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Tuesday
February 15, 2000
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i3ush in
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Jraling
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
In the three weeks since Sen. John
McCain (R-Ariz.) finished ahead of
the seemingly unbeatable Texas gover-
nor in the New Hampshire Primary,
the future of George W. Bush has
ecome uncertain.
In a poll released Sunday by The
Detroit News, Sunday McCain held a
43 percent to 34 percent lead Bush in
data obtained from Feb. 8-11, but
those polled Thursday and Friday by
the paper had McCain leading by only
one percent.
With the Michigan Republican pri-
mary just a week away, Bush support-
ers say that they are not worried.
"The numbers are moving in the
ght direction," Michigan Bush Cam-
aign spokeswoman Geralyn Lasher
said of the latter part of the survey.
"This contest is becoming a two-
man race," said Scott McClellan, the
Bush Campaign national booksman.
"Voters now have an opportunity to
see clear differences."
Civil rights advocatejoins fight
By Tiffany Maggard
Daily Staff Reporter
A spokesman for Rev. Al Sharpton of the National
Action Network met with members of the Students of
Color Coalition and interim Vice President for Student
Affairs E. Royster Harper to express Sharpton's support
for the SCC and its takeover of the Michigamua meeting
space on the seventh floor of the Michigan Union tower.
Tiahmo Rauf, Midwest regional director for the National
Action Network, said Sharpton is scheduled to arrive on
campus Saturday evening and stay in Ann Arbor through
Sunday. "That the former President of the United States is a
member of Michigamua is an insult,' Rauf said, referring to
former President Gerald Ford, a University alumnus.
SCC members, who have occupied the tower since
Feb. 6, contend Michigamua is a racist and elitist stu-
dent organization that uses Native American artifacts
and traditions to degrade the culture. Rauf, who
explained that his trip to campus yesterday was a part
of a "fact finding mission" to look into Michgamua's
history and practices, said Sharpton will lead a team
of journalists from CNN, as well as ABC's 20/20 and
Nightline to the Michigamua meeting space this
weekend. Nick Delgado, spokesman for Michigamua,
said Sharpton's appearance may assist both groups in
See SHARPTON. Page 7
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Kinesiology senior Bryce Ralston and Business senior Rishi Moudgil attend a meeting of the senior society Michigamua last night to discuss
the takeover of their offices by the Students of Color Coalition at an off-campus home.
Bollinger discusses Michgamua
Lasher said the
MICHIGAN
REPUVBLICAN
Losing the lead:'
Part one in a three
jpart series about
the candidates'
strategies in the
Michigan
Republican
Primary
resignation of four
top Michigan
Republican party
leaders will not
hurt Bush. State
GOP chairwoman
Betsy DeVos, the
first official to
resign, announced
her endorsement of
Bush to his father,
the former U.S.
By Jodie Kaufman
Daily Staff Reporter
University President Lee Bollinger visited
yesterday's Senate Advisory Committee for
University Affairs meeting discussing the
takeover of the Michigan. Union's seventh
floor by the Students of Color Coalition and
other key issues currently affecting the Uni-
versity community.
The first topic of discussion was the
takeover of Michigamua's meeting space
at the Union.
Bollinger referred to the situation as "a
difficult, complicated problem."
He said there are three claims the SCC is
making during its takeover of Michigamua's
meeting space. Bollinger said the SCC
claims that Michigamua has made use of
Native American artifacts that are sacred to
Native American culture. He said the group
calls for Michigamua's student organization
status to be revoked based on the its prac-
tices, which are said to be offensive.
He also said SCC does not want
Michigamua to be entitled to space in the
Union because of the society's practices,
policies, views.
Bollinger proceeded to share the Universi-
ty's views on the matters.
"Michigamua as an organization
expressed surprise that the objects are still in
the area, they say they put them in the attic,
and they have no wish to hold on to these
sacred objects. They voluntarily are giving
the objects to the University anthropological
museum," Bollinger said regarding the first
issue.
"The first issue has been resolved at the
voluntary choice of Michigamua," Bollinger
said.
Regarding the second issue, Bollinger said
"we will not recognize or derecognize stu-
dent organizations based upon their view-
points. It is our belief as an academic
institution that student organizations should
not turn on offensive viewpoints of student
organizations - it is a principle of the U.S.
Constitution."
Bollinger said the University has chosen
to delegate this decision to the Michigan
Student Assembly.
"In this University, the student govern-
ment must abide by the principles of acade-
mic freedom and the First Amendment,"
Bollinger said.
The third issue concerning space allocations
is a "serious and important question for the,
University and MSA," Bollinger said, "whether
See BOLLIN~gR, Page 2
president, last week. "President Bush
was thrilled," Lasher said.
q The withdrawal of Steve Forbes
om the race for the Republican nom-
ination has also increased support for
Bush. Several former leaders of
Forbes' Michigan campaign
announced their endorsement of Bush
in a press conference yesterday.
The (former) Forbes supporters are
looking for someone with integrity"
Lasher said. "They are comfortable to
stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Gov-
*or Bush."
Vincent Hutchings, a University
political science assistant professor,
said he also believes the sun has yet to
set on Bush's campaign. "Reports of
Bush's political demise have been
overstated," he said.
Of the upcoming primaries in
Michigan and in South Carolina
Hutchings said "Even if Bush loses
both contests, he has so many people
ommitted to his candidac y -
cluding himself - and so many
resources, if he loses both he'll stay in
the race."
But Inside Michigan Politics Editor
Bill Ballenger said McCain's success
should not be downplayed by the Bush
campaign.
"He's definitely in the hunt," Bal-
lenger said of McCain.
Voters claim that character is far and
yay most important to them, Bal-
nger said. "McCain kills Bush in that
category."
But Ballenger said the South Caroli-
na and Michigan primaries hold more
importance for McCain than for Bush.
"If McCain loses, I'd say, 'yeah,
Bush has won"' the nomination, he
said. "Bush has the resources to go on
longer."
The key to a win in Michigan, Bal-
lenger said, could be votes coming
m independents and Democratic
voters.
Lasher said this is precisely what
she and other Bush supporters would
like to prevent. "We can't let Democ-
rats dictate who the Republican nomi-
nee should be," she said.
Lasher said that State Rep. LaMar
Lemmons (D-Detroit) has been
encouraging Democrats to vote for
cCain because he is more likely to
beaten by Gore in the long run.
Ballenger said the Bush campaign-
ers are "doing everything they reason-
ably can."
Bush's wife Laura is currently mak-
ing appearances in Michigan and for-
mer President Bush is scheduled to
LOUIS BOWN/Daily
Tiahmo Rauf, spokesman for Rev. Al Sharpton, visits the
Michigamua meeting space yesterday after announcing
Sharpton is scheduled to come to campus this weekend.
ay'or vetoes living wage ordinance
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By Jon Zemke
Daily Staff Reporter
Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon vetoed an
ordinance that would have implemented a living
wage for all city contractors and was approved by
the City Councillast week.
Sheldon sent a two page letter to the city clerk
yesterday outlining the veto.
The living wage ordinance would have required
all contractors with the city of Ann Arbor to pay
their employees a minimum living wage of $10
per hour or $8.50 per hour plus medical benefits.
The ordinance states that only the employees of
contractors who were working on a site or in a
facility that is under contract with the city would
have to be paid the living wage. City employees
Bolilingerow
snubs SOLE
on iV-Day
By Jen Fish
Daily Staff Reporter
would not have fallen under the living wage ordi-
nance.
In Sheldon's letter she said living wage plans
are typically decided at'the federal or state level
and "not at the local level."
"It's a nice concept if you think about it," Shel-
don said. "Everybody should be paid a living
wage. But what sounds like a good idea could
have some unanticipated consequences."
In her letter, Sheldon said her chief concern
with the ordinance was that the "increased wages,
without increased productivity, have no alterna-
tive but to increase the costs to the city."
Supporters contend the plan would not have such
an impact, citing that more than 40 other municipal-
ities across the nation that have adopted similar liv-
ing wage have not experienced such hardships.
"It's an insult to the working men and women who
do the contracted work for the city."
-Chris Kolb
City councilman (D-Ward V)
"A lot of communities in Michigan have passed
the living wage and I don't believe they've been
weakened," Ann Arbor City Councilman Chris
Kolb (D-Ward V) said. "I believe they've been
strengthened."
Kolb said neighboring cities including Ypsilanti,
Warren and Detroit have adopted the living wage.
The mayor's prime example of how the living
wage would impact the city immediately was con-
cerning the city's materials recovery facility con-
tractor.,
Sheldon claimed that the living wage would
cost the city $200,000 more in wages a year for
the contractor. She also listed the city's parking
rehabilitation program that could be "impacted"
See LIVING WAGE, Page 7
University students normally don't give
University President Lee Bollinger or General
Counsel Marvin Krislov Valentine's Day
gifts.
But members of Students Organizing for
Labor and Economic Equality had a special
Valentine's Day message for both of them.
Around 25 SOLE members marched into
the Fleming Administration Building yester-
day to give Bollinger and Krislov handmade
valentines encouraging the University admin-
istration endorse the Workers Rights Consor-
tium, a student-developed policy designed to
enforce collegiate labor codes.
Bollinger declined to join the WRC last
Wednesday, but is reportedly still negotiating
with SOLE members to reach a compromise
near school
LITTLETON, Coto. (AP) - - Two Columbine High
sweethearts were found dead early yesterday after a shoot-
ing at a sandwich shop within sight of their school, com-
pounding the heartbreak in the community that suffered the
worst school shooting in U.S. history.
The bodies of Nicholas Kunselman, 15, and Stephanie
Hart, 16, were discovered inside the Subway shop where
Kunselman worked. Investigators did not disclose a motive
but ruled out murder-suicide.
Jefferson County sheriff's spokesman Steve Davis said
the cause of death had not been determined, and he said he
did not know whether a weapon had been found. Investiga-
tors were reviewing a videotape from a surveillance camera
inside the restaurant.
"I hope it was just a robbery," said one of Kunselman's
co-workers, J.J. Hoda. "I've had more than enough of this.
This stuff needs to stop."
The shooting was the latest in a string of tragedies that
have hi't the Denver suburb since teen-age gunmen Eric
LOUIS B
ISA junior Julie Fry slides a valentine through the office door of University President Lee
Bollinger yesterday.
son. Members of SOLE slid the homemade
heart under the door.
"President Bollinger showed us his love
last week and we wanted to return that love.
You can't have love without commitment and
we are asking for commitment to the WRC,"
LSA senior and SOLE member Lee Palmer
said to Krislov as she gave another Valentine's
Krislov added that he, Bollinger and SOLE
members were "still talking" and hope to
reach a resolution soon.
Just like students in Ann Arbor, anti-sweat-
shop activists on other campuses are also
pushing their administrations to endorse the
WRC.
Members of Penn Students Against Sweat-
I