One hundred nine years ofeditorialfreedom
ti
NEWS: 76-DAILY
CLASSIFIED: 764-0557
wwwmichigandally.com
Friday
March 10, 2000
f-a r ( f 1 i 1
zlouse
approves
. .,
avage hike
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
A heated battle between U.S. House
Democrats and Republicans ended last
night with the passage of a $1 raise in
the minimum wage to be implemented
during the next two years and a $122
*ion tax cut.
The compromise was forged as
Republicans got the tax cut they
desired while Democrats won their
fight to phase in the wage hike in two
years rather than three, as proposed in
the original GOP bill.
The legislation, which would increase
the federal minimum wage to $6.15 an
hour, now heads to the Senate.
Paul Welday, chief of staff for Rep.
Joe Knollenberg (R-Bloomfield Hills)
*lled the passing of the bill an even
success. "Enough passed in the legis-
lation so that everyone can claim vic-
tory" he said.
Welday said he anticipates that
despite any modifications the Senate
may make, the bill will eventually
become law. "We think that this is a
good package that the administration
should approve," he said.
The small business tax cut portion
* the bill angered many Democrats,
including Rep. David Bonior (D-Mt.
Clemens), who originally introduced
the minimum wage bill with a $30 bil-
lion dollar tax cut and a two year
timetable. He told Congress the year's
difference would amount to an addi-
tional $1,000 per person. "Now to the
Republican leadership that may seem
like pocket change" Bonior said. "But
to a poverty wage worker, it can make
9 the difference in the world."
Bonior spokesman Fred Clarke said
Republicans in the Rule Committee
took over the bill and made their own
provisions by adding the extra year
and "a huge tax package that has noth-
ing to do with the minimum wage."
The Rule Committee then ruled that
Democrats could propose an amend-
ment to the minimum wage part of the
Al, but not to the accompanying tax
ckage. "We are upset with the whole
procedure," Clarke said.
But not all Democrats were angered
by the tax package. While acknowledg-
ing that "the Republican leadership took
the bill and did some things that we did
not prefer," Burns Strider, spokesman
for Rep. Ronnie Shows (D-Miss.), said
Shows, a co-sponsor of the bill, support-
ed the Republican tax cut package.
A member of the conservative
lemocratic "Blue Dog Coalition,"
See WAGE, Page 2
'U'
to
* Big House football ticket
restructuring gives students
2,500 extra spots
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Sports Editor
The University's ticket office announced
Wednesday that it will set aside 2,500 more stu-
dent football tickets next season, bringing the total
number of tickets available for students to 22,000.
The extra 2,500 tickets will not be taken from
season-ticket holders, but from extra game tickets
acrease
that are offered each season to season-ticket
holders and to the general public.
University Director of Ticket Operations
Marty Bodnar said that a January meeting with
the Vice President's Roundtable, a group of stu-
dent leaders brought together by Vice President
for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper, greatly
influenced the decision to change the ticketing
system.
"That discussion led to today's press release"
about adding student tickets, Bodnar said. "It had
some influence because it caused us to think
about what the next step would be in accommo-
dating students. We found that the next step
student tickets
would be to stabilize student allotment and we
picked 22,000 seats because we felt that it would
satisfy student demand."
Michigan Student Assembly President Bram
Elias said Bodnar did not receive any positive
reaction to implementing a policy requiring all
student season-ticket holders to present identifi-
cation at the gate before entering Michigan Stadi-
um, the proposal Bodnar came to the meeting to
discuss.
"The administration believed that too many
non-students were attending games, and they said
that if it didn't stop they were going to have to
give students split tickets again," Elias said.
That comment caused outrage amongst the stu-
dents at Roundtable, Elias said. The new policy
was widely criticized and complete student pack-
ages for all students were demanded. The next
week the new identification-checking policy was
put on hold.
The University allotted 19,500 student tickets
for the 1998 and 1999 seasons, which included
5,000 seats added during the 1998 stadium reno-
vation and expansion.
Prior to the 1998 season, students only
received 14,500 tickets, causing freshmen to
receive a split season package in 1997 - the
See TICKETS, Page 2
Low turnout
expected for
state caucus
By YaeKohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Democrats can expect to see a low
turnout in the Michigan Democratic
caucus tomorrow now that Vice Presi-
dent Al Gore has all but secured the
party's presidential nomination with
former New Jersey senator Bill
Bradley officially dropping out of the
presidential race yesterday.
Although the nominee has effective-
ly been chosen, campaign officials and
members of the Michigan Democratic
Party are still urging voters to attend
the caucuses tomorrow.
Gore's deputy press secretary Jano
Cabrera gave two reasons for citizens
to go to caucus sites.
"It is important for people to be in
the process," and "it gives the oppor-
tunity for the campaign to get out its
message," Cabrera said.
"With Bradley dropping out, it's
going to depress our turnout," Michi-
gan Democratic party spokesman
Dennis Denno said. "It's still a good
DANNY KALICK/Daily
LSA junior Matt Wilken throws a Frisbee on the Diag yesterday, even as temperatures dipped into the 40s after
reaching the 70s earlier in the week.
Winter weather returns
followin0*g rVclord highs
opportunity to hear from elected offi-
cials and candidates and an opportuni-
ty to meet other local Democrats."
A caucus site will be set up in the
Michigan Union tomorrow. At all cau-
cus sites statewide voters will be
See CAUCUS, Page 2
By Karolyn Kokko
Daily Staff Reporter
Earlier this week, students who had been hibernating
for most of the winter came outside to enjoy the summer-
like temperatures. Unfortunately, the sunny, warm weath-
er came and went all too quickly.
"I went outside and played all day," LSA junior Susan
Chehade said of her activities Wednesday, when temper-
atures hit record highs earlier in the week.
Dennis Kahlbaum, a University weather observer
and meteorologist, said while there are normally
temperature variances during this time of year, the
temperatures this week in Ann Arbor soared to 74
degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday the temperature
reached 78 degrees.
Kahlbaum said the warmer temperatures were due to
a large pressure system from the East Coast. He added
that a wide temperature swing is quite normal for the
month of March since it is the transition period from
winter to summer.
With the warmer weather, many students were able
to take part in outdoor recreational activities. Some
put on their tennis shoes and went for a jog, while
others leisurely tossed a Frisbee around the Diag with
a friend.
"I played tennis," LSA freshman Kenneth Lee said.
See WEATHER, Page 7
Group marches in support of 8CC
By Tiffany Maggard is perhaps more concerned with mone
Daily Staff Reporter jj7/QGflrtoRl ty tary contributions from Michigamua
alumni than it is with "respect and jus-
1
-
-
Students oft Color Coalition members
lund themselves with unsolicited sup-
port yesterday morning when a new stu-
dent group known as From Rhetoric to
Reality traveled to administrative offices
demanding the University administra-
tion comply with SCC's demands.
The group of 25 students and com-
munity members was formed solely to
support the demands of SCC and to
see to it that its demands are met,
From Rhetoric to Reality member
Micah Holmquist said. The group
otested several administrative offices
and University buildings yesterday,
criticizes administration
including University President Lee
Bollinger's office and the Michigan
Union.
"We feel the University has lots of
good rhetoric on a lot of issues but it's
not willing to pursue policies that
work for the benefit of the students of
color on campus. The University just
likes to talk about its diversity," said
Holmquist, an LSA senior.
The group delivered the same state-
ment to those present at each location
they visited yesterday. The statement
reiterated the SCC's belief that Michiga-
mua has broken its promises made in a
1989 written agreement to end affilia-
tion with Native American culture.
Holmquist said his group believes the
University has bargained with the SCC
and their demands in an "arrogant, irre-
sponsible and unreasonable" manner.
The statement alleges the University
tice" for SCC.
SCC spokesman Joe Reilly said he is
pleased with From Rhetoric to Reality's
efforts. "1 think it's an excellent example
of students realizing their need and
desire to be involved in the University
environment and the community envi-
ronment," he said.
Reilly said SCC has experienced dif-
ficulty communicating with Michiga-
mua. He said SCC's attorney was
finally able to contact Michigamua's
attorney after four days of silence.
SCC's attorney sent Michigamua's
See PROTEST, Page 7
DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily
David Westol, national executive director for Theta Chi speaks last night at a
forum to discuss the issue of hazing on college campuses.
Fraternity diector
addrlesses hazi ng
By David Enders more people would have shown up,"
Daily Staff Reporter Panhellenic Association President Tri-
cia Zubac said.
Panel: Women not limited
by gender in medical fields
The University's Greek system has Westol, a former
had its share of hazing problems in ney in Kalamazoo
recent years.
But instead of ai wa stupidi /eog
hearing another S i enough
story about fra-
ternity members
being duct-taped
or forced to eat
raw fish, about
100 students
attended a pre-
sentation titled
to think it made our
chapter better. "
-- David Westol
prosecuting attor-
County, admitted
that he was a vic-
tim of hazing
and took part in
hazing others
when he was a
Theta Chi mem-
ber at Michigan
State University.
"I was stupid
enough to think
it made our
By Shabnam Daneshvar
Daily StaffReporter
Even in a medical-oriented setting like the
University, women who want to pursue health
professions may think they are limited to obtain-
ina either medical. nursing or dental degrees in
career options and ways in which women can
incorporate their healthcare dreams with their
personal family lives.
"It's really important for women to know that
there are more alternatives out there other than
becoming a doctor, a nurse or a dentist if they are
interested in healthcare." said Anu Panchapake-
Theta Chi national
executive director
"Hazing on Trial" last night at Rack-
ham Auditorium. The talk, designed to
force students to look at the conse-
chapter better," he said.
Westol did not limit his energetic
monologue to fraternities, discussing
~~u.J,- f
i