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One hundred nine years ofeditonalfreedom
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NEWS: 76-DAILY
CLASSIFIED: 764-0557
www.michigandaily.com
Wednesday
April 5,2000
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1'1 { '
FC to
probe
hazing
charge
By David Enders
Daily Staff Reporter
The University's Interfraternity
Council suspended the campus chap-
er of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity last
week to investigate hazing allega-
tions.
"On late Thursday night last week,
the IFC voted to temporarily suspend
all chapter operations of the ZBT
chapter here on campus because of
an alleged violation of IFC hazing
policy," IFC Vice President of Exter-
nal Relations Jerry Mangona said in
a written statement.
"We want to get to the bottom of
his," said Jonathan Yulish, ZBT's
executive director.
A source from within the Greek
system, who wished not to be identi-
fied, said the hazing incident
occurred less than two weeks ago.
The victim had bleach either
poured or sprayed on his face dur-
ing a line up, where new members
of the fraternity were being ver-
ally and physically abused by
active members, the source said,
adding that the victim's burns
were treated - but that he
received permanent scaring and
irreparable skin damage.
IFC has taken statements from
witnesses, but is currently protecting
their identities and declining to
release testimony. "No other details
regarding the incident will be
released to the public until this case
s resolved by our judiciary body,"
Mangona said.
ZBT was investigated by national
officials earlier this year after par-
ents of some prospective fraternity
members complained of hazing, but
Yulish said no one found substantial
proof of the allegations.
Alpha Epsilon Pi, another campus
fraternity, was disbanded earlier this
ear when pledges at that house
spoke out about hazing after a pledge
was shot in the groin with a BB gun.
Carville, Ford
to speak on
U-S-.
By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
Political junkies will find t
tooths satisfied this week as
profile political events will
tainly grab the attention of t
just can't seem to get enough
Tonight, political consuit
Carville will lecture on Amer
tics.
Friday, former President G
will host a conference comm
the 25th anniversary of the e
involvement in the Vietnam
Carville, most notably k
guiding President Bill Clint
presidential campaign to vic
speak free of charge tonight
ham Auditorium at 8 p.m. in
sity Activities Center sponsor
"We're really excited," s
Wedlick, chairman of the UA
er Initiative. "We've had a to
tive reaction to it and we ho
will walk away more inform
politics," he added.
Although tickets for the
out since last Thursday, We
UAC will try to accommod
who arrive 15 to 20 minut
Carville takes the stage.
"We're trying to fit as ma
as we can into the auditorium
In addition to serving as
consultant for the prime mi
Greece and Honduras and the
of Brazil and Ecuador, Cary
lances as an author and a speec
He is married to his poli
politics
Mary Matalin who headed George
Bush's unsuccessful 1992 re-election
bid against Clinton.
heir sweet Friday's conference on the Vietnam
two high War, "After the Fall: Vietnam Plus
most cer- Twenty-Five," brings former President
hose who and University alum Gerald Ford to
CNN. campus as host of a day-long program
ant James that will examine the impact of the
rican poli- war on American politics.
"Rather than rehashing the Viet-
erald Ford nam War, what we really wanted to
emorating do was bring in those who were
nd of U.S. closely involved with it and get
War. their impression on how the war
nown for affected the government," said Dick
on's 1992 Holzhausen, who is coordinating
tory, will the event sponsored by the Gerald
at Rack- R. Ford Foundation, the Gerald R.
a Univer- Ford Library and the University's
red event. Ford School of Public Policy.
aid Jason The conference, scheduled for
C Speak- Friday at 9 a.m. in the Michigan
)t of posi- League Ballroom, offers the library
pe people the opportunity to release thousands
ned about of pages of recently declassified
documents relating to U.S. involve-
event ran ment in the war - particularly the
dlick said war's end and the fall of Saigon
[ate those while Ford was president.
es before Panelists will include former U.S.
senator Eugene McCarthy, who ran for
ny people president in 1968 on an anti-war cam-
," he said. paign; Robert Dallek, presidential
a political biographer of John F. Kennedy and
nisters of Lyndon Johnson; Lawrence Eagle-
presidents burger, former Secretary of State
ville free- under George Bush; and journalists
chwriter. Andrea Mitchell of NBC and Morely
tical rival Safer of"60 Minutes."
SAM HOLLENSHEAU/Uaily
LSA junior Brad Chod of Sigma Alpha Mu and LSA senior David Singer of Beta Theta Pi read parts of a new hazing policy
drafted by the University Hazing Task Force last night at the Sigma Delta Tau sorority house.
HaigOoic elae
By Caitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter
Backing up its promise with
quick action, the University Hazing
Task Force released a preventative
hazing policy yesterday that the
task force is recommending to the
Greek system.
The policy defines hazing as "any
action or situation, with or without
consent of the participants, which
recklessly, intentionally or uninten-
tionally endangers the mental, physi-
cal or academic health or safety of a
student.'
It also outlines accountability,
procedure and sanctions that could
occur if a chapter is found guilty
of hazing.
Interfraternity Council President
Adam Silver said the committee's
detailed policy exceeded his expecta-
tions.
"One of the problems in the past is
we've never addressed the issue, it's
been the Greek system's dirty little
secret," Silver said.
"This policy is an integral part in
changing the culture of the Greek
community," he said.
The 15 members of the hazing task
force had until the end of the semes-
ter to compile a hazing policy.
All three branches of the Greek
system are expected to vote on the
policy when it is presented to them
later this week for ratification.
"Most important when creating the
policy was keeping it centered around
self-government and self-enforce-
ment," said LSA senior David Singer,
co-chair of the taskiforce.
"It is important that we show we
can take care of ourselves and we will
address the problem within our sys-
tem without being told to do so," he
said.
In order to create the policy, the
task force looked to the policies of
other Big Ten schools.
"We selected a bunch of different
policies which seemed the most
thorough and picked out the loop-
holes to make sure that we didn't
have those in ours," said Business
junior Brad Chod, co-chair of the
task force.
The policy states that each term an
appointed 12-member committee will
be appointed will preside over all
investigations and hearings regarding
hazing that occur throughout the
semester.
Singer said if the policy is rati-
fied, the task force will ensure the
confidentiality of students, faculty
or parents who alert the force to
allegations of hazing through e-
mail, a special phone line or a drop
box located in the Office of Greek
Life.
After receiving a tip, the task force
will then choose three members with
See TASK FORCE, Page 2
Safety of Naked
Mile questioned
By Caitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter
b
yhsuicide
facts hi
about
keep
idden
The downward spiral
While most students are looking
forward to the Naked Mile as an annu-
al event of crazy naked fun, the admin-
istration is gearing up for April 14 as a
dangerous night of mayhem and
chaos.
In response to growing concern for
runners in the unendorsed
event, the Campus Safety.
Commission held a mass
meeting last night outlining
the safety dangers posed to
runners by the crowds of
onlookers.
"We know that this is an
event that begins after
Naked
200
helpful, student body," she said.
Linn explained to volunteers at the
meeting that their ,main focus should
be keeping the paths open for the run-
ners.
The volunteers, who will be wearing
"security" T-shirts, will report open
intoxicants, groping, violence, rioting
and medical problems to site leaders
who will communicate via walkie-
talkies and cell phones.
In his annual letter sent to
all seniors, President Lee
Bollinger urged students not to
participate in the Naked Mile.
"From assaults to exces-
Mile sive drinking, to hypother-
0 mia, to the exploitations of
international pornographers,
the list of potential bad -conse-
quences is serious, even grave, and
becoming more so with each pass-
ing year," Bollinger wrote. "Addi-
tionally, this is a violation of the
law and could result in the arresting
of students."
While both University administra-
tion and the Department of Public
Safety are recommending that students
stay far from the event, DPS will still
attempt to protect the runners.
See MILE, Page 2
By Lindsey Alpert
Daily StaffReporter
As finals week approaches, students may feel more pres-
e, anxiety and stress. But although it is often thought that
cide rates tend to be higher for college students, especial-
ly during final exams, this is a myth.
"Suicide is not higher than other young adults that are not
in college;' said Cheryl King, an associate professor of psy-
chiatry.
In fact, the sui-_
cide rate of college Myths about suicide
students is actually
lower than young U People who commit suicide
people of the same always leave a note.
age.pAccordingto People talk about suicide only to
a collected by U Ther s no risk of suicide after a
American person's emotional state improves.
Association of Sui- U People commit suicide without
cidology in 1997 warning.
from coroner * Discussing suicide can cause
reports, the suicide someone to take his or her life.
rate for 15 to 24
year olds is 13.2 Source: American Association of
percent of the pop- Suicidology Website
ulation. The suicide w ww.suicidology.org
rate of college stu-
Ots at 12 large universities was half of this rate.
The study also reported that most suicides occur during
February, March and October.
Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown
said there have been far more attempts than deaths at the
University in the last nine years.
"There were 90 attempts from 1991 to 1999, and nine
everyone gets drunk and we want to
make things safer for everybody,"
LSA junior Marisa Linn, co-coordi-
nator of the Naked Mile Safety
group said.
Although the fliers posted on cam-
pus by Naked Mile Safety advertised a
need for "security," DPS spokes-
woman Diane Brown said that the stu-
dents can be used only as volunteers
and not as security guards.
"They won't be able to be trained to
do security. They will be a volunteer,
SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily
A University employee walks up a spiral of stairs in the LSA building yesterday.
Diabetes advocates work toward education
By Ahmed Hmaid
F'or the Daily
When LSA sophomore Dena Stein started a
group for students affected by diabetes, she
wasn't sure what kind of impact it would have.
"When I was thinking about starting this club,
I wasn't sure there was a need for it on campus."
Stein said. "But now, the response has been out-
standing."
Stein founded Diabetes Support and Educa-
tion, which is sponsoring activities this week to
create awareness about the disease.
During Diabetes Awareness Week, sponsored
by DSE, the 25-member group will aim to reach
out to all diabetics at the University and to pro-
"The response has been
outstanding"
- Dena Stein
Diabetes Support and Education founder
"extreme thirst, frequent urination, extreme fatigue
for no reason and unexplained weight loss."
Yesterday members handed out ribbons and
information on diabetes in Angell Hall. They also
setup tables with information in the residence halls.
"The most important thing is for people to
understand what it is and know what to do in
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