8A - The Michigan Daily -Thursday, November 4, 1999 NATION/WORLD BOILING ER Continued from Page 1A is currently writing on public cultural institutions. The University's affirmative action policy was the first topic discussed, and the two lawsuits currently facing the University were described in detail. "The two lawsuits, one against the Law School and the other against LSA claim that the University violat- ed the 14th Amendment by using race as an admissions factor," Bollinger said. "But, we support the 1978 decision of Bakke vs. the University of California that says that universities can take race into account for admissions to achieve a diverse atmosphere." "We only admit students that we feel are the most qualified. We want students from Michigan, and those from around the country and world, athletes, people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and people from various ethnicity's and races. This is the student body that we want to achieve," he said. One question posed to Bollinger was when he felt aversion to diversity began to take root in people. Bollinger said the United States has always had to struggle to achieve racial equality. "In the past 15 to 20 years a feeling of individualism has taken root in the public. This is great when it comes to goods and services, but not good when this belief begins to transcend into the community," Bollinger said. The discussion then shifted to whether the University was thinking of requiring incoming students to purchase laptops, a policy recently considered by Michigan State University. Harper said she hadn't heard anything about requiring laptops and Bollinger agreed when a student said that the cost could be prohibitive. Students were also curious whether the University would ever offer Internet courses similar to those at other colleges. Bollinger said that although online classes can be educational and that everyone may eventually have the opportunity to learn from the Internet, there is a specific purpose to having universities in traditional forms. "The University is a community. Students are immersed in this world and there is no way that staring at a computer can replicate that experi- ence," Bollinger said. LSA first-year student Matt Nolan, a member of the MSA external relations committee, said students randomly were selected to attend. The next chat is scheduled for Dec. 2. Cyclone death tolpses 10,000 PARADWIP, India (AP) - Angry mobs looted aid trucks, robbed desper- ate survivors and fought over food in cyclone-ravaged eastern India yester- day. Officials used bulldozers to collect hundreds of bodies. In rice fields that have become lakes and along roads turned into rivers, bloated human corpses lie rotting for mile after mile alongside the carcasses of drowned cows, goats and pigs. - "So many thousands have died that there is no one left to cremate them," said Dhaneshwar Mohanty, who fled the flooded port city of Paradwip yesterday. Five days after eastern Orissa state was pounded by one of India's worst cyclones, officials had no way to esti- mate an accurate death toll. A senior army officer involved in the rescue operation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that it could reach 10,000 to 20,000. More than 15 million people live in the area hit by the cyclone. The storm was one of India's worst, possibly more deadly than a cyclone in 1971 that killed 10,000 people. Officials have said the storm has set back the state's economic develop- ment more than 20 years. Furious gangs tried to stop every Villagers en route to the eastern Indian village of Cuttack cross a damaged highway with their belongings at Soro, Orissa, yesterday. passing car, bus or truck to grab whatever was available. Relief trucks were looted before they could reach desperate rural areas. Those stuck in the seemingly endless traffic jams were most vulnerable. Near the small village of Panikuli, l 1 Dev rushed across a road strewn v broken egg cartons to reach an arrmy truck, flailing his arms to get attention. THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WRITE FOR THE DAILY? CALL 76-DAILY OR STOP BY THE STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BUILDING AT 420 MAYNARD ST. I IN THE SEASON DI WALI Continued from Page 1A biological systems. Each system is a resource for enhancing the quality of another system" Raju said. Raju also said that each holiday is associated with a diety and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is the diety of Diwali. "If there is one occassion which is all joy and jubilation for one and all - the young and old, men and women - for the entire Hindu world, it is Deepaavali; the Festival of Lights. It is celebrated to signify the victory of divine forces over those of wickedness, according to the program for last night's event. The significance of Diwali is sym- bolized in several aspects of the Puja, which was organized on campus by the Hindu Students Council. The Puja itself is conducted in Sanskrit because it is the language of the Rigveda, from which the verses are taken. The Rigveda is a sacred Hindu book that is one of humanity's oldest records of religous ideas, Raju said. Water was sprinked on everyone p sent to symbolize the presence of . diety Lakshmi. As the verses are recit- ed, Raju said, the presence of the diety is felt. Raju added that a red mixture of Tumeric powder and lime juice marked participants' foreheads, signifing, "I am ready, I am here." Part of the celebration included Bhajans, hymns, to honor Lakshmi and the diety Ganesh, the god of wisdom and intelligence. Following the Puja, students feast on a traditional Indian meal called Prasadam, which was blessed by the prayers. Shalimar restaurant and Manili Cafe helped HSC members with the cooking. ORDER NOW AND RECEIVE BY THE HOLIDAYS your.world.tour/New York.London.Sydney Proving your parents wrong feels good. Winning a free trip for two to see three concerts of your choice in three countries feels even better. To enter our sweepstakes, log on to firstlook.com and do what you do best. Listen to music. You'll have the chance to win other great prizes, too. Like multi- media computer systems and NOMAD" MP3 players. So log on today. And let the music take you away. ®1999 FirstLook.com Sheri L. 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