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NEWS: 76-DAILY
CLASSIFIED: 764-0557
www.michigandally.com
Monday
February 21 2000
'Sharpton visits campus in support of SCC
Occupiers, Michigamua to meet today
By Robert Gold
Daily Staff Reporter
"At some point you need to make a com-
mitment beyond yourself," Rev. Al Sharp-
ton said to an attentive crowd packed into
the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union
on Saturday night.
"They will be remembered more than stu-
dents who may get better grades, but walked
by," Sharpton added, praising the members of
the Students of Color Coalition, who are
wccupying Michigamua's meeting space on
e seventh floor of the Union.
"As we are in the 21st century, one would
think we wouldn't have to argue about a room
like this," Sharpton, president and CEO of the
National Action Network, said referring to the
space and Michigamua's alleged misuse of
Native American artifacts.
Questioning the University administra-
tion's response to the situation, Sharpton
said, "The first defense I'm hearing from
the administration is free speech ... They
had the right to hate us, but they didn't have
the right to make sit in the back of the bus."
Sharpton claimed the alleged racism is
doubly harmful because the group, he said,.
is subsidized by public money. "Free
speech is not having a subsidized monu-
ment to hate," Sharpton said.
But members of Michigamua have said
their funding comes from private member-
ship dues.
Sharpton contends that the University is
not doing as much as it can in this situation.
"The president and administrators need to
pass the grade of human dignity and
respect," Sharpton said.
SCC members sent out a proposal to
the administration and members of
Michigamua, Vulcans and Phoenix on Fri-
day.
The proposal stipulates that Michiga-
mua remove all references to Native
American culture - including its name,
evacuate the seventh floor of the Union
and that the University remodel the space
to remove all Native American references.
Michigamua and the Students of Color
Coalition are scheduled to meet at 6 p.m.
today in a private room in the Michigan
Union, Michigamua spokesman Nick Del-
gado said.
Sharpton said if the SCC needs addition-
al assistance in resolving its issues with
See SHARPTON, Page 7A
SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily
Rev. Al Sharpton, president and CEO of the National Action Network, answers questions during a press
conference Saturday in the Michigamua offices on the seventh floor of the Michigan Union.
Primary face-off
U' joins
WRC;
occupation ends
By Jon Fish
Daily Staff Reporter
a- - . .* -,-- - tAVJ r'AK417D
Arizona Sen. John McCain shakes the hands of supporters in East Lansing
yesterday in campaign efforts for tomorrow's Michigan Republican primary.
McCai sees Mich.
as 'must-win' state
Republican presidential candidate and Texas Gov. George W. Bush speaks at a
rally In Clinton Township yesterday.
Bush begns state
campaign in lead
Members of Students Organizing for
Labor and Economic Equality evacuat-
ed LSA Dean Shirley Neuman's office
Friday after University President
Bollinger agreed to membership in the
Worker Rights Consortium on a condi-
tional basis.
The agreement is being treated with
guarded enthusiasm by some in the anti-
sweatshop movement, who are curious to
see how the University will define the
conditions of its membership.
The WRC is a policy developed by
students to enforce labor codes of con-
duct in the production of collegiate
apparel. Introduced in October, SOLE
has been pushing the University to
commit to the WRC.
The University will join the organi-
zation with two other schools, Indiana
University and the University of Wis-
consin at Madison in an agreement
worked out by Bollinger, Indiana Uni-
versity President Myles Brand and
Wisconsin Chancellor David Ward.
In a written statement, the three uni-
versities have agreed to join the consor-
tium "without endorsing all of the
provisions stated in the preliminary
charter of the WRC:"
Interim Coordinator of the WRC
Maria Roper said the organization is
"very excited" over the agreement, but
called the statement released by the
three schools "really vague."
"It's hard to tell what it means,"
Roper said. "We want to work with
them, but we cannot compromise our
moral standing." Roper added that she
has yet to be contacted by representa-
tives from any of the three schools.
United Students Against Sweatshops
representative Laura McSpedon was
also concerned about the agreement's
ambiguity. "It's absolutely a concern
for us to see if the universities are bar-
gaining in good faith," McSpedon said.
See WRC, Page 2A
By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
EAST LANSING - Arizona Sen.
John McCain is sure of one thing -
he needs to mobilize younger voters if
he wants to win the presidency, he told
The Michigan Daily yesterday in an
interview aboard his campaign bus the
"Straight Talk Express."
During the interview, McCain dis-
cussed pressing youth issues includ-
ing affirmative action, student loans
and higher education.
As the race between the Arizona
senator and Texas Gov. George W.
Bush grows closer, McCain has
increasingly voiced his commitment to
erase the cynical view many young
people have of the federal government.
McCain told the Daily his goal is
to build a "bridge of confidence"
between young people and govern-
ment.
"The fact is, (young people) are no
longer represented because they're
being squeezed out by special inter-
ests," he said.
Sitting in a maroon leather chair
aboard the "Straight Talk Express,"
McCain underscored
his dedication to the
youth of the United
States.
"My whole goal as
being President of the
United States is to
inspire a generation
of young Americans
to commit themselves
to causes greater than
their self interest," he
SOUTH CA
Election
George W. Bush
John McCain
Alan Keyes
Source: Th
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
SOUTHFIELD - Coming off of
his double-digit win over Arizona
Sen. John McCain on Saturday in
South Carolina,
LROLINA Republican presiden-
tial candidate Texas
Gov. George W Bush
rode into Michigan on
* * a wave of support.
Bush visited
returns Lawrence Technologi-
3%cal University yester-
42% day in his first of three
4% full days campaigning
in Michigan for tomor-
row's Republican Pri-
mary. "There's something in the air in
Michigan," Bush said to the crowd as
they chanted, "We Want Bush."
Saturday "night we had a big night
out in South Carolina," he said. "Wait
until you see what happens Tuesday
night right here in Michigan."
Bush was accompanied to the
rally by Michigan Campaign Chair-
man Gov. John Engler and U.S. Sen.,
Spencer Abraham, who said they
were confident Bush would win
Michigan in tomorrow's primary.
"It fires up our supporters to make
more calls," Abraham said of Bush's
South Carolina win.
But Engler was cautious to assume
that Saturday's primary would have a
major impact on Michigan. It's, not
necessarily "as South Carolina goes,
so goes Michigan," he said. "I was
impressed by the size of the crowd,"
Bush said after the rally. "There's a:
sense in this state and it's the same
sense I felt in South Carolina."
Bush happily stated that "prognos-
ticators" had said that a voter turnout
of above 350,000 would hurt Bush in
See BUSH Page 7A
I Send in the clowns
said.
"When there is so much corruption
in government, young people feel
isolated ... they say, 'why should I
vote?"' McCain said to a crowd that
See MCCAIN, Page 7A
i All
'One Florida Initiative passes 12-0
By Sana Danish
Daily Staff Reporter
Florida's State University System Board of Regents
passed the One Florida Initiative with a 12-0 vote in a
eeting last Thursday. The initiative eliminates the
se of affirmative action in the state's public universi-
ties' admissions process.
Vice Chairwoman of the Florida Board of Regents
Gwendolyn McLin said One Florida Initiative guaran-
tees admission into the State University System to the
top 20 percent of every high school's graduating class
and eliminates race and gender from the current
"We feel quite certain that we will have more
minorities - at least 400 more - as a result of the
One Florida Initiative," McLin said. "The diversity in
our university system will be increased, and academic
standards will be maintained or increased."
McLin said One Florida Initiative will be imple-
mented this fall and is expected to help not only
minorities but also disadvantaged students.
Jocelyn Moore, vice president of the University of
Florida student body, said she thought the concerns of
minority students were not mirrored in the 12-0 vote.
"I think by and large the regents and the govern-
ment reoresentatives of the State University System
terms of the number of minority students enrolling in
the coming year. A lot of minority students might not
even apply to (the University of Florida) because of a
perception of minority unfriendliness," Moore said.
"We will follow up to make certain that diversity
does increase, and if it doesn't we can make changes,"
McLin said.
She said minorities had a better chance of being in
the top 20 percent in their communities and their SAT
score would not be a factor as in the current admis-
sions system.
McLin said the initiative provides for statewide pro-
grams including mentoring in early education and a
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