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day: Partly cloudy. High 45. Low 25.
morrow: Partly cloudy. High 58.

One hundred nine yeas ofeditor dfreedom

Wednesday
November 17, 1999

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to

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'U'

forschoo naming

' Michael Grass
0, Staff Reporter
Pending approval from the
niversity Board of Regents, the
> of Public Policy is expected to
enamed after former President
erald Ford tomorrow at the regents'
eeting.
Ford, a University alum, will be pre-
nt at the meeting and will hold a press
nference at 2:30 p.m. in the Kuenzel
>om of the Michigan Union, the site
the meeting.
"It's appropriate that the school is
ing the be named in his honor,
*se that is the arena that he worked
said Regent Olivia Maynard (D-
)odrich).
A spokesperson in Ford's office in
mncho Mirage, Calif. said Monday
it the 37th president is planning to
ive in Ann Arbor tomorrow morning

and plans to leave following the meet-
ing.
University President Lee
Bollinger said he, Ford and the
regents plan to have lunch at the
President's House located on South
University Avenue at noon and after-
ward will travel to the Union for the
first day of the November regents'
meeting. The meeting is scheduled
to continue Friday at 9:30 a.m.
Bollinger said he plans to meet
with Ford one-on-one before the
lunch.
At 2 p.m., the regents are sched-
uled to vote on the recommendation
to adopt the name change of the
School of Public Policy.
"I think it is terrific for the
University of Michigan ... it's a gre-
at honor for President Ford and the
See FORD. Page 2

Leadership transcends political affiliation

Am I turning into a conserv-
ative, or is the rest of the
world becoming more liberal?
As I prepared for my inter-
view with former President
Gerald Ford last week, I was not
ready for what I would hear.
I was set to contrast my view
of affirmative action with that
of the man after whom my
school will soon be named
But after the interview, I real-
ized that angle wouldn't work. Kosseff
Ford's take on affirmative tweet
action stunned me; because it N Style
was strikingly similar to my
AP PHOTO views. And as a student in the School of Public
Policy, I'm proud his name will be on my diploma.
Members of his party include Florida Gov. Jeb

Bush and University of California Regent Ward
Connerly, who have fought vigorously to halt diver-
sity, so I didn't expect our opinions to be alike.
I was wrong. Although he attended the University
of Michigan more than 60 years ago, Ford still is in
touch with the campus's needs.
Ford carefully reviewed the University's admis-
sions process and decided his alma mater's system is
fair and accounts for diversity in many things - not
just race.
He staunchly defended the University's affirma-
tive action policies, which are being challenged in
two lawsuits.
"In my judgment, the University has a good
program for managing admissions so that all ele-
ments of our society are eligible on an equal basis
to participate," Ford told me. "It's amazing how
broad-based it is."
See KOSSEFF, Page 4

Former President Gerald Ford works in his office. The
University alum will visit campus tomorrow.

ichigan
ems raise
sh for
tabenow
Sel Kohen
taff Reporter
Michigan Democrats munched on
anuts, popcorn, hot dogs and cot-
candy as an undefeated girl's
ttle League team clad in red and
ite uniforms escorted six female
nators to the stage rallying sup-
rt and raising funds for U.S. Rep.
bbie Stabenow's campaign for
U.S. Senate against Republican
& bent Sen. Spencer Abraham.
t rently, Democratic women
Ild only six seats out of the 100 in
e U.S. Senate, they gathered
ether to support Stabenow who,
elected, would become the first
ale senator from the state of
ichigan. The attending senators
re Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.),
ane Feinstein (D-Calif), Barbara
xer (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-
), Mary Landrieu (D-La.),
ihe Lambert Lincoln (D-Ark.).
Each senator rallied enthusiasti-
Ily for Stabenow, a Lansing resi-
nt.
Stabenow was unable to attend
rally and fundraiser in support
her campaign because a House of
presentatives vote on health care
r U.S. veterans kept her in
ashington, D.C.
But despite her absence,
*ow's voice resonated through
room, which was filled with
out 250 supporters. Speaking via
ephone with her picture projected
erhead, Stabenow expressed her
appointment for not being able to
ly with her supporters.
Stabenow greeted both her moth-
and daughter who attended the
iction in her place.
"You don't know how much I
I was there with you,"
abenow said.
"We're truly building a league of
r own," Stabenow said of the
reasing number of female sena-
s in Congress.
But this election is more than
nning and more than defeating
e Republicans, Stabenow said,
is is about creating the best pos-
le future for our families."
benow "knows what makes
iigan work" and knows what
kes the country work, Landrieu
id.
Democrats need to be elected for
e ,benefit of the U.S. family,
abenow said. Sen. Carl Levin (D-
ich.) is only one vote and often
is canceled out, she said.
"We need two people who are
hting for Michigan families in
*nited States Senate," Stabenow
i regarding her run against
raham.
Millie Jeffrey, a activist for
men's and minorities' rights,
oke in support of Stabenow.
ffrey spoke about the struggle for
men's suffrage and the election

DAIV'Iu

14:1 L

IG

HOUSE

Tailgaters
start early,
s tay la te
By Tiffany Maggard
Daily Staff]Reporter
Four hours prior to kick off, security
guards grace the gates of the mammoth
Michigan stadium while equipment and con-
cession crews are preparing for 110,000 rag-
ing fans. But before the last water station is
erected and the first hotdog is served, the
aroma of polish sausage, Ball Park Franks
and Canadian bacon streams from the
Pioneer High School parking lot and engulfs
the armed Michigan territory - devout tail-
gaters are up early -- firing up their grills,
and their Michigan spirit.
Three blocks away, the Michigan Marching
Band is winding down its pre-game practice,
and at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, "the
regulars" have already taken their seats in the
parking lot-turned-tailgate haven. On the
opposite side of the stadium, the Crisler
Arena parking lot is catering to what Pioneer
lot tailgaters term "a more sophisticated"
crowd - the "elites."
Tailgater gossip on the Pioneer side tells of
candelabras and catered tailgate feasts in the
"elite" Crisler lot. Still, the laid-back assem-
blage at Pioneer does have a few members
who can rival the more formal Crisler crowd.
But whether tailgaiters are devouring ball
park franks or imported polish sausage, the
caliber of Michigan spirit and love for foot-
ball is apparent among both crowds.
Long-time Michigan football worshipper
Charles-Fisher is a legend to among Michigan
football tailgates - he's been staking out
Saturday mornings in Ann Arbor for 50 years.
For every home
game, Fisher drives his TI Mpe i l an
professionally-painted
"Michigan Warriors"
motor home from
Spartan territory in
East Lansing to the
Crisler Arena lot,
where he parks in an
unusual spot; right in

MSA hopes
for higher
turnout
U Polls open today in the Michigan
Student Assembly elections for
representative seats
By Caitlin Nish
Daily Staff Reporter
With the issues laid out, candidates' names chalked all
across campus and polls open today, one question remains
unanswered for this year's Michigan Student Assembly elec-
tions -just how many students will actually vote'?

"Last year's winter election
was the best we've ever done,"
said Mark Sherer, chair of the
Rules and Elections
Committee of the Michigan
Student Assembly. "We, had
about 23 to 25 percent of stu-
dents vote, most likely because
there were a lot of strong peo-
ple running in terms of execu-
tive seats. When you don't have
strong candidates out there get-
ting people to vote, turnout is
low."

MSA
rdIel~l

{

front of the Michigan equipment semitruck.
Before kickoff of the Nov. 6 Northwestern
game, Fisher, dressed in a maize Michigan
jersey, is busy
unpacking the first
course of this
Saturday's football
feast. The tempera-
ture has dropped
SOhN sufficiently enough
A iATJUDV IN for Fisher to stick
to his "cold day"
{IiI. menu - hot chili

DANA LINNANE/Daily
and bratwurst for the pre-game party, and
subs for the postgame party - all provided
by his favorite East Lansing caterer.
Football-shaped cookies iced in maize and
blue sit on a table surrounded by maize and blue
chairs, an integral part of the tailgate tradition.
Despite his five decades of tailgaiting,
Fisher said he has "only been getting elabo-
rate for about 10 years."
"My wife died about 10 years ago," Fisher
said, "so now I'm dedicated to making foot-
ball my life. For four months of the year, I'm
See TAiLGATERS, Page 13

But fall assembly elections tend to have a much lower
voter turnout than winter elections, in which president
and vice president duos run for MSA's top two posts. In
the fall of 1997, only 12 percent of students voted. The
percentage dropped last year, when only 10 percent of
students voted in the elections for MSA representa-
tives.
Sherer said he remains hopeful that the percentages will
increase during the polling. "I expect the numbers to exceed
what we did last fall because we had a lot of publicity this
year," he said. "We're pretty sure that we can do better than
10 percent."
While the number of students who vote annually in the
MSA fall elections is low, the numbers are similar to voter
turnout at other Big Ten schools.
In the most recent student government election at the
University of Illinois, only 12 percent of the student body -
between 4,200 and 4,300 of the 36,000 students - voted.
But Illinois Student Government President Jeff Shapiro said
that percentage was high for the school.
"Compared to years in the past, that is really high. For a
while, we had only 5 to 10 percent," Shapiro said.
At Indiana University, 14.5 percent of the student body
turned out to vote, while at Pennsylvania State University
between 10 and 12 percent of the 43,000 students on campus
voted in the most recent election.
"The numbers have been growing. I would say that it gets
higher every year," said Dan Halperin, the chief of staff for
See MSA, Page 3

Silent protesters question
treatment of black students

nifer Yachnin
anaging News Editor
rly 200 black students, many with duck tape
s placed over their mouths, stood in silent
yesterday, creating a single-file line around
cming Administration Building.
group met later in Trotter House to discuss
ues that spurrel the silent protest, all of
center around how the University allegedly
lack students. The issues include curricu-
ousing, access to University facilities, pub-

lowing the demonstration. "The African American
student body is coming together across ideological
and political lines."
Although several University administrators
gathered in front of the Fleming Building during
the protest, students remained silent and did not
speak with University administrators about their
concerns.
"We do know what issues we will address, and
we are in the process of determining how, when
and with whom we will address those issues,"

-iu , t



and with whom we will address those issues2 U

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