One hundred nine years ofeditorialfreedom 7 Avg 41P NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 7640557 wwwmichigandaily.com Wneday February 16, 2000 I A a. a I Marathon meeting leads to MSA resolution By Robert Gold and Lisa Koivu Daily Staff Reporters In a meeting that lasted nearly five and a half hours and packed more than 50 stu- nts - in addition to about 55 Michigan udent Assembly members - into MSA chambers last night, the assembly voted to pass a resolution in favor of delegating con- trol of the Union tower to the University's Office Space Allocations Committee. Erika Dowdell, Minority Affairs Com- mission co-chairwoman, surprised MSA, her co-chairwoman Erin Gilbert and the rest of MAC by announcing her intention to pursue legal action against Michigamua for t following through on the promise it made in 1989 to MAC to rid the seventh floor of the Union of all Native American artifacts. MSA President Bram Elias said that whether the suit needs full MSA or MAC approval is unclear. Miranda Massie, an attorney for Scheff and Washington in Detroit, said the firm will be filing a contract enforcement action later this week. "Our main point is to support the students who are making a stand against racism and elitism," Massie said, adding that she was contacted by Dowdell on Monday. "What they're standing for among other things, is legally supported," Massie said. Gilbert said it is inaccurate to say the suit was brought forth by MAC because she said the committee were unaware of the lawsuit before today. "It hasn't been a decision that has been assessed," Gilbert said. Budget Priorities Committee Vice Chair- man Siafa Hage said the issue of the SCC's takeover of the Union tower had to be dis- cussed immediately, and couldn't wait a week as other assembly members suggested. "This is getting bigger and more complex everyday, therefore the issue can not wait any longer" Hage said. Hage also expressed his feelings that in order to make the hearing as equitable as possible, Elias - a member of Michigamua -should not chair the meeting. MSA Vice President Andy Coulouris, who is next in line to chair the meeting, said he had complete confidence in Elias' ability fo be fair. "I am the one sponsoring the bill, and I know he will not be swayed as chair. He has every bit of my confidence," Coulouris said. The assembly voted to allow Elias to chair the meeting. During constituents' time SNRE senior and SCC spokesman Joe Reilly, spoke to the group, contending that Michigamua had violated every cultural and spiritual right he has as a Native American. "The artifacts Michigamua possesses misrepresents us in a way I'm not comfort- able with. The question here is what condi- tions allow this to happen at a public university," Reilly said. "What makes one organization more pri- vate than another, that they can facilitate private use of a public building," Reilly asked. See MICHIGAMUA, Page 3 Members of the Michigan Student Assembly and Students of Color Coalition listen during last night's MSA meeting. JAMA honors 'U' Med. 15 School with feature issue By Shabnam Daneshvar ,C_ a Daily Staff Reporter usii Bush calls for finance reform By Yael Kohen D~aily Staff Reporter The Journal of the American Medical Association, the largest circulating English medical journal and one of the most respected in the world, is devoting this week's issue to the University's Medical School. In honor of the school's 150th anniver- sary, the issue, which is available today, will highlight past and present research as well as patient care. Throughout the Journal's 116-year his- tory, JAMA has recognized only seven other universities in the nation for their medical education, research and contribu- tions to the field of medicine and patient care. Being the eighth school to be recognized by the Journal has caused a rush of excite- ment within the medical and University communities. "This is not just an honor of the year kind of thing. The reason is that the University is one of the four most important medical schools in the nation including Penn, Har- vard and Johns Hopkins," Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Gilbert Omenn said. Helene Cole, contributing editor for JAMA's University Medical School edi- tion, said the Journal received more than 30 submissions from the University for the issue. The editors chose those which they thought were the "best papers submitted in terms of readers interest and interest in the medical communities," she said. Allen Lichter, dean of the University SAM'HOLLENM"HEA /aily University Hospital resident nurse Marsha Bembenech attends to her 5-month-old patient Alaysha Victorian. Victorian is connected to a machine that allows her heart and lungs to function normally. Medical School and an University alum for Blue pride, he said. both undergraduate and medical studies, "It's thrilling to be recognized like this said that the recognition is "just extra spe- in the country and world." cial" for him. Howard Markel, Director of the Medical "Obviously, other faculty members who School's Historical Center who also served have joined us from other schools are proud as and an editor for one of the JAMA jour of us, but there is nothing like the Maize n' See JAMA, Page 2 Current issue highlights rcen tfaculty discoveries As Arizona Sen. John McCain gains more voter support in his efforts to reform the campaign finance system, Texas Gov. George W Bush has been persuaded to announce his own campaign finance reform proposal as the Republican rivals prepare to face off in three critical tests during the next week. Despite Bush's announcement yesterday, the governor has been discussing the need for campaign finance reform since last summer, Bush campaign spokesman Scott McClellan said. The proposal includes a stipulation to prevent the use of funds from a previous campaign. The effort to eliminate this "loophole" is directed at McCain, who has redirected funds left over from his 1998 Arizona Senate campaign toward his run for the presidency. "Americans, when they contribute to a campaign, they're contributing to that campaign for that office," McClellan said. But McCain campaign officials have defended the sena- tor's use of his previous election funds. "We don't see a problem with Sen. McCain's actions," McCain campaign spokeswoman Nancy Ives said. Bush's proposal has provisions to prohibit lobbyists from contributing to federal legislators while Congress is in ses- sion and ban unions and corporations from contributing soft money to political parties. Other stipulations prevent the use of union funds to support candidates that an individual pay- ing dues does not support, allow individuals and groups to run issue ads and require candidates to fully disclose cam- paign contributions on the Internet. Bush was the first candidate to disclose all of his fundraising information on the Internet, McClellan said. The proposal "is the standard Republican position on campaign finance reform," University political science Prof. Chris Achen said. "This is not a serious proposal:' Bush's provision preventing unions from contributing funds attacks the Democratic Party's fundraising tactics, Achen said. Similar efforts have been made by Republicans, but "it was so contentious it was dropped," he said. Officials from the McCain campaign are skeptical of Bush's announcement, which comes within a week of the South Carolina, Michigan and Arizona primaries. The Texas governor's plan does not include a ban on all See BUSH, Page 7 U. Pen Througi abandons. FLA By Jon Fish Daily Staff Reporter, By Lindsey Alpert Daily Staff Reporter While today's edition of the Jour- nal of the American Medical Associ- ation contains a historical look at the research conducted at the Universi- ty's Medical School throughout its 150 years of work, the issue also includes breakthroughs recently dis- covered at the University. A new study, authored by Sandeep Vijan, an assistant professor of inter- nal medicine, indicates that it is not necessary for people with adult onset diabetes to undergo an annual eye screening. Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in the United States according to the report and the annu- al eye screening was used to check for eye diseases. The study found that screenings See RESEARCH, Page 2 h the looking glass SM HOlLLEINEAD/D ly Third-year medical student Jeremy Kaplan shows an X-ray Image to attending physician Rajesh Mangrulkar and resident physician Jeff Smith. Study: Prejudice fuels opinions ' Jeannie Baumann Daily Staff Reporter A study released yesterday by the Universi- ty finds racial prejudice to be the primary rea- son why whites reported opposing affirmative action. "The findings are important because of the growing evidence that the gap in eco- nomic status between blacks and whites is lll wide and shows few signs of narrow- ing," said psychology Prof. James Jackson in a written statement. The study, which Jackson conducted with sociology Prof. David R. Williams at the Uni- versity's Institute for Social Research, com- pared the relationship between a respondent's dom felt any sympathyc black people were also mo the practice of affirmative also found that whites we oppose affirmative action p agreed with blatantly racial statements, such as blacks have gotten more than they deserve and blame whites too much for their problems. Researchers defined this type of prejudice as the "subtle, contemporary k But the study found wh claimed prejudice views, it that their own race in inher or admiration for "They are also inconsistent with the claim re likely to oppose that a commitment to core American values of action. The study individualism is what underlies white opposi- ere more likely to tion to improve the status of blacks," he said in ractices when they a written statement. 1He said he hopes to con- duct more research to find out why this is the case. more than1,100 Williams and Jackson interviewed more than troi-area adults 1,100 adults in the Detroit areafsurveyedTfor the study. were yThe racial attitudes of Detroit-area whites are kind." generally similar to that of whites in other ites with self-pro- large areas. But Detroit-area whites show ncluding the belief much higher support for affirmative action ently superior, sup- than whites do nationally," Williams said. As student anti-sweatshop activists at the University of Pennsylvania are celebrating their successful sit-in demonstration in their president's office, students at the University of Michigan continue to push the admin- istration for a firm commitment to the Worker Rights Consortium. After a nine day occupation of Uni- versity of Pennsylvania President Judith Rodin's office, members of Penn Students Against Sweatshops ended their protest yesterday after Rodin promised to withdraw from the Fair Labor Association. The FLA is a White House-spon- sored coalition of corporations and human rights group aimed at curbing Inhn nhcacin he nnnrplindimAtv rIt -I -I