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One hundred ninze years' of edztonizi freedom

Tuesday
October 19, 1999

VOLP AIW

bortion
coverage
der
question
By YaMI Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Michigan citizens with health insur-
ance may soon have the option to avoid
paying dues targeted at funding abor-
tions.
Republicans in the state Senate are
;ng measures to eliminate abortion
mstandard insurance policies. The
bill is scheduled to be taken up in com-
mittee tomorrow.
The measure is a three bill package
that contains provisions for private and
public insurance companies and is
sponsored by three senators - Sens.
David Jaye (R-Washington Twp.),
Beverly Hammerstrom (R-
Temperance), Philip Hoffman (R-
HQrton) - in the Families, Mental
lilth and Human Services
Committee.
The bill is aimed at easing the feel-
ings of pro-life supporters who feel that
by having abortion included in standard
insurance policy they are paying for
something that they strongly oppose,
Jaye said.
LSA senior Melissa Osborn, pres-
ident of the University's Students for
Ije group, said she is in favor of the
"It would hopefully decrease the
number of abortions" by making it
harder to get the operation, she
said.
But Josh Cowen, president of the
campus chapter of the College
Democrats, said this is one issue the
Democrats are most concerned
about.
This is "one more way to make
rtion de facto illegal," Cowen
said. The bill's provisions make "it
very difficult for the poorest of peo-
ple to come up with adequate treat-
ment," he said.
While some people are concerned
about the effects of this bill on
women's privacy, Jaye said there are
"very stringent privacy rules" for this
issue.
"Abortion is an elective procedure
fss it is to save the life of a moth-
er," Hoffman said. This bill does not
prevent women from receiving insur-
ance to cover the costs of the proce-
dure but it does require that they pur-
chase the option as a separate policy
rider.
Although the bill does not contain
any provisions that would prevent a
woman from getting an abortion some
legislatures feel that it is a step in the
a choice direction.
4 e bill seems to be an "incremental
step by step erosion of abortion rights,"
Rep. Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor) said,
adding that "I don't think it's a good
idea."
But the measure is not being sup-
ported by all insurance companies.
It would be infinitely more com-
plex to administer the policy, said
Helen Stojic, spokesperson for Blue
s Blue Shield of Michigan. The
insurance company already has a
policy of customizing health plans,
she said. Companies who purchase
insurance benefits for their employ-
ees are given the choice to opt of

abortion coverage, Stojic said.
"Administratively we have problems
with it," Michigan Association of
Health Plans Executive Director Gene
Farnum said, adding that the organiza-
t has no position on the abortion
By adding the senate's proposed leg-
islation, employers would be bypassed
and Blue Cross would have to go
directly to the employees which would
be very difficult to administer, Stijic
said.
The issue of abortion as a standard
on insurance policy came to the
attention of the senators after Sen.
y Gast (R-St: Joseph) asked
J to solve budget problems, Jaye
said. He added that each year he
would offef amendments to each of
the 16 budget bills to stop funding
tax payer paid abortions as standard
policy.
Although the bill attacks a heated


Lan guag9e
gaps cloud
class lessons

MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily
Last night's opening of an architecture display at the School of Art and Design on North Campus features Gunnar
Birkerts' photographs of architect Eero Saarinen's work and a chair he designed in the 1950s.
ArchitectureWc;exibit
feaure uiquewok

By Lisa Koivu
Daily Staff Reporter
For years, some students have com-
plained about difficulty understanding
international graduate student instruc-
tors, and for years, many of those GSIs
have said few students approach them
with concerns.
An LSA first-year student who
wished to remain anonymous said she
now sits in on two lectures taught by
two different GSIs because one of them
is diffi- :
cult to Daily In-depth
interpret. ________________
". H e
has such a strong
accent that is hard to
understand. I feel
that my grade has
been affected
because I can't a
always comprehend
the lesson. Now, I go
to my lecture so that
I will be counted in
attendance and
another so that I can understand the les-
son," the student said.
Another LSA first-year student,
Chris Kramer, said he too occasionally
has trouble understanding his GSI, but
doesn't view that as detrimental to his
education.
"Having a non-native English
(speaking) GSI has enhanced my whole

experience here. I have a GSI that is a
native English speaker and one that
isn't. I am effectively able to learn with
both," Kramer said.
Sylvia Chiang, an international GSI
and native of Singapore, said her stu-
dents are able to understand her after
listening to her for 10 minutes because
they adjust to hearing her accent. She
said no students have ever approached
her with concerns that her accent got
in the way of comprehending course
material.
"English is Singapore's first lan-
guage, therefore I had little to learn
when I started teaching. Students
may need to adjust to my accent, but
then we have no problems," Chiang
said.
Graciela Mentz, an international GSI
and native of Argentina, said interna-
tional GSIs attend a month-long work-
shop to learn University rules and how
to teach American students before
going in front of a class.
"After the one-month training, the
GSI has a final and they give a presen-
tation to people from their department.
Then any person is sufficiently ready to
teach. I find that when students
approach me with problems they have
more of a problem with the coursework
than with me," Mentz said.
GSIs also receive workbooks when
teaching to give them pointers on vari-
See GSI, Page 7

By Dan Krauth
Daily Staff Reporter
Before his death in 1961, renowned
architect Eero Saarinen designed
buildings across the country.
From the famed St. Louis Arch to
the School of Music building on
North Campus, Saarinen's work
spans the architectural world, drawing
praise from nearly all who see it.
Last night, two of Saarinen's col-
leagues - architect Gunnar Birkerts
and photographer Balthazar Korab -
lectured and presented photographs

of their work and the work of
Saarinen at the Taubman College of
Architecture and Urban Planning.
Gunnar Birkerts, an architect and
Professor Emeritus of architecture who
taught at the University from 1960-90,
delivered his lecture titled. "Rear-view
mirror" to a crowd of about 175.
"I really liked his addition projects.
He does a nice job and does some-
thing different but still connects it to
the building," said Atsuko Mori, an
architecture graduate student.
The lecture featured slides of some

of the most challenging projects he
has designed. Included were the
Performing Arts Center at Michigan
Technological University and a cur-
rent project at Blessed Sacrament
Church in Detroit.
"I was hoping he was going to
show some of his other work like the
Federal Reserve Building in
Minneapolis," said Jenny Hansen, an
architecture graduate student.
During the lecture, Birkerts
explained his designs and labeled

Kalamazoo student
kills girlfiend, self

See EXHIBIT,I

Page 7


ShirtLs' sl ogan
sparks rally
for women
By Calitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter
"FRESHMAN GIRLS Get 'em while they're skinny."
The brain child of LSA juniors Matt Berkowitz and Rob
Gillman, this controversial slogan has been spotted on T-
shirts across campus since the academic year began in
September.
The shirts, which read "Welcome Week '99" on the front,
and display the slogan on the rear, have been the cause of
debate among many University students.
The shirt's creators said they did not intend to spark argu-
ment with the apparel. "Our thinking was that everyone gains
weight when going to college and we might as well make a
funny shirt out of it," Berkowitz said.
But some female students have been vocal about what they
say is the shirt's offensive slogan.
Following this Thursday's National Young Women's Day of
Action, the Michigan Student Assembly's Women's Issue
Commission has called for Friday to be a day of support for
women. "We want to respond to the shirts which are causing
controversy. We have decided to ask students on campus who

By David Enders
Daily Staff Reporter
A murder-suicide at Kalamazoo
College stunned students and staff at the
small liberal arts institution yesterday.
Police responded to a report that
shots were fired at 12:15 a.m. yesterday
at Dewaters Residence Hall.
The Kalamazoo Department of
Public Safety said that Neenef Odah,
20, of Seattle, shot his former girlfriend,
Maragaret Wardle, 19, of Plainwell,
Mich. before turning the gun on him-
self. The shooting reportedly followed
an argument between the two, both of
whom were students at the college.
Classes were canceled today at the
college of 1,400 students. All students
and staff were notified of the deaths by
e-mail and counselors were made avail-
able to students.
"Everyone is sad and shocked," said
a first-year student who did not wish to
be identified.
"The entire school gathered at noon
and the president talked about the
tragedy and how we need to keep our
chins up," the student said.
"The investigation into the incident is
closed," said Lt. Detective Jerome
Bryant of the Kalamazoo College
Department of Public Safety. "The case
has been ruled a suicide-homicide."
Odah and Wardle began dating last

year, but broke up about a month ago.
Shortly following the break-up, Odah
purchased the shotgun he used yester-
day.
Kalamazoo College President James
Jones Jr. said he wasn't aware of the
pair having a violent history.
"Could any-
thing have been
done to prevent
this? As I walked
around campus,
I've tried to
answer that. I
don't know how
you rout out this
plague of vio-
lence, which
Wardle seems to have
sdescended on the
most powerful society in the world,"
Jones said.
Students at the school expressed sur-
prise at the tragedy, saying that Odah
did not seem unhappy or capable of
such an act.
"I just don't want him to be remem-
bered for this," said Andrea Butarski, a
friend of Wardle and Odah. She said
both victims seemed happy when they
dated last year.
Kirsten Fritch saw Odah 24 hours
prior to the murder-suicide.
See MURDER, Page 2

MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily
LSA Juniors Matt Berkowitz and Rob Gillman display the
T-Shirt they designed earlier this year.
support the ideas of feminism to wear a blank blue T-shirt.
This will say that they support women and the challenges
women face," WIC co-chair Katie Williams said.
Some believe that Berkowitz and Gillman's shirts are send-
ing the vyrong messages to female students.
"The shirts are a very visual cue to women to feel badly
about themselves ... The creators may see them as a joke,
See T-SHIRTS, Page 2

City council plans to shut down
bridge, build replacement route

Robert Gold
Daily Staff Reporter
Downtown traffic congestion will increase markedly
next year as the city is planning on closing three of the
four lanes on the Broadway Bridge to construct a new
bridge.
The two bridge system extends over the Huron River
near North Campus and the railroad tracks on Broadway
to connect downtown and the northern regions of Ann
Arbor.
The city council approved a resolution last night to
allow one inbound lane to stay open during the develop-

City officials agree the result of the construction will
be severe.
"Traffic is going to be brutal," said city council mem-
ber Joe Upton (R-Ward II).
Wheeler said one of the biggest consequences of the
bridge closing is for the Ann Arbor Transportation
Association.
A number of city buses will have to be rerouted to
avoid the construction and may have trouble reaching
their destinations on schedule.
While city buses will face reroutes, University com-
munity relations director Jim Kosteva said the

roall