LOCAL/STATE

Wednesday, September 6, 2000 - The Michigan Daily -3A

UAMPUS
Bdin er carries
out of ce space
.ocation rulings,
The Panel on Space Allocation for
Student Organizations and University
Involvement with Student Organiza-
tions is expected to release a report on
how administrators and faculty should
be involved with student groups early
next month.
In April the panel released its recom-
mrendations regarding student space
allocation to University President Lee
linger.
he first recommendation made by
the committee called for no student
organization to be given the right to
permanently occupy space owned by
the University. The panel said that
office space for every student group
should be subject to a periodic assign-
ment process.
/,The panel also recommended that all
organizations on campus privy to Uni-
*sity space be made aware of the
diversity on campus, and to avoid using
denigrating symbols and caricatures.
In response to the takeover of the
Michigan Union's tower by the Stu-
dents of Color Coalition, who protested
the granting of privileged space to the
senibr society Michigamua, the panel
recommended that the tower societies,
as well as those organizations given
privileged space in the League, the
rpont Commons, the William Mon-
Trotter House or the Division of
Housing, register with the Michigan
Student Assembly, and have their space
be reviewed every two years.
Other recommendations said that the
assignment of office space be done on a
view-point neutral basis, that all Uni-
versity schools create policies for
assigning space to student organiza-
tions and that student groups which
e6been given departmental status by
. University Board of Regents, are
elected governing bodies or any cam-
pus media be reviewed every five years.
On July 18, Bollinger issued a state-
ment to the University committee say-
ing that he agreed with the panels
recommendations, but that the three
tower societies - Michigamua,
Phoenix and Vulcan - would be given
office space for two years, and after-
wards they would have to apply for
e space like other student groups.
Complaint charges
administration of
discrimination
Four different University groups, as
well s 22 individual students, filed a
TitleVl discrimination complaint
nst the University's administration.
complaint charged the University
with continuous discrimination against
Native American students, faculty and
staff.
On August 4, those involved filed a
3 1.-page complaint with the U.S.
Department of Education's Office of
Civil Rights in Cleveland, Ohio.
The'complaint charges that the
administration supports the senior soci-
5ty Michigamua and therefore tolerates,
an condones racial discrimination
ntt Native Americans.
The group requested that the Michi-
gan Union Tower be remodeled -
which University President Lee

Bollinger agreed. They said the admin-
istration should apologize to the Native
American community for allowing
Michigamua to use Native American
caricatures.
The group is also calling for the free
u f Crisler Arena for the Native
American Student Association Pow-
w~w, and for an increase of Native
American students, faculty and staff by
at least 50 percent in the next two years.
Student book
exchange kicks off
Students hoping to make back a few
sucks and possibly save a few on their
books for fall term can take advantage
oWdent Book Exchange this week.
The event, which is held in the Pendle-
ton Room of the Michigan Union will
allow students to drop off books today
and buy books Thursday and Friday.
Staff members will be on hand from I1
a.mtq 6 p.m.
The Student Book Exchange allows
students selling to set the price on their
books and collect 85 percent of the
re . The exchange is fully run by
stoients.
Dentistry School
celebrates 125th
anniversary

5 'U' buildings catch fire in past month

By Caitlin Nish
Daily StaffReporter

A fire that scorched a room in
South Quad Residence Hall last
Thursday was one of five fires that
damaged University property in the
last month.
The South Quad fire was contained
to a double room on the fifth floor,
said Diane Brown, University facili-
ties and operations spokeswoman.
"An electrical fan tipped over in a
resident's room while he was not
there, and somehow it ignited some
combustibles and created a lot of
smoke," Brown said.
Although there was no significant
threat tp students, all residents were
evacuated for about an hour. The resi-
dents of the room temporarily have
been moved to another room but
Brown said there was no significant
monetary damage.
The fire is the second at a Universi-
ty residence hall in the last month. A
blaze on the roof of the West Quad
Residence Hall led to an evacuation
Aug. 7.
That fire, which started near equip-
ment on the roof of the residence hall
after workers had left for the day, is
estimated to have caused S100,000 in
damage. Although there was slight

damage to student rooms, the affected
area was repaired in time for move-in
last week.
Another fire on the same day of the
West Quad blaze damaged a room in
the Chemistry Building, causing about
S20,000 in damages. "The fire started
from a spark that got in between the
outside wall of the building and the
building of the room," Brown said.
Just three days later, Ann Arbor
firefighters responded to a massive fire
at the University's bus maintenance
garage that left SI million worth of
damage to the Kipke Drive facility.
That fire completely destroyed the
garage and one Nite Owl bus. Bus ser-
vice was not affected.
Another blaze broke out last Friday
in the Medical Science Building II.
The fire was caused by two chemicals
which ignited in a contained closet.
Brown said that while there was no
real threat by the fire, the building was
evacuated to ensure that the security
of hazardous materials had not been
compromised.
Last Thursday's fire comes nearly a
year after a fire in a Seton Hall Univer-
sity residence hall kilied three students
and injured many others. University of
Michigan Housing Director William
Zeller said the Seton Hall fire led Uni-
versity officials to question their own

policies and procedures.
"When a major incident occurs, it
generates questions about what you're
doing in your own area," Zeller said.
"It raised discussion and dialogue on
campus about fire safety."
Although incoming freshmen
receive brochures about fire safety in
their residence hall assignment pack-
ages, students are also required to
review fire safety guidelines during
their first residence hall floor meetings.
While no residence hall rooms on
campus are equipped with sprinklers,
each has a functioning smoke alarm.
Officials say one of the largest prob-
lems with fire safety is making stu-
dents realize that they must evacuate
the building when the alarms sound.
"Students should respond as if it's
real. You should know the escape
routes for your evacuation plan, and
you should meet with staff members if
you are unclear about the routes," said
Ian Steinman, manager of housing
security and an assistant director of
the Department of Public Safety.
But some students feel that the
alarms are impossible to miss or to
ignore.
"The alarms are definitely loud
enough, you would know to leave,"
said Beth Cohen, an LSA freshman
living in South Quad.

DAVID KATZ/Daily
LSA junior C.J. Hayes helps friends move into Williams House in West Quad, where
a fire last month damaged several rooms.

Reservoir dog

Greeks set new policies into place

By Hanna LoPatin
aiiv Staff Rcportcr

The Greek system, under fire in
recent years for hazing and alcohol inci-
dents, has put several new policies into
effect this year in an attempt to limit
future problems.
Interfraternity Council President
Adam Silver said at least five fraterni-
ties received IFC citations for violating
the policies last weekend.
"We did write up the houses that did
violate them,"Silver said.
"Again it's a new policy so we're still
working on the logistics of how to mon-
itor them," he said. "I think people were
trying to follow the rules."
This year fraternities are not allowed
to have more than 20 non-Greek mem-
bers at a party before rush.
"We don't want new students going
there," Silver said, saying that freshman
are unaware of responsible drinking.
In monitoring the past week's parties,
Silver said "I've seen lots of freshmen
turned down."

In checking on the fraternities, Silver
said the Social Responsibility Commit-
tee, a self-governing body of the Greek
system, looks primarily for the presence
of wristbands.
But some freshmen males said many
of the fraternities did not hand out
bracelets while others handed out many
more than 20. The students said if the
"girl to guy ratio" was good, they were
able to get in. One fraternity, they said,
had a sign that invited students to, "Bring
an M-Card and a girl and you're in.
LSA freshman Danielle Kirov said
she saw more than 20 non-Greek mem-
bers at parties she attended. The parties
"were filled with freshman all over." But
Kirov said there was trouble getting into
some fraternities. "They only let in hot
chicks."
Another dramatic change to the Greek
system prohibits sororities to co-sponsor
parties serving alcohol. The definition of
a party differs across the board, Silver
said, but the policy does place an "eco-
nomic burden" on fraternities.
Silver said he has not seen a shortage

of parties during this year's Welcome
Week, but that he is curious to see how,
fraternities handle it in the future.
Sororities will be allowed to co-
finance events serving alcohol at third,
party vendors, taking away the "burden
of responsibility," Silver said.
After hazing incidents took place last
year, a task force was formed to provide
a way to investigate and try such occur-
rences. The term of the original task
force members has ended, but IFC will,
be taking applications to form a new
task force at beginning at their meeting.
today.
The group will be independent from
IFC "will be a pro-active group," he3
said.
The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity has,
appealed an IFC decision to remover
them from campus after an alleged haz-
ing incident involving the spraying of
bleach on a pledge. Their suspension,
has since been suspended and things are
looking very good, Silver said.
They are being "very productive and
working with us," he said.


, < :

JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily
LSA sophomore Adam Moore pulls Gus, the house dog of the Sigma Phi
fraternity house, out of the fountain in Michigamua Plaza next to the
Michigan Union yesterday.
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NOW BUYING
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THE B1GIGGEST BACK TO SCHOOL':
OSYR

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