One hundred nine years ofeditonridfreedom
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NEWS: 76-DAILY
CLASSIFED: 764-0557
www.michigandaily.com
Monday
March 20, 2000
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*Proposed
law to curb
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NOW a
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dea-n
to
Ste
newborns
By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
State Sen. Joanne Emmons is
sponsoring a law she hoped would
never be necessary.
The legislation, currently before
the Michigan Senate Judiciary
Committee, .would provide new
Onothers the option of releasing
their newborn babies to the custody
of the court without legal conse-
quence. The law, Emmons (R-Big
Rapids) said, is intended to curb the
rising number of newborns aban-
doned each year.
"Newborn babies are being aban-
doned and that is really a shame
when so many people are waiting to
adopt," Emmons said.
Under the measure, mothers
Would deliver their unwanted babies
to any hospital, fire station or
police station, and would not be
subject to punitive legal action.
The child would then become a
ward of the court and could be
reclaimed by the biological parents
through a court hearing or most
likely would be released for adop-
tion.
* The thrust behind the legislation
came from similar laws that states
such as Texas have enacted.
The Texas law, which took effect
last September, states that a mother
can leave her child with an emer-
gency care provider within 30 days
of the child's birth and not be sub-
ject to criminal prosecution.
Texas state Rep. Geanie Morri-
son authored the original abandon-
-ment law that has influenced 23
Gther states, including Michigan, to
take similar action.
That law has moved into its sec-
ond phase - titled the Baby Moses
Project - which intends to educate
Texas citizens about their rights
under the new law.
"We're hoping to educate the
public as to the general scope of the
problem," said Justin Unruh, direc-
*or of the Baby Moses Project.
Since the law was passed, three
babies have been abandoned in
Texas, he said. Because these
babies were not left in the custody
of an emergency care provider,I
Unruh said he believes the mothers
of these children did not know of
the new law.
"We feel these mothers didn't
know this opportunity was there for
them to utilize," Unruh said. "We're
*rying to let them know that there is1
a better place for them to leave
their baby than a dumpster."
Emmons said it is not clear yet1
how old a baby could be under the
Michigan law before it is consid-
ered too old to be given up by the
mother. Currently, she said, the billi
states that the baby can be no older
than 30 days but there is a strong
See BABIES, Page 7AI
Kids-Fair
entertain
*area yout
By Elizabeth Kassab
Daily Staff Reporter
Dean B. Joseph White
announces that he will not seek
a third tern as B-School head
By Caitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter;
Students, faculty and administrators alike
were shocked and saddened by Thursday's
announcement thit School of Business Admin-
istration Dean B. Joseph White's decision to not
stand for reappointment to his position.
White will complete his second five-year
term in the middle of 2001, concluding eleven
years as the head of the school.
"1 think a decade or so is a good long run for
a dean at the University of Michigan. The busi-
ness school is in really good condition and I
think we will be able to attract a strong succes-
sor to me," White said.
University Regent Olivia Maynard (D-
Goodrich) said she is disappointed by White's
decision but understands it.
"He has been a very positive part of the busi-
ness school and the University," she said. "Cer-
tainly it's a loss, but on the other hand I always
honor someone's decision to go in different
directions."
In an e-mail message addressed to the busi-
ness school community, White said he "had
long planned to serve as dean for a decade.
(Provost Nancy Cantor) and (President Lee
Bollinger), as well as a number of faculty col-
leagues, urged me during the last several
months to consider continuing for a third term.
This support, which I appreciate, caused me to
re-consider my plans. But I have come to the
conclusion that I should stay the course of pur-
suing new challenges when my term ends next
year."
Bollinger said yesterday he urged White to
consider another term.
"This is Joe's choice, We both, Nancy and I,
talked to him at length and urged him to stay if
he really wanted to. But, I think 10 years is
more than a fair commitment by a person to a
deanship. He has done an outstanding job," he
said.
During his tenure as dean, White highly influ-
enced the business school. Under his leadership,
down
the school has seen the creation of the William
Davidson Institute, the Joel D. Tauber Manufac-
turing Institute, the Frederick A. and Barbara
M. Erb Institute and the Samuel Zell and Robert
H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies;
plus the physical expansion of the business
campus.
Throughout the past 10 years, annual expen-
ditures on student scholarships have been dou-
bled, the annual operating budget has grown
from nearly $50 millionto more than $100 mil-
lion and the school's endowment has increased
from $40 million to $150 million.
"The things (White) has accomplished don't
go away when he goes away, they continue. His
great contribution is that he has made this one
See WHITE, Page 7A
'I feel good!'
Icers draw
ffth-se~%ed
By Chris Grandstaff
Daily Sports Editor
It wasn't what it was hoping for before
started, but yesterday the Michigan hockey
news that it had received a fifth seed in the
the weekend
team got the
East Region-
al of the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan, still smarting
from Friday night's 7-4 upset
at the hands of Nebraska-
Omaha in the CCHA Tourna-
ment, will face-off Saturday
night in Albany, N.Y. against
fourth-seeded Colgate for the
right to play No. I seed
Maine on Sunday.
A dejected group of
Wolverines gathered in the
lockerroom of Yost Ice
Arena yesterday to watch
and wait for the seeding
announcement, and when it
On to Albany
® Fifth-seed
Michigan
faces fourth-
seed Colgate
in Round 1 of the NCAA
Tournament.
3 Game 1: Saturday,
3:30 p.m. at the Pepsi
Arena, Albany, N.Y.
9 For ticket information
call: (508) 476-1000
Legendary singer James Brown pours out his soul to a sold-out house at Hill Auditorium on Saturday night.
DANA IUNNANE/Daily
Canddates discu ss- issues,
platforis at MSAI debate
came they didn't complain, but remained focused on the
task at hand.
"From a coaches perspective I feel fortunate that we have
another chance coming off a loss," Michigan coach Red
See HOCKEY, Page 3A
By Lisa Koivu I
Daily StaffReporter
In the fourth}annual debate hosted by
WOLV-TV, the University's student run televi-
sion station, Michigan Student Assembly presi-
dential and vice presidential candidates tackled
topics the assenbly will be facing in the
upcoming year.
The debate began with the four vice
presidential candidates in attendance ---
Jessica Curtin from the Defend Affirma-
tive Action Party, Sara Sweat from the
Friends Rebelling Against Tyranny Party,
independent candidate Jim Secreto and
Elise Erickson from the Blue Party, stating
why each thought he or she would be the
best candidate.
Curtin said she has been one of the most pub-
lic leaders on this campus. "I've been on MSA
for two years and served as the Peace and Jus-
tice Commission co-chairwoman. I'm an inter-
venor in the lawsuits. I want to be an official
leader of the student government," Curtin said.
From Curtin's seriousness, Sweat said she is
running to "inject levity into MSA, because
people take themselves too seriously."
Secreto said he is able to understand what
students want because of his work with the
American Civil Liberties Union.
Erickson said she serves as a liaison between
the administration and students, representing
students to the University Board of Regents.
After the vice presidential candidates fin-
ished speaking, the presidential candidates had
a chance to debate topics including parking,
tuition and a decline in minority enrollment.
The candidates first discussed the pending
Supreme Court case, The Board of Regents of
the University of Wisconsin v. Scott South-
worth, involving the use of student fees to fund
campus groups. Wolverine Party candidate
Rory Diamond said "if a student has a problem
with funding, vote Wolverine."
Kym Stewart from. the All Peoples' Party
said if a student has problems with the way stu-
dent fees are distributed to student groups; they
should join groups with opposing ideologies.
Blue Party candidate Glen Roe and indepen-
dent Hideki Tsutsumi then attacked the lack of
parking on campus.
See DEBATE, Page 2A
Inside: A complete run-down of parties. Page5A.
Social Security
Adlministration tries
to educate students
"Ready? Go!"
At Business senior Raj Ramanan's mark,
groups of University and elementary school stu-
dents raced against each other to see who could
build the tallest stack of Legos in a minute. The
Dowers had to be able to stand on their own, and
the winners got candy, from Ramanan and other
students from the Michigan BBA Transfer Club,
which took part in the second annual Kids-Fair at
Crisler Arena on Friday.
The BBA Transfer Club was one of more than
110 student groups at the fair, which was spon-
ByIYaetKohen
Daily StAf Reporter
With many officials and politicians
stressing the need to "save social securi-
ty" many young people are left wonder-
ing what the relevance of saving this
system is to their lives. But with worries
that the social security trust fund is
going to be exhausted by 2034, Social
Security Administration officials are
trying to inform young people that
social security is a pertinent issue that
directly and presently affects them too.
"This is an inter-generational pro-
gram," said William Halter, deputy
commissioner of the Social Security
abled or survivors of a deceased relative.
According to Social Security Admin-
istration statistics show that one out of
every four youths can expect to become
disabled before they reach 67 years-old
and one out of every six can expect to
die before 67.
In 1998, approximately 95,000 stu-
dents between the ages of 18 and 19
received social security benefits averag-
ing $470 per month, according to SSA
statistics.
"We've got indicators that a number
of younger folks are concerned (about
social security) but they don't have a full
set of information," Halter said.
Social security is somewhat of an
LSA sophomore Chiao-Ju Chu protests China's military
threats on Taiwan on the steps of the Harlan Hatcher
Graduate Library on Friday.
Students protest
t
Chinese threats'
By Jacquelyn Nixon
For the Daily
Members of the Michigan Taiwanese Student Associa-
tion stood on the steps of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate
Library on Friday, the eve of the second election in Taiwan's
history, protesting China's obstruction of Taiwan's democra-
tic system. The protest formed in response to China's threat
to use military force if Taiwan refused to unify.
"This is not an issue of reunification, but rather an issue
of imperialistic takeover. What China thinks will force us
towards them is only pushing us away. Taiwan is not a part
JOANNAPA INE/vaily
Engineering sophomore Eric Beaser teaches
elementary school student hantel Johnson to drive a
solar car at Kids-Fair on Friday at Crisler Arena.
schools. University students and elementary
school students are paired up and exchange let-
ters foi one year.
Besides providing a fun environment for the
i