I
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NEWS: 76-DAILY
CLASSIFIED: 764-0557
www.michigandaity.com
Monday
March 13, 2000
4 . r 1
I
Occupation
to
end
after
37
days
SCC to leave once artifacts are removed
By Tiffany Maggard
and Robert Gold
Daily Staff Reporters
Students of Color Coalition spokesman Joe Reilly
announced last night that SCC is in the process of
ending its occupation of the Michigamua office
space on the seventh floor of the Michigan Union
tower.
"The time is now to leave," Reilly said, adding that
the group has done everything it could within the
tower.
Reilly said SCC will leave the space after all
4ative American artifacts are returned members of
the Native American community or placed in the
Bently Historical Library. He added that the group
has packed all personal items of Michigamua and
plan on handing it over to Michigamua members.
"It's time for us to leave. We can't leave without
the stuff," Reilly said.
After waiting for more than a month for
Michigamua and the administration to remove
Michigamua's Native American artifacts from its
tower office, SCC last nig ht said they decided
the job needed to be done a nd took it upon them-
selves to see that the materi: als were removed.
During the removal proce is last night Michiga-
mua members met
with Dean of Student
Affairs Frank Cianci-
ola in the third floor
of the Union to dis-
cuss the reallocation
process. Also present
were math Prof. Bob
Megginson and Shan-
non Miller, coordina-
tor of Multi-Ethnic
Student Affairs.
"The concern we
had was we were not
contacted about the
process," Michigamua
spokesman Nick Del-
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nI
thj:
tol
arkJ
frd
re~
bW~
wet
of fi
hat's next?
CC members said
will leave the
er once all of the
facts are removed
t the meeting
e.
N C members expect
items to be
oved, and leave the
r sometime today.
CC members taking'
as out of the Union
estopped by DPS
aers.
proper places but that the group wants to be involved
in the decision.
"The SCC did not want us to be part of that
process'" Delgado said.
SCC member Colette Routel said the items are
being reallocated to an undisclosed location on Uni-
versity property.
"Its time for them to be in their proper place -
we're just taking the initiative to do that.
"It's not like this is impromptu. Our attorney has
let the administration know that we would not toler-
ate this stuff up here for long. Michigamua agreed
that the things would be removed. We're just taking
the initiative," Routel said.
Delgado said Michigamua members agreed to
remove the artifacts themselves. An inventory of the
cultural materials taken by University faculty and
staff members, including anthropology Prof. Richard
Ford, was the first step in that process, he said.
Vice President of Student Affairs E. Royster
Harper said, "the University hasn't made any agree-
ment with the SCC about removing the articles." She
See MICHIGAMUA, Page 2A
gado said. He added that Mich igamua agrees that the
Native American artifacts sho uld be removed to the
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Items here are in boxes ready to be given back to members of Mlchigamua.
Others are packed to be given to the Native community.
*Lawsuit
extension
request
'denied
By Anna Clark
Daily Staff Reporter
A federal judge last week denied a
motion to give attorneys represent-
ing student interveners in a lawsuit
against the University's Law School
more time to prepare their case.
By remaining on the schedule
*ecided upon last August, the trial
will begin Aug. 28, with the final
pretrial scheduled for Aug. 24 and
the deadline for lawsuit motions on
April 26.
The lawsuit was filed in 1997 by
i
Showing in
Democratic
C1CU e W
"This is
the wrong
ecision."
- Miranda Massie
Barbara Grut-
ter, who was
denied admis-
sion to the Law
School. Grutter
claims the
school's affir-
mative action
attorney admissions pol-
icy gives under-
represented
minority applicants an illegal and
unfair advantage.
Interveners proposed postponing
the trial until January 2001 two
months ago.
According to the opinion written by
.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman
in response to the motion, "members
of the public have called and written to
the court expressing their concern for
a prompt resolution. There are no
extraordinary circumstances prevent-
ing any of the parties from fully
preparing for trial within the seven-
month discovery period."
Miranda Massie, the lead attorney
'presenting a group of minority stu-
dent interveners in the lawsuit, said
she plans to file a motion for recon-
sideration.
"This is the wrong decision," she
said. "The social science of this case
is very thorough and sophisticated
which, in order to be fully devel-
oped, requires time."
Massie also said her preparations
for the case will maintain a rapid pace.
"Students will bring the truth
Ebout educational equality into the
courtroom, whether it's next August
or later," she said.
University Deputy General Coun-
sel Elizabeth Barry said the Univer-
sity will be prepared for the
upcoming trials.
"We're looking forward to the oppor-
tunity to prove at trial what we've been
saying all along," Barry said in a written
atement. "Diversity is a must to train
excellent lawyers and our process is
legal, effective and fair."
Terry Pell, senior legal counsel
from the Washington, D.C.-based
Center for Individual Rights, the
group representing Grutter in the
DAVID KATZVL/Ud
U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Southfield) and foi -ner Michigan Gov. James Blanchard converse at a Democratic gathering at
the Ramada Inn In Southfield on Saturday.
Mich.i Dems vce lebrat victr
By Yael Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Democrats turned out to vote -
although in low numbers - in Satur-
day's Michigan Democratic caucus
despite Vice President Al Gore's
ensured presidential nomination.
Despite a weak showing at the
Michigan Union caucus site, Michael
Koen, a site manager, said he thought
"it was a good turnout because I've
seen a lot worse:
Supporters for Bill Bradley were
present at caucuses statewide to show
support for the former New Jersey
senator, who dropped out of the race
last week after large defeats in last
week's Super Tuesday primaries.
Bradley failed to win any states in his
bid for the presidency.
Despite the fight that Bradley'lost
out to Gore, Democrats said he played
an important role.
Although Bradley has withdrawn
from the race he has not relin-
quished his delegates, which was
one reason for Bradley supporters to
show up at the caucuses Saturday
morning.
The half-hour meeting which was
held at the Union's University Club
attracted.43 voters, resulting in 27,
votes for Gore and 16 for Bradley.
Although the caucus was a Washte-
naw County site - not just for the
University - students were active in
running the caucus proceedings.
The representatives for both cam-
paigns who argued the candidates'
positions were University students
- Students for Gore chairman
Michael Masters and Students for
Bradley co-Chairwoman Amanda
Beaumont.
"I want to ask respectively that we
unite as Democrats," Masters said.
"We are all here to recognize that
we are Democrats, and I'm sure that
we all want to unite against G.W. Bush
in November," said Beaumont, an
LSA senior. But Bradley supporters
were at the caucus to vote for Bradley
because "we want your voices to be
heard at the convention in August,"
she said.
The more votes Bradley acquires
from Michigan "the more delegates
he gets to try to influence the conven-
tion," said Bradley supporter Eric
Feldman, an LSA sophomore.
"We'll get our chance to vote for Al
Gore in November," Feldman said.
"Today I get to vote for the candidate I
really believe in."
"The Bradley and Gore cam-
paigns on campus have both been
active and have shown mainstream
interest," said David Nacht, an Ann
Arbor attorney who attended the
caucus.
But several voters agreed that the
caucus was an opportunity to put aside
differences between Bradley and Gore
supporters.
"My main thing today is getting the,
party unified so we can beat Bush in
November," said Gore supporter
Steven Snead, an Education sopho-
more.
*
0
strategize campaign moves
By Yael Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
SOUTHFIELD - Michigan Democratic big-wigs did
more this weekend than celebrate Vice President Al Gore's
victory in the state as well as the all the natio hal primaries.
Democrats up for election took advantage o t the event to
discuss their upcoming campaigns.j
Gathering unified support among Demoalcrats was the
main focus of Saturday's victory party at the Ramada Inn.
"The function of this is to get Democrats i ogether," said
U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn), adding that there
are many available public positions at the state and local
level as well.
Democrats said they believe their party will regain con-
trol of the U.S. House of Representatives although they are
unsure about the future of the U.S. Senate.
"It's going to be a good year for Democrats" said U.S.
Rep. David Bonior (D-Mt. Clemens). Bonior is up for
reelection for Michigan's 10th Congressional District.
If Democrats take back the House in November after
See DEMS, Page 7A
'Nights' celebrate
African cultures
By Tiffany Maggard
Daily Staff Reporter
Eight-year-old Rose Bamfo and her 6-
year-old sister Dorothea braved a crowd
of more than 500 college students Satur-
day night to attend the fourth annual
African Nights fashion and cultural
show in the Michigan Union ballroom.
The local elementary school students
were among a few audience members to
come to the event fully dressed in tradi-
tional African attire. Bamfo said the
African Students Association's annual
show was a good opportunity to cele-
brate the African culture which is far
removed from everyday life in America.
"It's good because you don't see
als an(I ceremonies native to Africa. The
ornate ballroom was transformed into a
conteniiporary high-fashion runway. The
contra t was all too fitting for this year's
African Nights theme, "SANKOFA:
Reme mbering Our Ancestors at the
Dawn of the New Millennium."
AS.A hired Canadian and New
York clothing designers to craft tra-
ditionr;l clothing.
"It ,was just something dramatic to
repreent the different countries of
Africa "and their diversity," said ASA
executijive board member Andrea Bedi-
ako, anLSA senior.
The crowd was roused by humorous
renditiions of the traditional rituals,
includi. og the "yaba market" - a town
emnn. mo nrn 14..h1d..n] in'itivP .A fAnan
Holocaust
survivor
speaks at U'
By Jon Zemke
Daily Staff Reporter
When Rebbetzin Esther Jurgreis spoke at Rackham Audi-
torium last night, she did so with an energy and enthusiasm
that most wouldn't expect from a Holocaust survivor. The
author, lecturer, television show host and founder of the
Jewish faith renewal movement Hinen kept the audience of
almost 200 people spellbound with her humor, quick think-
ing and powerful public speaking.
Jurgreis was 7 years-old when she was a prisoner in the
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Poland with her fami-
Iv~ at the end ofWoirlWar 11.VDespite all the hardships that