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