wedsf One hunred ninze yers ofeditrz5'dfreeom ril NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 7640557 www michigandally. com Friday September 8, 2000 I 4. ? . k Pte" 184_ r xw4 .. p M Regent sits y in on contested course By Jeremy W. Peters Daily Staff Reporter Smid little fanfare and spectacle, Prof. id Halperin's hotly contested English class "How to Be Gay: Male Homosexuality and Ini- tiation" began yesterday much as any other class at the University would. While there were no protesters, there was at least one dissenter in attendance -- Republican University Regent Dan Horning. "I'm offended," said Horning, who has spo- ken out in the past advocating cancellation of the course. "There's no excuse for having this rse. I'm bitterly disappointed in the Univer- se of Michigan." Horning drove two-and-a-half hours from his home in Grand Haven to sit in on the class. "I came today to sit in and hoped that I Rally to- kick off run for the roses By James Restivo For the Daily would change my view ... but unfortunately it didn't," Horning added. Halperin said that he did not know that Horning attended the class. "I'm glad that he came," Halperin said. "I'm especially pleased that he took the time to learn about the class." LSA junior Noel Rozny, who is enrolled in the class, said she disagreed with those who oppose the class. "I understand it's a very dif- ferent kind of class, but the things people were saying were ridiculous," Rozny said. If there was a unanimous attitude among those who attended the class, it was that despite the course's title, its aim is not actually to make people gay. "No one's going to this class to learn how to be gay," said Jack Tocco, an LSA senior. "It's an examination of how gay men learn about gay cul- ture. No one is going to this class to be initiated:" Despite intense political and media interest, the seats in the Angell Hall auditorium where the class is held were sparsely filled. However, most of those who attended the class expressed an overwhelming desire to remain enrolled. LSA senior Tiffany Harden said she regis- tered for the class to obtain "a broader under- standing of a culture I'm not familiar with. I definitely think it will be worth it." Tocco said he would remain enrolled in the class as well. t'it's great that any class that focuses on sub cultures ... can be offered at our university," he said. "It's unfortunate that people would try to stifle academic freedom because of their prejudices." Since Halperin's class is an English course, significant attention is paid to literature and film. Reading listed in the course syllabus "There's no excuse for having this course. i'm bitterly disappointed in the University of Michigan. - Dan Horning University regent (R-Grand Haven) includes poems by Walt Whitman and Herman Melville's "Billy Budd." Films include "Shane," "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Wigstock" and "Gypsy." In addition to reading various works of litera- ture and viewing films, students - as in all other English classes - are required to write several essays. In one writing assignment, students are asked to choose one of the following statements that best describes their own view: "To be gay is to become what one is ... To be gay is to become something new ... To be gay is to become some- thing other than what one is." Despite sitting through most of the class, Homing was still not convinced the class has any educational value. "I just don't see any academic merit in this class,"he said. Renovations force faculty out of Haven While State Street was blocked off for most of the summer due to construction, today the street will be blocked to support the football team. Alpha Delta Phi fraternity is holding its 20th annual "Run for the Roses," pep rally from 6 to 7 p.m. at 556 South State Street. Following in its tradition of attract- * many students, Alpha Delta Phi expects to 3,000 to 5,000 students and community members to join in the fes- tivities this year. This communitywide, nonprofit event will feature an array of music, dancing and motivational speeches to rally students for the football team. Chapter vice president and event c rdinator Justin Schmidt said the y is open for students and Ann, Arbor residents and is not just for members of the Greek system. The entire 450-person Michigan Marching band, led by drum major Greg Whitmore, will be in full uni- form performing. Along with the band, the Michigan Dance Team and Michigan Cheerleaders will be per- forming live in the streets during this event. e highlight of the hour will be a ~ech given by Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr. Schmidt said at least two of the four football captains and Athletic Director Bill Martin are also scheduled to speak. Schmidt added that former Michi- gan football coach Bo Schembechler may be on hand to energize the fans for the Wolverines game against Rice tomorrow at Michigan Stadium. IQB-FM 102.9 will broadcast live from the fraternity's balcony during the pep rally. During the event, Alpha Delta Phi members plan to hand out prizes. Ann Arbor merchants will also pass out gift certificates, t-shirts and souvenirs to students. i NORMAN NG/Daily Engineering freshman Ryan Dawson and LSA freshmen Miguel Quintanilia, Codi Harris and Matt Castle stacked their desks in one room of their Mary Markley Residence Hall quad suite and their beds in another to optimize space. Studensecie use every inch of sp Nace History and political science offices move off campus until 2002 By Anna Clark Daily Staff Reporter History and political science fac- ulty find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings these days, with offices in a high-rise apartment building and above a popular campus bar. To prepare for upcoming renova- tions to Haven Hall and the Fish- bowl, the departments relocated off-campus over the summer and are still getting accustomed to the new locations. History offices are now on the second floor of University Towers, an apartment building at the corner of South University and South Forest avenues. Political science offices are on the second floor of 611 Church St., the building that houses Campus Video, Dollar Bill Copying, Amer's and Rick's American Cafe. "We're still trying to figure every- thing out," said Dorothy Marschke, a staff member in the history depart- ment's main office. "It's been inter- esting. The movers had to lock the file cabinets, and faculty come back and don't have a key. We've had to jimmy the locks." Both departments are scheduled to return to their newly refurbished digs in October 2002. For many students, however, the most obvious sign of the upcoming changes is a maze of metal poles snaking around the western side of the Diag. University facilities spokeswoman Diane Brown said the poles mark the path of a fence that will organize construction traffic, particularly for deliveries. The fence will run from the corner of State Street and South University, around Haven Hall and on north to the parking lot next the Natural Sci- ence Building. The fence will have gates that can be closed to block student traffic for By Elizabeth Kassab Daily Staff Reporter Freshman RC student Brittany Irey's East Quad Resi- dence Hall room is infested by a small colony of stuffed animals, perched on top of a futon she never thought would fit in the Il-foot by 17-foot space. "We had to smash everything together to get it to fit," Irey said. Both desks and dressers are squeezed side by side on one wall of the room to open up the other wall for the bunk beds and futon. Tie-dyed hangings enhance the atmosphere, and a zebra-print flannel blanket Irey's mother made for her lies at the foot of her bed, waiting for winter. For now it's just a decoration. These days an abundance of fans scattered around the room provide the most comfort. The estimated 9,400 students living in the residence halls this semester had to manage the heat of late August in the stifling rooms, but didn't have to tolerate an extra roommate. Alan Levy, director of housing public affairs, said the residence halls are filled to capacity, but for the first time in 20 years there are no students in overflow rooms. While students are no longer adapting to overflow rooms, some are still experiencing problems fitting their possessions, plus those of another person, into their rooms. Engineering freshman Sarah Ray peeked into her dou- ble in Mosher-Jordan Residence Hall on move-in day and found a bed, a dresser, a desk and a chair. "It looked full with only stuff for one person," said Ray. When University Housing brought the additional fur- niture for her roommate, the two decided they could not See CREATIVE, Page 2 NORiMAN ~NG/uaily African history Prof. David William Cohen sits in his cramped temporary office on the second floor of University Towers yesterday. deliveries, but Brown said the Uni- versity will attempt to limit deliver- ies when the Diag is most crowded. Brown also said it is likely the doors to the Fishbowl facing the Diag will be closed to students dur- ing construction. Once renovations are complete, the Fishbowl area will have wider corridors and be eight stories high. Haven Hall will gain an addition extending toward the center of the Diag. But for the next two years, stu- dents and faculty will have to deal with the temporary offices scattered around campus. "Moving to an off-campus, leased place makes for special considera- tions," said Jean Jones, 'administra- tive manager of the history department. "For instance, we're no ; longer in the University's custodial system. We had to get an outside vendor to help us." Margaret Howard, a political sci- ence visiting assistant professor, said the move does come with benefits. "It's a little bit of a longer walk each day, but it will make me a See HAVEN, Page 12 I lAmazed by blue Forum looks at future of welfare assistance No. 3 MICIAN VS. By Tiffany Maggard Daily Staff Reporter Four scholars from the University and across the nation yesterday debat- ed the fate of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families with varying per- spectives but with surprisingly similar conclusions. Ninety students- and community members gathered in the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union to hear the one-hour debate that encompassed the possibility Congress will reautho- program by administering block grants to states. The panel - consisting of Public Policy Dean Rebecca Blank; Social Work and Public Policy Prof. Sheldon Danziger, New York University politi- cal science Prof. Lawrence Mead and University of Chicago public policy doctoral student [Hanns Kuttner - emphasized how their knowledge of the past and current state of welfare in the form of TANF can be used to legit- imize its reauthorization. The debate largely focused on the Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor 12:10 p.m., ESPN-Plus THE OPPONENT: The Owls conclude the second of a two- Sa me deal with Michigan tomorrow. Rice fell to the Wolverines last year, 37-3. TOMORROW: Michigan, now third in both polls, will start freshman John Navarre at quarterback. The F 1 I