats are only about
drinking. People need to realize we are about more than that."
Delta Sig is not the only fraternity to initiate dry chapter
houses. Interfraternity Council Adviser John Mountz said
Sigma Alpha Mu and Theta Chi are among several campus
fraternities that are scheduled to be substance-free.
"Substance-free means that if there is a social event in a
See ALCOHOL, Page 2

SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily
Will Danforth, a local acoustic guitarist, plays folk music at Borders Books & Music for a crowd of about 20 yesterday. Danforth plays
regularly across Southeastern Michigan.

City Council puts off vote on living wage

By Jon Zemke
Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council last night moved
to postpone voting on a proposal to establish a
living wage for city workers until their next
meeting Feb. 7.
The "living wage" is a proposal that would
ensure that all city employees and employees of
contractors, vendors and grantees exceeding deals
of more than $10,000 a wage of $8.50 per hour
with benefits or $10 per hour without benefits.
Similar living wage laws have been passed in 40
other cities and townships across the nation.
The council began by holding public hearings
for 2.5 hours on the living wage proposal and a

second proposal limiting outdoor signage. More
than an hour of the hearing was taken up by citi-
zens speaking on the living wage.
"The argument that we shouldn't attempt this in
order to remove the mountain of poverty first
should be viewed as a poor excuse for giving peo-
ple a living wage," said Ann Arbor resident Arthur
Paris.
Speakers ranging from University students and
professors to area residents and contractors who
would be affected by the living wage proposal
spoke out in support of the amendment.
Only one speaker, Martha Johnson, the Ann
Arbor Chamber of Commerce's vice president of
government affairs, spoke against the proposal on

behalf of her organization.
"The ordinance doesn't raise the overall skill
level of the work force" Johnson said.
Among those from the University who spoke out
on behalf of the proposal was Law student Carl
Carlson, who urged the council to view the living
wage as an investment in the city's future.
Economics Prof. Tom Weisskopf, the director of
the Residential College, also spoke in favor of the
living wage. "The question is why should we inter-
fere with the market when it's the best thing going
for our economy," Weisskopf said. "We should be
interfering with the market when it offers full time
jobs with wages that are barely enough to live on."
Although the council postponed the vote, four

of the council members were wearing "Yes Living
Wage" pins and one other had spoken out in favor
of the proposal, a group that could potentially con-
stitute the five-member majority needed to pass a
measure through council.
The other proposal, which will be brought back
up for discussion Feb. 7, was an amendment to
limit signs and outdoor advertising.
The amendment would allow home owners and
realtors to post for sale signs without a city permit
for 60 days. If the house was not sold in the initial
60 days, the sign would be allowed to remain post-
ed another 60 days with a city permit. But after the
initial 120 days, the sign must be taken down for
See WAGE, Page 2


SOLE occupies
forum, resigns
from committee

Voice Your Vote tries to
get students registered

By Jen Fish
Daily Staff Reporter
John Chamberlin, chair of the
University Advisory Committee
n Labor Standards and Human
Rights said he did not expect
anything substantial to happen at
last night's open forum on the
University's code of conduct for
licensed apparel manufacturers.
"There are no particular.goals
for tonight ... I'm just hoping we
get some people here to disagree
with us and tell us why," he said
in before the forum began.
But minutes later, about 25
members of Students Organizing
for Labor and Economic
Equality stormed the forum.
After the students sang and
chanted anti-sweatshop messages
for about ten minutes, Joe

enforce collegiate labor codes
developed last year by student
leaders in the national anti-sweat-
shop movement.
The advisory committee is cur-
rently studying the possible imple-
mentation of the WRC, but has not
come to a decision on whether or
not to endorse the policy.
But members of the committee
said they did not want to vote on
the W RC at that moment, nor at
their next regular meeting, which
is scheduled for this Friday.
"Voting is a responsible act,
and I do not want to vote if I am
not confident of my position. We
have not had adequate time," said
Committee member Linda Lim,
a Business professor.
Committee member Larry
Root also did not want to vote on

University Advisory Committee on Labor Standards and Human
Rights chair John Chamberlin listens as LSA junior Lee Palmer
speaks yesterday at the School of Education Building.

By Yael Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
College students are notorious for their poor
showing at the polls each election year. But the tra-
ditional lack of turnout at the polls by students has
some of their peers luring them to partake in polit-
ical activities.
A voter registration drive is being held to regis-
ter by the Jan. 24 deadline for the Michigan pri-
mary and caucus.
The drive is sponsored by the Michigan Student
Assembly's Voice Your Vote Task Force and External
Relations Committee in conjunction with the
Undergraduate Political Science Association.
The groups decided to hold the drive because
they "recognized the
importance of the individ-
ual power to vote" said >
UPSA President Jeff ______________
Omtvedt, an LSA senior.
But these groups are seeking to do more than
just register students to vote, said Voice Your Vote
Chair Shari Katz, an LSA sophomore. The group
has also undertaken an education initiative to
explain the primary and caucus system and of the
whole registration process, she said.
The distribution of informational fliers in resi-

Sen. Bill Bradley, Texas Gov. George W Bush,
magazine editor Steve Forbes, Vice President Al
Gore and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
The booklet will include a statement from the
candidates' campaign offices stating why students
should vote for their candidate, a brief blurb about
the candidates' stances on social security, taxes,
health care reform and affirmative action. The
booklet will also include a paragraph stating why
student groups are supporting a particular candi-
date, he said.
Part of the efforts of Voice Your Vote is to "pro-
mote civic engagement" throughout the dear, Katz
said. It is important to know the candidates
throughout the whole process and not just for the
November presidential elections, she added.
"We are a non-partisan group,' Katz said.
But students working on campaigns for par-
ticular candidates are holding registration drives
as well.
Students for McCain organizers distributed voter
registration forms last night at their mass meeting to
later send to registration officials, said Students for
McCain co-chair Will Rubens, an LSA junior.
On Monday, Students for McCain and Students
for Bradley will staff information booths to
encourage people to participate in the election
nmc~es sxwhether for a Democrat or Renublicn.

Social Work professor, said. "It's
student activism that has gotten
the issue this far."
SOLE members argued that
the committee has had more
than adequate time to examine
the policy and the University
should adopt the WRC as soon
as possible.
"This is a crisis situation. Make

junior, told the committee.
After the committee refused to
vote on the issue, Sexauer and
fellow student representative
Julie Fry, an LSA junior,
resigned from the committee and
joined SOLE's protest.
Bollinger has not yet decided
on whether or not the University
will join the WRC, but has said
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