,ASA
LOCA STAT
The Michigan Day - Wednesday, December 1, 1999 - 3
I
1-IGHER
EDUCATION
Texas bonfire
collapse victims
till in hospital
The conditions of William Davis anc
John Comstock, students at Texas
Agricultural and Manufacturing
University who were injured from the
bonfire collapse on Nov. 18, remain
unchanged as of Monday.
Davis is listed in fair condition at St.
Joseph Regional Health Center and
Comstock is listed in critical condition
in the intensive car unit of College
ation Medical Center.
WFourTexas A&M students injured in
the collapse were released from St.
Joseph Medical Center last week.
Instead of holding the traditional
bonfire Thursday night, students, facul-
ty friends and family gathered for a
candlelight vigil on the Polo Fields, the
site where the stack of logs stood, to
mourn the 12 Texas A&M students
who died in the collapse. The
ditions Council handed out more
n 40,000 candles for the vigil.
3 USF students
die in car crash
Three University of South Florida
students died Monday after their
1986 Pontiac Firebird was sideswiped
by a 1979 Cadillac that ran a red light
at the intersection of Bruce B. Downs
Boulevard and Fletcher Avenue at
. 9 a.m.
LeAnna Dawson, who was driving
the" Firebird, and her passenger Majid
Tahri died upon impact. Jaclyn Ayala,
another passenger, died Monday after-
nibon'at Tampa General Hospital.
Hillsborough police officials said
empty beer cans were found in the
Cadillac, belonging to Mitchell James.
"fa'ires was taken to St. Joseph's
a spital Monday with facial injuries and
roken leg. James' criminal record
includes arrests for cocaine possession
as well as driving under the influence.
Dawson, 19, and Ayala, 18, lived at
Ganma Hall at the university. Tahri,
20, was attending the school through a
language program from her native land
of Morocco.
Rutgers students
attend anti-racism
emonstration
More than 100 Rutgers University
students traveled to Palisades Park, N.J.
last. Tuesday to protest racist acts
against Korean-American merchants in
that area.
The Anti-Racism Peace
Demonstration attracted more than
3 000 demonstrators, many of whom
Ve merchants who closed their stores
for the day. Demonstrators chanted slo-
gans-such as, "No Justice, No Peace,"
while carrying signs and waving
Arerican flags.
The participants primarily protested
racist graffiti sprayed on overpasses
and storefronts in Palisades Park. The
demonstration was also against a local
ordnance that set a curfew for Korean-
owned businesses, but allowed
A erican restaurants to operate 24
}srs a day. The city charged those who
violated the ordinance with a $500
and/or 90 days in prison.
Autgers students drafted a petition to
cndemn anti Korean-American graffiti
andIhe laws. Students from Columbia
Uiversity, Princeton University and the
U iversity of Pennsylvania also attended
the demonstration.
IVlass assaults
prompt walkout
ni ce Nov 2, four women have report-
edly been sexually assaulted at the
Uhiversity of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Two of the reported assaults were rapes.
'Amherst police released descriptions
of each of the alleged attackers, but
have made no arrests. The consecutive
attacks prompted a student-organized
on Nov. 16, which about 500
,assachusetts and Amherst College
tsdents attended.
Four hundred Massachusetts students
walked out of classes Nov. 22 to criticize
what they called a slow response from
University of Massachusetts.
-anompied by Daily Sta/fReporter
Jewel Gop wanifivin U- Wire reports.
Students dress
in costume for
Day o*f Action
By David Jenkins
Daily Staff Reporter
In protest of the World Trade
Organization, University students
dressed as endangered species and
trees as part of a National Day of
Action to bring the WTO protest to
the University campus.
WTO, a multi-national corporate
trade organization, is meeting in
Seattle this week to discuss a number
of world trade issues.
Dressed as an endangered sea tur-
tle, one protester represented an
example of what some call WTO's
anti-environmental decisions,
explained SNRE senior Josh
Pashman, vice chair of the Michigan
Student Assembly Environmental
Issues Commission.
According to Pashman, the WTO
overturned U.S. legislation protecting
the endangered species of sea turtles,
an act that could cause their extinction.
"We are trying to raise conscious-
ness back here and bring Seattle and
those issues to the local community,"
Pashman said.
"We think the media oversimplifies
the issues surrounding WTO,"
Pashman added, "and we're here to
give students some more in depth
information."
Several University organiza-
tions combined efforts in protest
of the WTO because of its
allegedly negative decisions
affecting issues such as the envi-
ronment, human rights, health,
biotechnological ethics, labor and
women's rights.
Members of organizations such
as ENACT, an environmental
action group, and the Students
Organization for Labor and
Economic Equality were on hand
to pass out fliers and answer ques-
tions about the WTO.
Joe Groenke, an SNRE senior and
member of Basic Food Group, said,
"with the WTO we see more corpo-
rate control of farmers."
"The WTO doesn't take into
account the ethical issues surround-
ing biotech farming," Groenke said.
"A lot of this technology isn't proven
to be safe yet.
"We've never had a man made
organism released in the environment
before and now all of a sudden we do
without knowing the consequences,"
he added.
Jessica Stanton, an SNRE
senior and member of Basic Food
Group, dressed as a pine tree in
protest of WTO policies which
she said may lead to increased
deforestation.
"The WTO stops the ability of
countries to protect their own inter-
est," Stanton said.
Protesters said the WTO needs to
Dow settles
with billion
dollar plan
to viCtimS
BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) - Calling
his action "the end to the first chapter"
of one of the costliest cases of its kind
in U.S. history, a federal judge on yes-
terday approved Dow Corning Corp.'s
$4.5 billion plan to emerge from bank-
ruptcy.
The plan includes S3.2 billion to
settle claims by more than 170,000
women alleging they suffered a wide
range of health problems after
receiving silicone gel breast
implants made by Dow Corning. It
includes an additional S I .3 billion to
settle other claims, including those
by creditors and health care organ.i-
zations.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Arthur
Spector confirmed the settlement dur-
in a 20-minute hearing, saying he
would elaborate in a second opinion to
be issued next week.
"To those of you who have been
waiting for this day, congratula'
tions. To those of you who have
been ruing this day, my condo-
lences," Spector said as he conclud-
ed the hearing.
The judge cautioned that appeals
could hold up compensation to the
claimants, but said he hoped the pay-
ments could begin next year.
"There's an awful lot ahead before
any money is passed," he said.
At least one attorney and one
implant recipient said they would file
appeals seeking to block the settle-
ment.
The settlement does not allow fur-
ther lawsuits against Dow Corning or
its corporate parents, Dow Chemical
Co. and Corning Corp., over allege
health problems related to implants,
according to Dow Corning
spokesperson T. Michael Jackson.
But it does create a $400 million
reserve to pay claims to women who
sign the agreement approved yester-
day but still wish to pursue legal
action, Jackson said. The plan pre-
vents punitive damages from being
paid out of the reserve to any woman
who sues and wins, he said.
The settlement does not address the
conflicting claims about the safety of
breast implants.
Dow Corning has insisted that.,the
silicone-gel implants it made from
1962 until 1992, when they were
banned for most uses by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, were
safe.
Women have blamed leaking gel
from the implants for illnesses includ-
ing lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, body
aches, fatigue, memory loss and hard-
ening of the breasts.
SNRE seniors Jessica Stanton and Jennifer Hefferan dressi
protest the WTO yesterday on the Diag.
SAM VD tD aD, Dy
in costumes to
reform its policies and a few even said
it may eventually need to be abolished.
Engineering graduate student
Brian Hoover said although the
WTO represents corporations from
a number of countries, it fails to
represent the interests of many
groups and is a non-democratic
organization.
"The real problem is profit versus
quality of life; corporate versus
people and environment," said
Hoover. "The WTO favors large
multi-national corporations."
'U' mirrors nationwide protests against WTO
WTO
Continued from Page 1
environmental and labor organiza-
tions" in opposition to WTO,
Robinson said.
But, Robinson's lecture was not
completely opposed to WTO.
Instead, he advocated stopping fur-
ther negotiations until the full effects
of WTO could be evaluated, and at
the very least, making sure that WTO
does not remain a "highly biased,
court-like body."
"Ultimately you have to mobilize
the populations to demand change,"
Robinson said.
"He presented a balanced view
while highlighting the concerns of
the audience," said Todd Alice, a
political science Ph.D. candidate
who is studying international trade..
"He didn't have an agenda."
The audience was very receptive
to Robinson and asked questions
when he was finished.
"The speaker and the audience
members engaged in dialogue in
ways to change the WTO and
addressing concerns," praised Allee.
"It was more constructive then
protesting."
The event was sponsored by the
Michigan Student Assembly
Environmental Issues
Commission, Basic Food Group,
Michigan Animal Rights Society,
EnACT, Students Organizing for
Labor and Economic Equality,
Student Greens, Environmental
Justice Group and the Ozone
Action Coalition.
Several student groups also orga-
nized a rally today on the Diag to
support a National Day of Action in
opposition to the WTO talks.
PROTEST
Continued from Page 1
for the disruptions.
"I pass regards of our host,
Charlene, to you - her regrets that
this is what's happened," Moore
said.
The Clinton administration had
picked Washington state, home to
exporting giants Boeing and
Microsoft, to highlight the importance
of trade for the U.S. economy. One of
every three jobs here are tied to inter-
national trade, the most of any state.
But the Pacific Northwest also has
strong ties to labor unions and envi-
ronmental activists, and they showed
up in large numbers to voice their
grievances.
In the view of protesters, the
World Trade Organization puts
profits for multinational corpora-
tions over other .concerns, forcing
nations to engage in a "race to the
bottom" to compete in the global
economy with low wages and lax
environmental standards.
"We're going to change WTO or
we're going to get rid of WTO,"
Teamsters union president James
Hoffa told an estimated 20,000
union workers and their families
assembled at a stadium near the
Seattle Space Needle before they
began what union organizers
promised would be a peaceful
march.
That march, sponsored by the
AFL-CIO, did not begin until after a
morning of sporadic violence from
protest groups who defied police
orders to stay clear of the giant con-
vention center and downtown theater
where the WTO meetings were being
held.
MSA to eliminate
paper polling sites I D)E A BI KI
By Jeannie Baumann
Daily Staff Reporter
All voting for Michigan Student
Assembly elections will now take place
online. During their weekly meeting
last night, representatives unanimously
voted to change language in the
Election Code to eliminate paper bal-
lots and their respective polling sites.
Former MSA Rules and Elections
Chair Mark Sherer, who sponsored the
resolution, said it finally brings MSA
into the '90s.
"Online voting is much easier and
much more convenient for everyone,
including students and election
staffing," he said. "It's leaves out all
ambiguity in terms of its results. Plus, it
brings down costs considerably and it's
better for the environment."
In this semester's fall elections, voter
turnout reached a fall record of 4,727
votes. But only 95 students voted at a
paper voting site.
The assembly also consented to sup-
port the student group Environmental
Action in their quest to change the paper
used by the fAformation Technology
Division to paper that contains no chlo-
rine and uses more recycled materials.
After researching different paper types,
EnAct members specifically recom-
mended Rolland New Life DP 100,
which they said is composed of 80 per-
cent recycled fibers, free of chlorine and
less expensive than other options.
SNRE junior Brianne Haven, who
was elected as chair to the assembly's
Environmental Issues Commission last
night, said EnAct has been working on
this project for about a year.
"LTD's currently doing a test site at
the School of Education Building,"
Haven said, adding that if the test is suc-
cessful, the paper switch could be made
at all the ITD sites.
In another effort of support, the assem-
bly unanimously voted to support the
MSA Women's Issues Commission's
production of "The Vagina Monologues."
"It's a collection of monologues writ-
ten by Eve Ensler, who interviewed hun-
dreds of women," WIC co-Chair Riley
Hoffman explained. "The monologues
deal with a range of issues from coming
of age to sexuality to rape and violence."
"It's really about the celebration of
women's bodies," she said.
WIC co-Chair Katie Williams added
that the production of this play is a
worldwide movement, with produc-
tions on U.S. college campuses and a
London campus all scheduled for the
same day.
The production is scheduled for per-
formance this upcoming Valentine's Day.
Jorrection:
9 Tobacco investments comprise 0.5 percent of the University's investment portfolio. This was incorrectly reported
in yesterdays Daily.
!hays ~harm nino inAnn ,Arh~b ni n~u,