LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 17, 2000-- 3
IC R I M E
Regents to address sale of Oxford Housing
Worker found
to have keys to
&ckham Bldg.
A Building Services supervisor dis-
covered Monday night that a Universi-
ty employee has two unauthorized
keys to the Rackham Building,
Department of Public Safety reports
state.
The supervisor originally thought
that the two keys, one of which is a
master key, were misplaced. But the
report states that the supervisor has
nce learned that the employee has
ad the keys for approximately six
months.
Subject found with
marijuana pipe
A subject was cited a verbal warn-
ing for possession of marijuana late
Tuesday night after he was viewed sit-
ting in his car in the M-22 parking
*ucture, DPS reports state.
While a search of the car yielded
negative results, the driver was in pos-
session of a marijuana pipe in plain
sight. No report was filed.
Raw sewage
destroys shoes
at 'U' hospital
A pair of shoes were ruined Tues-
*y afternoon while cleaning the sec-
ond level of Mott Children's Hospital,
DPS reports state.
The shoes were destroyed while
cleaning up an area containing raw
sewage.
Unattended doll
stolen from Mott
doll was stolen from the court-
yard area of Mott Children's Hospital
Wednesday afternoon, DPS reports
state. The doll was left unattended for
a few minutes and was then found to
be missing.
Man upset over
missing wallet
An "irate and verbally abusive"
man was found causing a disturbance
*the Hartwig Athletic Ticket Office
on Wednesday afternoon, DPS reports
state.
The subject was apparently upset
about a wallet which had either been
lost or stolen at an athletic event. A
report was filed and the subject creat-
ed no more problems.
Wallet containing
ash, credit cards
stolen at Fleming
A wallet was reported stolen from
the Office of the Vice President and
General Counsel in the Fleming
Administration Building on Wednes-
day afternoon, DPS reports state.
The wallet, which contained credit
cards and S20 in cash had been stolen
sometime after noon.
t the time the report was filed,
0 and S900 fraudulent charges had
already been made.
Trespasser found
in Stockwell lobby
A 19-year-old male subject was
found trespassing in the main lobby of
the all-female Stockwell Residence
Lll, late Wednesday night, DPS
orts state.
While a warrant check on the sub-
ject yielded negative results, the sub-
ject was read the trespassing statutes
and a report was filed.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Caitlin Nish.
Sale of residence hall would
finance construction of new
central campus housing facility
By Anna Clark
Daily Staff Reporter
The University Board of Regents is slated to
discuss the possibility of constructing a new
Central Campus residence hall in exchange for
putting Oxford Housing up for sale during its
monthly meeting Monday.
In a report to the regents The Family Hous-
ing Rate Review Committee stated that it sup-
ports the construction of a new
"centrally-located" residence hall which could
be funded by residence hall alumni and rev-
enue from selling Oxford Housing.
The regents are also scheduled to discuss rais-
ing room and board costs for the 2000-2001 aca-
demic year by 2.9 percent.
If the regents approve the rate increase,
room and board costs for on-campus housing
will rise from $5,614 for a regular double
room to 5,780.
The increase, which was approved for the offi-
cial proposal by University Housing, is less than
what the Residence Hall Association hoped for.
RHA President Jason Taylor said that while
the 3 percent increase adequately covers resi-
dence hall maintenance and upkeep, an extra 0.5
percent increase would've addressed "the loom-
ing technological issues."
"Already there's problems with Ethernet in the
residence halls," Taylor said "and the problem
will only escalate in the next two to three years.
We should be planning now to save money for
the changes we'll have to make which will go
into the millions of dollars."
"The people who will suffer are residents in
the next few years who will face an ungodly
room and board increase," he added.
The Rate Review Committee said in a
report to the regents that the extra 0.5 per-
cent increase would have aided residence hall
technology.
"Based on the information presented, it is
the opinion of the Committee that an addition-
al rate increase of 0.5% is necessary to be put
away for the technology upgrade," the report
said.
"Based on the reality of an obsolete residence
hall computer network in the next three to five
years, the Committee believes it is necessary to
begin funding the technology upgrade as soon as
possible" the report said.
Compared with other Big Ten universities, the
University has the second-highest room and
board prices, but also has the lowest percentage
increase for next year. Northwestern leads the
way with most expensive housing in the Big Ten,
while Purdue has the largest increase in room
and board rates, at 5.5 percent.
In its report to the regents, the Rate
Review Committee also endorses the pro-
posed Hill Dining Center on Palmer Field.
The committee recommends the dining hall
be "redesigned as a learner centered environ-
ment to link the Life Sciences Center to the
Hill Neighborhood."
"The Committee believes the opportunities for.
a facility that would link the Hill Area to the LSI
would greatly enhance the overall living and
learning experience of undergraduate students as
well as benefit LSI," the report says.
Western Michigan University
becomes member of WRC
By Jon Fish
Daily Staff Reporter
Western Michigan University
joined the Worker Rights Consor-
tium on Tuesday, bringing the total
number of members for the student-
developed sweatshop monitoring
organization to 18.
"We felt the WRC offered better
monitoring strategies," said Matt
Kurz, assistant vice president for
university relations at Western
Michigan. The school will join the
organization for a year and then
evaluate whether to continue its
association with the WRC.
"Their goal we agree with, but
how you implement it is something
that has yet to be determined," Kurz
said.
Trina Tocco, spokeswoman for
Western Michigan's chapter of United
Students Against Sweatshops, said the
administration was cooperative and
open to student input on the issues.
"No need for a sit-in here," Tocco
joked.
Western Michigan School of Social
Work Prof. Don Cooney added that
university President Elson Floyd
seemed "very receptive, very positive"
about the WRC.
Anti-sweatshop activists on West-
ern Michigan's campus in Kalama-
zoo credit the University of
Michigan with paving the way for
their own membership.
"Michigan was a big, big influ-
ence. It gave the WRC legitimacy,"
Cooney said."There was a lot -of
concern about what U of M was
doing," Tocco added.
In February, University President
Lee Bollinger agreed to provisional
membership in the organization
after members of Students Organiz-
ing for Labor and Economic Equali-
ty seized the office of LSA Dean
Shirley Neuman for three days. The
University joined the WRC with
Indiana University and the Universi-
ty of Wisconsin at Madison in what
anti-sweatshop activists considered
a major victory.
Before the three Big Ten universities
joined, the WRC was comprised of
smaller schools that did not have the
licensing capabilities of schools like
Wisconsin or Michigan.
Maria Roeper, interim coordinator of
the WRC, said the agreement between
the three schools has given the consor-
tium a great boost.
"It gives a lotfof credibility to the
WRC to have big schools join. Before
they joined we had five schools. Now
we have 18," Roeper said. "There's a
big increase, both due to them joining
and students have been stepping up
their organizing on their different cam-
puses."
Roeper said she and other members
of the anti-sweatshop movement have
been curious to see how schools will
define the provisions of their condi-
tional memberships.
The University is still in contact
with members of SOLE and represen-
tatives of the WRC. General Counsel
Marvin Krislov has defined the negoti-
'ations as a "work in progress" but the
University definitely "plans to honor
our commitment."
Pending' approval from University Housing, fish may be permitted in
residence halls.
Fish may be new
re
By Ahmed Hamid
For the.Daily ~
Residence hall dwellers may soon
enjoy the sound of waves and the
smell of the sea without ever having
to leave their room. Last night the
Residence Halls Association passed
a resolution to allow fish in resi-
dence halls. All that remains is for
University Housing to give the final
nod.
The issue of allowing fish in resi-
dence hall rooms has been debated
by RHA since last November.
Engineering freshman Tim
Winslow, who serves as a represen-
tative from Baits Residence Hall,
submitted the bill for consideration
earlier this month because he
thought allowing aquatic creatures
into rooms wouldn't pose a problem.
"Having fish -in the residence
halls can be worked out," Winslow
said. "Students should be allowed
to keep fish."
Residence Halls Association
President Jason Taylor said fish
would be a "welcome amenity of
home and this small step to allow
fish might make an appreciable dif-
ference in residence hall living."
Taylor and Winslow said they
were both aware of students
already keeping aquariums.
"Granted, it is against the rules,
yet this shows that some people do
enjoy keeping fish," Taylor said.
The University may be the only
institution of higher learning in the
country that does not allow fish as
pets in residence halls, Taylor said.
"The University claims that the issue
was never brought up before."
RHA representative Damon
Warren expressed concern about
possible electrical hazards. "Many
issues concerning aquariums in
residence halls, such as student
responsibility, were not thoroughly
discussed. I think the decision is
premature," he said.
Libby Larson, an RHA represen-
tative from Martha Cook, said she
"represented all the residents of the
dorm" when saying that "Martha
Cook is anti-fish."
Larson cited "foul smells" and
the inevitable "problem of people
flushing dead fish down toilets."
"With the old plumbing at
Martha, I don't think fish-flushing
would be a good idea;" she said.
Warren said animal rights issues
also come into question if fish are
left unattended for long periods
during Winter or Spring break.
Taylor said he is not worried
about fish being neglected. "If you
look at Michigan students they are
some of the best and brightest
around. They should have no prob-
lem in tending for their fish."
The resolution would require
students to keep fish in tanks no
larger than 12 gallons and only
with the consent of all roommates.
The aquarium would need to be
placed in a "logical position" away
from electrical objects.
Gene Molina, assistant manager of
Pet Supplies Plus on Plymouth Road,
was very enthusiastic upon hearing
of the resolution. "It would be won-
derful if the University allowed fish
in dorm rooms," he said.
LSA freshman April Adams said
fish would be a positive addition to a
room. "Seeing live fish swimming
around would definitely enrich daily
life, but there is always the chance of
forgetfulness on the owner's part."
House passes porn regulations
LANSING (AP) - The state would be allowed to regu-
late adult entertainment businesses under bills approved on
a partisan vote by a state House committee yesterday.
With the five bills approved by the House Constitutional
Law and Ethics Committee, the state House now must con-
sider a total of 13 bills that would license and regulate adult
book stores, massage parlors and other sexually-oriented
stores. The businesses also would be subject to inspections.
The package would empower local governments dealing
with adult entertainment venues, said Committee Chairman
Rep. Mike Bishop, (R-Rochester).
"This legislation gives municipalities power to make sure
they are free of unregulated activity," Bishop said. "This
would clean up any activity that is unclean."
The bills approved by the committee yesterday would:
Require businesses to display sexually explicit materi-
als only in restricted areas.
Amend the Public Health Code to prohibit a person
from using a commercial facility for the purpose of engag-
ing in sexual activity.
THE CALENDAR
What's happening in Ann Arbor this weekend
FRIDAY Community in Late Medieval Ana- St. Patrick's Day Weekend in the
tolia," Sponsored the Near East- Kerrytown Shops, A two-day fes-
ESt. Patrick's Day at Conor O'Neill's, en Studies department, lecture tival of music and St. Patrick's
Irish music and, dancers all day by Gottfried Hagen, 3050 Frieze, Day activities, throughout the
logs 1 ms an, d a- ay 1 p.m. Kerrytown shops, 11 a.m.-3
65-2968.DS. Ma, 7 a.m.2 a.m., "gDemocracyfor Taiwan', rally p.m., 662-5008
u 6Beon5 Ntue:A6ysem against Chinese communist Poetry Reading: Conference on the
"Beyond Nature: A Systems prsinaantTia, Holocaust, Sponsored by Bor-
Approach to Development," oppression against Taiwan,"HlcutSpnoebyBr
Sponsored by the Michigan Int, Sponsored by Michigan Tai- ders, Borders, 2 p.m.
Spo for Women's Health's Genes wanese Student Association, a EUSAC 5K Run/Walk, Registration
tive ner Sese l Se es rally for Taiwanese students to for run begins at 8:30 a.m.,
r ner by Speaker ustoSeries, lec- voice out their rights of democra- Indoor Track Building, 8:30 a.m.
biology anwonn 's studies pro- cy and opposition towards com- U Faculty Recital, Sponsored by the
sorg 3women s Hall,st 25udies E. munist China, on the Diag, noon University School of Music, facul-
University, noon EAHaRDAE ty members Ellwood Derr, Donald
"Inventing an Accountability Sys- SATURDAY Sinta, Elizabeth Major,nandsLogan
tem for Head Start," Sponsored Skelton, with student guests,
by the University School of Edu- ESt. Patrick's Day Weekend in the Music School Recital all, 8
cation and Washtenaw County Kerrytown Shops, A two-day fes- p.m., 764-0594.
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