LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, March 22, 2000-3

Native Amercans address secret society

U. Wisconsin
chancellor steps
down from post
University of Wisconsin at Madison
Chancellor David Ward announced
last week his plans to leave his posi-
tion at the end of the year. Ward, who
has been chancellor for the past seven
years, said he has thought about his
decision for about a year.
Ward said the February anti-sweat-
shop sit-in at his office did not con-
tribute to his decision. He said he
will take one year off then return to
the university's geography depart-
eent. Ward was the department's
chair before becoming chancellor.
UW System President Katharine
Lyall said a committee will be formed
to evaluate possible successors to Ward.
She added that Ward did a good job of
fundraising for the university. His resig-
nation is effective Jan. 1, 2001,
Kirkpatrick named
iEMU president
The Eastern Michigan University
Board of Regents named Samuel
Kirkpatrick president of the university
yesterday.
Kirkpatrick is a senior fellow with the
American Association of State Colleges
and Universities and from 1990 to 1999
served as president of the University of
Texas at San Antionio.
Kirkpatrick is scheduled to assume
e office as of May 15. He succeeds
illiam Shelton, who is retiring and has
served as president of EMU since 1989.
Sports fans seek
excused absences
A group of Louisiana State Univer-
sity students fans missed class to
attend a men's basketball game earlier
this month, and a high level Universi-
*y official has tried to get their
absences excused.
Bobbi Walker, vice chancellor for
Student Life and Academic Services,
sent letters to the student's professors
asking that they be free to miss class
March 1 to attend an away game
against Auburn. Walker said she wrote
the letter for a "handful" of students
who she said attend every home game
Walker said the students - who
ave no official association with the
cam - would provide needed fan
support for an important game.
William Dickinson, a mass commu-
nications professor, said he received
the letter from a student and he does
not support Walker's reasoning. He
said that other students will expect to
be excused in the future and that
Walker's gesture gives more impor-
tance to athletics than academics.
*alker said she does not plan on writ-
ing any letter for future games.
UC grad students
decide not to strike
University of California graduate
students reversed their decision to strike
over a contract dispute with the univer-
sity system. A three-week mediation
process will take place instead.
The director of the California
*partment of personnel administra-
tion will be a third party and work
with the university and the Associa-
tion of Graduate Student Employees.
One day before the students' deci-
sion, the university filed an unfair
labor practice against the United Auto
Workers, which is representing the

graduate students. The university
charged that the union was limiting the
Vance of a contract by not making
proposals, threatening a strike, and
bargaining only on the surface.
One issue of contention concerns
maximum work hours. Graduate stu-
dents proposed a 16 to 20 hour work
week with two 30 hour weeks per term.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Robert Gold.

By Tiffany Maggard
Daily Staff Reporter
Members of the Native American communi-
ty said they have waited long enough to inform
students and faculty of the aspects of the
senior honor society Michigamua they feel are
offensive.
The primary concern expressed during a panel
discussion last night was Michigamua's name.
"We want them to change their name -
they have to or we will not feel comfortable
with their organization," Rackham student
Andrew Adams said.
"If they are really sincere about changing
their organization and starting the healing
process, with the Native community, they
need to change their name," he said.
Students of Color Coalition spokesman Joe
Reilly said Michigamua's name is representa-

tive of its past, and the organization will bear
that history as long as it remains.
"It's the history and the mentality of the
group ... the name is an artifact and it is the
last artifact that needs to be returned - it
needs to be changed," he said.
But Michigamua spokesperson Nick Del-
gado said after the discussion that although
Michigamua's core values - namely its pride
in the University -- remain the same, its ritu-
als are fundamentally different.
"The fact of the matter is that Michigamua
today, is fundamentally different from what it
was in the past. While the practices are the
same in that we fight for Michigan, the ritu-
als are different. This difference is something
that needs to be recognized," Delgado said.
But Adams highlighted events in the evolu-
tion of Michigamua since its founding in
1902, including its admittance of black ath-

"If they are really sincere ... they need to change
their name.7,
- Andrew Adams
Rackham student

letes in the 1960s and women in 1999.
Although the organization is ethnically
diverse today and he declined an offer to join
the group in 1995, Adams noted that he has
not been able to find any documentation of
Native American members.
Former University Health Service Out-
patient Clerk Karen Brewer said she resigned
her position two weeks ago after taking a tour
of Michigamua's meeting space during SCC's
occupation of the Union tower. Brewer said
she was offended by the nicknames Michiga-

mua formerly gave to its members, names
that made disparaging remarks about Native
Americans.
"What hurt me was seeing these names given
to people - it is not only demeaning to Native
American people, but to everyone," she said.
"It's mocking our spirituality and degrad-
ing the core of who we are," she said.
Brewer said she will continue to try to
make progress on racial issues within the
University and in aggregate Michigan com-
munities.


MSA to make changes to
constituency relationships

By Lisa Koivu
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly
meeting held last night in the
Michigan Union was shorter than
those held in recent weeks, yet it
was still an adequate amount of
time to pass a resolution to establish
direct constituencies and pass the
amendments to the assembly's com-
piled code.
The meeting began with Engineer-
ing senior Alok Agrawal, who serves
as election director for MSA,
announcing that the elections would
begin at midnight.
Budget Priorities Committee
chairman Glen Roe told the assem-
bly that within three days of grants
being signed for student funds, just
under S6,000 had been picked up,
which is an increase from previous
terms.
LSA sophomore Jennifer Zorko pre-
sented her resolution calling for MSA
to establish direct contact constituen-
cies to the assembly.
"This will change how constituents
deal with MSA forever. Students will
know what's going on with MSA and
we'll know what they think," Zorko
said.
The proposal requires constituencies
to be made with each school divided
among representatives. Each represen-
tative would be responsible for e-mail-
ing those students falling under his or

her territory and letting them know
about upcoming events or resolutions
passed by MSA.
LSA rep. Mark Sherer disagreed
with the resolution, saying that
some students wouldn't receive as
many e-mails as other students,
which would be a disservice. "As
I've seen, some people are much
more interested in MSA than others.
If we split it up, some may not
know what's going on," Sherer said.
"Outside of voting and BPC time,
students often don't want to hear about
MSA and a lot of students wouldn't
enjoy getting e-mails every week," he
added.
External Relations Commission
Vice-Chairman Tom Panoff said he
agreed that assembly members should
talk to constituents, but not through e-
mail.
But Law School Rep. Jasmine
Abdel-Khalik said she has had success
with her c-mails to Law students
throughout the year.
"This is a way for us to get involved.
Five people are running for my chair
this term, and I think this is because
they realize a lot can be done in.MSA.
The e-mails made them realize MSA
is important. Nobody knows what we
do," Abdel-Khalik said.
Zorko said her resolution is still in
the developing stages and "will need
tweaking."
During the meeting, the assembly
also addressed a resolution asking

the University community to attend
the April 12 court date for the law-
suit challenging the University's
use of race in its admissions prac-
tices.
MSA Vice President Andy
Coulouris recommended the resolution
be tabled for a week because the
Defend Affirmative Action Party is
supporting the motion and he didn't
want it to seem as though the assembly
was supporting the party.
"My concern is the cloud that coudd
possibly surround this. Since there is
leniency in time, we should wait until
it is completely clean," Coulouris said.
The assembly tabled the resolution
until next week.
MSA also voted to change its
compiled code, cutting the length
of it in half and making it easier to
read. The code is a list of rules the
assembly has developed throughout
the years to guide MSA conduct.
"Josh (Trapani) and Jen (Sea-
mon) spent all year working on
this, even through last summer. It
didn't make sense to have rules-.we
couldn't follow. "This won't affect
the campus, but it makes it easier
for MSA to do its job," MSA Presi-
dent Bram Elias said.
It was also announced that repre-
sentatives Rachel Arfa and Josh
Trapani, as well as MSA advisor
Jackie Simpson were recipients of
this years Michigan Leadership
Awards.

21 contestants competed last night at the Power Center for Mr. Greek
Week.
Students battle for
Greek Week crown

By Erica Fenby
For the Daily
The music blared, the cameras
flashed and the 21 male contestants
strutted their stuff in order to become
this year's Mr. Greek Week. Every
fraternity on campus sent a represen-
tative to the Power Center last night
in an attempt to win the title.
The competition, which resem-
bles a beauty pageant, is part of a
series of events planned for this
year's Greek Week. The week-long
celebration allows sororities and
fraternities to challenge each other
in order to raise money for charity.
LSA freshman Jeff Littlejohn, a
member of Beta Theta Pi, said the
event promotes a lot of spirit.
"Everyone gets really enthusiastic."
The ticket sale profits from the
Mr. Greek Week competition were
donated to several local charities. A
large portion of the proceeds was
given to Camp Heartland, an HIV
center for children.
Delta Delta Delta member Can-
dice Carbajal said the event serves
as a way for the University's fra-
ternities and sororities to interact.
"It's so great to see all the differ-
ent Greek groups coming together
for such a good cause. There
seems to be a real sense of togeth-
erness on campus."
During the event contestants had

to impersonate their favorite role
model, complete with costumes and
characteristics. Heroes included
James Bond, Austin Powers.
Madonna and Captain Morgan.
Contestants also had to partici-
pate in a talent competition in order
for a chance to wear the Mr. Greek
Week crown. The contestants dis-
played a variety of talents, from
playing the cello to lip synching to
Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive."
Hosts of the show grilled the par-
ticipants in a variety of areas
including what a candidate would
say to make an impression on Uni-
versity President Lee Bollinger if
stranded with him in an elevator.
After five finalists were grilled
further, the scores were tallied and
Greg Whitmore, of Alpha Phi
Delta, walked away the winner.
Whitmore thanked his fraternity
for choosing him to represent them.
(Alpha Phi Delta) "were always so
supportive of me," he said.
Kappa Sigma member Jeremy
Chassen won second place and
Delta Kappa Epsilon member Joe
.Jagenow came in third.
Whitmore said that the compe-
tition truly embodies the spirit of
the Greek System. "It allows peo-
ple in the Greek community to
meet, and enables them to all
come together for a wonderful
cause," he said.

I I

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Correction:
RC freshman Nicole Clifford was misidentified in yesterday's Daily.
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