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One hundred nihe years fed'1 r77lfr eedom

Monday
November 15, 1999

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IASA s
aiJody Slmone Kay
aiy Staff Reporter
Five hours before the 14th Annual Indian
American Student Association Cultural Show on
Friday, last minute details came together and
xcitement mounted for the more than 300 par-
ticipants who had been planning the show since
Ilvarch and were now ready to captivate the
sold-out audience at Hill Auditorium.
"I've done this before but it's the most inde-
scribable feeling to see it all come together," said
LSA sophomore Krishna Amin, stage manager
for the show.
The IASA Cultural Show began in 1985 in an
East Quad Lounge as a Diwali celebration, a reli-
gious Indian festival. Four years ago, the show

ow enchants

'U'

became more of a cultural display and moved to
the Power Center and then Hill Auditorium.
"It's an Indian cultural event but it doesn't just
focus on an Indian audience, it targets people
beyond the Indian community," said IASA
Executive Chair Neel Chokshi, an Engineering
senior.
This year a portion of the proceeds will go to
Sakhi for South Asian Women, a New York-
based organization that works to combat domes-
tic violence through workshops, shelters and
other assistance to women.
The theme for this year's four-hour perfor-
mance was "Satya: Voices at the Millennium."
Satya, means 'truth' in Sanskrit, which is the
basis for many contemporary Indian languages.

The performances integrated colorful, elaboate
costumes with traditional and modern music and
special effects such as intelligent-moving lights,
blacklights, video screens and a projection system.
"There's no event like this probably in the
nation. This is considered to be one of the largest
student productions in the nation," Chokshi said.
"We wanted to focus on the balance between
our American culture and our Indian culture and
the fusion that happened between these. We want
to give out a message of who we are, our real
identity" said Engineering sophomore Preetham
Reddy, a performer.
IASA portrays Indian identity as a progression
from traditional Indian culture, represented by
See 1ASA, Page 7A

SARA SCHtNCK/Ualy
Dancers perform the "Fire and Ice" dance during the Indian American Student Association Cultural Show
at Hill Auditorium on Friday.


MAR
MarChing
6arVystayS
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
"One ... two ... spin ... four."
Shannon Thompson repeats the
moves under her breath as her arms
ork to move her copper-colored flag
time with the banging drum sticks.
At seven in the morning, while the
rest of campus sleeps off the festivi-
ties of a Friday m iu
night, Thompson T.' 1i.iI'
is in the parking
lot of Elbel Field
practicing with the
flag section of the
~ arching Band.
In her first year
as a member of the
band, Thompson is
preparing to take her first step out of
reserves and debut as a member of the
block - the group fans actually see
on the field before the game and at
halftime - in Michigan's Nov. 6
game against Northwestern.
"I'm really nervous," she says. "My
parents are coming to watch."

TUNING UP:

TO VICTORY

CHING

Fla. students
stunned by.
Bush's plan

RIGHT: Drum Major Greg Whitmore
leads the Michigan Marching Band in
practice on the Elbel Field parking lot
before the Northwestern vs. Michigan
football game on Nov. 6.
BELOW: A tuba player of the Michigan
Marching Band plays during the half-
time show of the Northwestern vs,
Michigan game at Michigan Stadium
on Nov. 6.
Photos by DANA LINNANE/Daly

*School administrators
had input in Fla. Gov.
Jeb Bush's decision
By Jewel Gopwanl
Daily Staff Reporter
Since Florida Republican Gov. Jeb
Bush announced One Florida
Initiative last Tuesday, which will
eliminate the use of race in admis-
sions at Florida's 17 public universi-
ties, many students in Florida have
been in a state of shock.
"We received no fair warning,"
said Jocelyn Moore, vice president.
of the University of Florida's
Student Body.
Florida State University Student
Body Vice President Christopher
Harris said students at FSU were not
consulted in the decision.
"We take serious issue with that,"
Harris said.
Keith Goldschmidt, spokesperson
for Florida State System Chancellor
Adam Herbert, said administrators
and Florida State System regents
were consulted in developing the
initiative prior to Bush's announce-
ment.
"I think it's being railroaded down
students throats," Moore said.
One Florida Initiative will affect
Florida Universities by eliminating

race as a factor in admissions and
guarantee the top 20 percent of each
graduating public high school class
admission to a Florida university,
regardless of SAT or ACT scores.
In the initiative, Bush also
includes a 43 percent, the equivalent
of about S20 million, increase in
need-based financial aid and
increased funding to pay for stu-
dents to take the PSAT.
If the Florida State System Board
of Regents votes in favor of the ini-
tiative at its meetings Thursday and
Friday, it could be implemented as
soon as Fall 2000.
Florida State University System
Regent Stephen Yufelder said he
expects the board to pass One
Florida Initiative.
At a campaign stop in Monroe last
week, Republican Presidential can-
didate George W. Bush supported
his brother's decision.
"I thought it was a smart thing to
do," George W. Bush said. "We've
done similar things in Texas."
Goldschmidt said currently,
Florida schools admit students in
three ways, all of which consider race
among other factors: The schools
admit students with a grade point
average of 3.0 or greater, students
with a GPA of at least 2.0 and high
See FLORIDA, Page 3A

Band rises
late on
1i game day
As the flags and percussion
rehearse, the rest of the band members
saunter into Revelli Hall, including a
less-nervous Steve Vachon. An
Engineering senior, Vachon has been
a trombone rank leader since his
junior year. "I go into autopilot,"
Vachon says, "but it's still a little bit
thrilling to go out there."

~~T IIN JA AIVA-PAfRT
,_ Tellt SATUAD N1Il

L S A
first-year
student
M a r y
Coleman
plays the
euphoni-
um for
the band,
but has
yet to

"Breakfast Club."
Drum major Gregg Whitmore
stretches himself out in a nearby
room. "I try to get myself together
mentally for the game," he says.
At 8 a.m., Thompson, Vachon,
Coleman and Whitmore gathered with
the rest of the Michigan Marching
Band on the parking lot of Elbel Field.
Band Director James Tapia stands
atop a large scaffold in front of the
assembled band as it warms up and
practices. A crowd of more than a
hundred onlookers gathers and listens
to the band.
After an hour and a half of
rehearsal, during which the sun final-
ly makes an appearance in the sky, the
band gathers in a large circle and
chants - a requirement after every

rehearsal or performance, then steps
back to play "The Victors."
In just a few seconds, the discipline
that makes up the Michigan Marching
Band dissipates into utter chaos as the
students scramble everywhere for
their lunch break. Thompson goes
with some friends to her nearby house
for leftovers, while Vachon joins his
family at a tailgate party and Coleman
steps into the long line across the
street from Revelli Hall for a "dollar
dog."
"They must make so much money
off of the band," she quips.
Perhaps the busiest person during
the break is Whitmore, who stays
inside the hall as band members
change into uniform. "This is my
See BAND, Page 3A

MS A candidates
sound off' on
s tudent issues

make it into the block for perfor-
mance. "I know if I keep practicing,
I'll make it," she says. "I don't think
it's a waste of time. When I eventually
get in block it'll all be worth it."
As Vachon, Coleman, and their fel-
low instrumentalists enjoy bagels and
juice, provided and sold by the band's

By Caitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter
Most candidates running for seats
on the Michigan Student Assembly
aie campaigning on issues they feel
directly affect University students -
the rising cost of tuition and
increased student services.
With the high cost of tuition a con-

__

Democrats gather for issues conference

By YaeI Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
DETROIT - Michigan Democrats are forging
ahead in the last election of the millennium to take
back both the federal Congress and state legislature.
As part of their effort, the Michigan Democratic
Party held a daylong issues conference Saturday to
educate party members about key issues on which the
party is focusing. Representatives for presidential can-
didates Al Gore and Bill Bradley spoke about their
campaigns and gather grassroots support.
"The 2000 election is an election of truly historic
nrnnrtion" iid Michael T y enior vice nresident

at the conference, but could not attend.
Representatives for the campaign attended to build
Michigan support in their absence.
"Bill Bradley and Al Gore are Democrats first and
one of us either Bradley or Gore are going to be pres-
ident," said Donnie Fowler, director of field opera-
tions for Gore 2000.
But representatives for Gore and Bradley made sure
to note the differences between the two candidates.
Health care is one major issues on which Gore and
Bradley disagree, Fowler said.
"Bill Bradley has issued a set of three policy pro-
crams ....to heln families in the 21st Century." said

stant concern
for many stu-
dents, the
candidatesj
have con-
flicting ideas
on how to
remedy the
costs of edu-
cation while
still provid-
ing and even
expanding
student ser-
vices.
The Defend
Party supports

&ISA
Fall elections

lege, it should be a right. Policies
have long range purposes. The
tuition freeze is a long-range idea,
Making it so that more people can
afford school will make admissions
more competitive by bringing in
top-notch students who can't afford
it now. It will help benefit the"
University. said DAAP member Will
Youmans, a candidate for an LSA
seat. "We don't have influence over
the state government; we have to put
pressure on the administration."
Although the assembly voted
down a proposal for a tuition freeze
several weeks ago, DAAP members
plan to keep fighting.
"Basically, that resolution was
put up a couple of weeks ago. We
are going to organize with other
colleges and just because it was
voted down doesn't mean that we
are going to stop fighting for it,"
said LSA rep. Erika Dowdell, a
DAAP member running for re-elec-
tion.
The Friends Rebelling Against
Tyranny Party has no official state-

Affirmative Action
the formation of a

North American alliance of student
governments to fight for a tuition

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