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Today: Mostly cloudy. High 30. Low 25.
Tomorrow: Sunny. High 35.
One hundred nine years ofeditorzWfreedom
Thursday
January 13, 2000
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Minority
housing
pushed at
J'western
University of Michigan
provides no minority
Greek housing
By Jose Gingrich
Daily Staff Reporter
A proposal adopted by Northwestern
niversity's Associated Student
Government earlier this week would
provide minority Greek Organizations
with on-campus housing, sparking the
interest of local student leaders.
The proposal asks Northwestern
administrators to give blocks of rooms
in residence halls to minority Greek
organizations. A third of the student
body on the Evanston, ill. campus is
involved in the Greek system.
"It's a significant problem that
*inorities feel are excluded from
social. life," Northwestern ASG
President Steve Spaulding said.
Northwestern students hope to reme-
dy this situation by offering on-campus
housing to those minority organiza-
tions that request space. Members of
minority Greek organizations at
Northwestern said they hope housing
will provide their groups with addition-
exposure -and foster fellowship
nong members, according to a report
Tuesday in The Daily Northwestern.
None of the minority Greek organi-
zations at the University of Michigan
have official residences on campus.
"There are issues with financing,"
said Business senior Janelle Jenkins, a
member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
"However, if housing became available,
it would be a good opportunity."
But Jenkins added that living in a
*sidence hall "wouldn't be like a
Rome."
-ut student leaders are optimistic
about a change.
"It's a fascinating proposal," said
Michigan Student Assembly President
Brain Elias, an LSA senior. "I'm look-
ing forward to working with (Residence
Hall Association) and the administration
to look into possibilities."
RHA President Jason Taylor agreed
Wt the proposal was interesting.
"I think it's an absolutely excellent
idea," said Taylor, an LSA senior. "It's
an authentic way to address a situation
that hasn't been addressed."
Taylor added "It certainly gives me
some ideas about possibilities."
Despite student interest in the pro-
posal, the actual implementation of the
Northwestern program would not be
easily feasible, said University Director
f Housing Public Affairs Alan Levy.
V"Northwestern is hardly the origina-
tor or this idea," Levy said. "Also, there
are implications in providing any
Greek organization on-campus hous-
ing. There are issues related to whose
rules hold primary precedence, the fra-
ternity or sorority versus community
living standards."
Levy also cited problems with finan-
cial arrangements, disciplinary and
dicial proceedings as possible imped-
tents to on-campus Greek housing.
But he added that offering housing
for minority Greek organizations is a
possibility if the administration and
Greek organizations could work
through these issues.
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By David Enders
Daily Staff Reporter
University officials announced yester-
day that it will cost nearly $100,000 to
remove the Maize and Blue letters and
symbols that adorn the Michigan
Stadium.
The University announced the deci-
sion last week to remove the 7.5 foot let-
ters, which have since their unveiling
prompted outcry among students and
alumni. The removal is scheduled to
begin Monday.
University facilities spokesperson,
said Diane Brown the project cost is
approximately $50,000 to remove the let-
ters and another $50,000 for patchwork
and painting of the halo once the letters
are gone.
"The entire project will cost less than
$100,000,' Brown said.
The painting is planned for the
spring.
"We haven't decided exactly what
the color scheme would be," Brown
said. "But it could be similar to the
east side of the stadium." The east
side of the Big House has no halo and
is painted blue with a thin strip of
maize.
University President Lee Bollinger
admitted earlier this week that many
fans seemed to dislike the halo and that
the decision to install the letters may
have been "rushed."
Brown also said the large football-
shaped section signs that went up with
the halo and are the same color will
remain in the stadium.
"'We may paint them," she said, and
indicated that the Athletic Department
will look for more community input in
upcoming stadium renovations.
The letters, which will be put in
storage, were introduced in 1998,
when the University added 5,500 seats
to the stadium.
Many students agree with the decision
to remove the halo.
"I think it's ugly" said LSA sopho-
more Matt Creely. "Not the expansion,
but the way they did it. I thought it was a
big mistake. They should have at least
kept the color.'
Assistant Athletic Director Bruce
Madej said while he didn't have an
opinion about the halo coming down,
did say "it looked great on television."
"On ESPN Gameday, it really
stood out, and that's what everyone
was talking about," Madej said. "But
it was iust one of those that some
people liked and some people
didn't"
DAVID IKATZ/Daily
LSA sophomore Danielle Tucker reads with first-grade student Ameer Frederick-Toure at Allen Elementary Schoo
yesterday as part of a University volunteer program.
Survey: Service more
appealing bthan pltic
a P P
By Yael Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter "The government doesn't
Although sweeping and mopping the floors of a home-
less shelter seems like grimy work, LSA senior David play a very big role in
Eklund said the good feeling he gets by seeing the smiles
on peoples' faces is more rewarding than participating in suents'lives."
political activities. - David Eklund
Eklund is not the only college student who feels that LSA senior
community service is a more fulfilling way to spend his
time than engaging in political or public services based
on a study by the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. ated by the government than adults overall, Omero said
The Washington D.C.-based Mellman Group conduct- She added that students are less inclined to participate i
ed a nationwide survey of 800 college students under 31 politics because "the government doesn't play a very bi
years of age. Surveyors wanted to investigate people's role in students' lives."
desire to go into public service or political careers, gauge The study also showed *that there is wide support fo
how connected students are to the political process and to performing community service in exchange for tempo
find out students' personal goals, said Mellman Group rary forbearance on student loans.
Vice President Margie Omero. "There's not very much that is inspiring right now i
The Mellman Group found that students feel less alien- See SURVEY, Page 2A
w
It's a dog eat dog world
d.
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State committee recommends
repeal of antiquated statutes
By Adam Brian Cohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Any person who presents the head of
a black, brown, gray or Norway rat to
the clerk of any Michigan city, town-
ship or village shall be awarded 10
cents per head, according to a state
statute passed in 1915.
This law, and many others like it, still
stand today.
The Senate Law Revision Task Force
has worked "to review the state's statues
and recommend the repeal or amend-
ment of those laws that are arcane or
irrelevant to life in post-millennial'
Michigan," according to the SLRTF
report.
On the advice of Gov. John Engler
and Richard McLellan, the chair of the
Michigan Law Revision Commission,
Senate Majority Leader Dan DeGrow
(R-Port Huron) established
the committee and
appointed its members last )m
The SLRTF presented their report to
DeGrow on Dec. 16. But now, more
than 90 bills pertaining to statutes from
the 1850s to 1990s, are being prepared
Iw4..
June.
The committee's main
goals focus on freeing
state residents from the
enforcement of arcane and
irrelevant laws, making
sure residents need not be
2
to go through House and
Senate committees and then
to the governor's desk for
consideration. The SLRTF
hopes to have these laws
repealed and/or amended by
2001, said Thaddeus
McCotter (R-Livonia).
SLRTF members aimed
to lay a foundation for
aware of or abide by these laws and not
squandering governmental resources by
imposing these laws.
future law revisions and check-ups.
"If we can't clean up the basement
See LAWS, Page 2A
DANNY KALICK/Daily
Eric Meyers serves hot dogs yesterday at Biener's Wiener's on North
University Avenue and State Street, one of several stands across campus.
Blue Crunch Lot provides free taxi
service to alleviate parking hassles
By Jon Zemke
Daily Staff Reporter
In an attempt to relieve the pressure of
parking on Central Campus, the University's
Department of Parking and Transportation
Services designated the parking area at Elbel
Field into the "Blue Crunch Lot" on Monday.
The lot's 208 parking spaces, used in the
fall as a practice area for the Michigan
Marching Band, will be available to blue
parking permit holders Monday through
Friday, 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will remain a
blue permit lot only for the remainder of the
winter term.
"It was never rea11v used as a narkini lot
year. We dumped our snow there last year."
Cunningham hopes the lot will take pres-
sure off the usually full University parking
structures during peak parking times, such as
the middle of the day.
"In the last three days I've spent two
hours looking for parking," said Michigan
Student Assembly President Bram Elias, a
blue permit holder. "There's just been an
incredible crunch now that school has start-
ed again."
Because the Blue Crunch Lot is farther
away from campus than other blue permit
parking lots and structures, the Parking and
Transportation Denartment plans to transport
the lot by either giving the cab driver an esti-
mated pick-up time or call'ng a special num-
ber for Blue Crunch Lot pick-up or return.
The blue parking permit is the second most
viable permit used by the University, gold
permits may be used in most University lots.
Blue permits are usually sold to faculty and
staff and generally aren't available to stu-
dents.
The Blue Crunch Lot will be monitored by
universiy hired security guards, while
Department W Public Safety officers will
also step up regular monitoring of University
parking structures during the winter term.
"There has been a man posted at the door
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