NATION/WORLD
The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 15, 1999 - 5
-U. Colorado president
resigns amid controversy
Rolling on the river
By Terje Langeland
Colorado Duly
BOULDER, Colo. (U-WIRE) -
University of Colorado President John
Buechner offered to resign Wednesday
following months of controversy sur-
rounding his administration and his hir-
ing of a personal friend, Fran
Raudenbush, as his executive consul-
tant.
Buechner announced his offer of res-
ignation a day before the University of
Colorado Board of Regents was expect-
Oed to quiz him about the controversy,
which arose as a result of a Colorado
Daily investigation begun last May.
Buechner made no mention of the
controversy in his letter of resignation,
which was addressed to Peter
Steinhauer, the chair of the regents.
But he did refer to a perceived lack of
support from some regents. A few
regents had recently called for a discus-
sion of the Raudenbush matter
"I have not reached this decision in a
hasty manner," wrote Buechner, who
was appointed to succeed former CU
President Judith Albino in 1995. "As
you know, some members of the board
have nagging questions about the
process for a fifth year review of my
presidency and have asked whether or
not I intend to undergo review.
Moreover, some members of the
Board of Regents have discussed direct-
ly with the print media their concerns
about my performance as president. It
would be most difficult to continue to
lead this S1.4 billion dollar university
without the complete 100 percent com-
mitment and confidence from each
board member in my role as president"
Buechner wrote that he would resign
"no later than June 1, 2000," although it
was not clear whether he intended to
stay in office until that date.
Buechner, who has refused to speak
with Colorado Daily reporters since the
newspaper first launched its investiga-
tion, did not respond to a message left
on his voice mail Wednesday.
CU spokesperson Bronson Hilliard
said Buechner ordered his resignation
letter released to the media on
Wednesday.
Most members of the Board of
Regents -- several of whom have also
refused to make comments to the
Colorado Daily recently - were meet-
ing in Colorado.Springs and also did
not respond to messages. Only two
regents, Jim Martin and Tom Lucero,
could be reached by the Colorado Daily.
Activists
speak out
against
conviction
MUMIA
Continued from Page1
of these groups plan to attend a protest
in Philadelphia later this month.
"We hope to raise attention to the
issue here to build and raise more action
around it," said Micah Holquist, an LSA
senior and an ARA member.
Protesters ranged from high school
students to 67-year-old Lee Booth, who
lives in Ypsilanti and carried a sign at
the demonstration. "I can see that people
who care about justice and righteous-
ness are not wanted in this country,"she
said.
Many protesters believe that Mumia's
case goes far beyond the life of one man.
"I think it's broader than the Mumia
issue," said Jim Lupton, a University
physics lecturer. "There's a lack of
understanding as to what government is
doing in regards to moral issues," he
said.
He added, "I'm trying to set an exam-
ple and get people interested in what's
going on."
AMinority groups reluctant
to attend UC med schools
By Timothy Kudo
Daily Bnuin
LOS ANGELES (U-WIRE) - In
reaction to decreases in enrollment in
University of California medical schools
for underrepresented students, the UC
Office of the President has created a task
force to examine the effects on education
and access to health care.
The task force will look into the effect
on medical education, access to health
care, the reasons for the decline and out-
reach solutions.
Last year, enrollment for underrepre-
sented students decreased 12.5 percent
espite the fact that the number of offers
of admission given rose by 30 percent,
according to UCOP numbers.
"I think that this year the situation has
shown a real disparity between the stu-
dents admitted and those that chose to
enroll," said UC Vice President for
Health Affairs Cornelius Hopper, who is
heading the task force. "These are obvi-
ously qualified people who choose to go
elsewhere."
* University officials said they are con-
cerned, not only about what effect this
drop could have on the education of
future physicians, but also what effect
this drop will have on access to health
care in some minority neighborhoods.
"These are obviously qualified people
-who choose to go elsewhere."
- Cornelius Hopper
University of California at Berkeley vice president for health affairs
AP PHOTO
Paddleboats in Cincinnati load and unload passengers yesterday as part of the
Tall Stacks riverboat festival.
"It's been shown that underrepresented
minority physicians tend to locate in
underrepresented minority communi-
ties," Hopper said. "And by coincidence,
these are communities that tend to be
underserved."
Although previously unaware of the
trend. Mike de la Rocha, the president of
the Undergraduate Students Association
Council, suggested that one of the rea-
sons for this decline is the atmosphere in
the UC system spurred by SP-1, SP-2
and Proposition 209, which ended affi-
mative action in the UC system.
UC Regent Ward Connerly agreed that
some underrepresented students may
desire a community more reflective of
their own.
"It could be that historically black col-
leges are having some success," Connerly
said. "They're saying 'Come here, you'll
have a more friendly environment."'
"I'm told by students that go to those
institutions that it's a very attractive
offer" he added.
But Connerly, one of the main propo-
nents of SP-1 and SP-2, said the decline
is not primarily due to any changed envi-
ronment in the university caused by the
end of affirmative action, which didn't
happen until 1995 - two years after the
trend began.
Rather, Connerly said increased
avenues for underrepresented students
are perhaps more of a reason for this
decline.
"Black kids, for example, may not be
as interested in the profession," Connerly
said. "Now with people trying to get
black kids to go into engineering and the
computer sciences - there are more
avenues open."
Student Regent Michelle Pannor said
one of the reasons underrepresented stu-
dents might not be enrolling is that the'
university may not be able to provide as
much financial aid as other private and
public universities.
READ THE DAILY
IN THE FISHBOWL.
WwgW.MCHGANDAI.Y.COM
Spring Break 2000
StudentCit .com is look-
ing for Higly Motivated
Students to romote
Spring Break2000!
Organize a small roup and
travel FREE!!!
Top campus reps can earn
Free Trip & over $10,000!
Choose:
Cancun, Jamaica or Nassau!
Book Trips On-Line Log-In
and in Free Stuff.
www.StuidntCfty.comr
1-800-293-1443
EARN 1 O'"O-$20.Oh r
Do you have a car?
cDe/,uv'eDnIVers
Jimmy John'S
?)e want tfe est an0 weeor te e str
Apply at 600 Packard St.
Call 741-9200 Ask for Todd or Brad!
Or 929 E. Ann St. Call 913-9200
Ask for Dan or Mike!
I
For more information on
exciting career opportunities
at Deloitte & Touche,
please contact your
Office of Career Services,
or visit our website at:
www us.deloitte.com