One hundred etn years ofeditorfalfreedom till NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 7640557 www michigandaily. com Monday February 12,2001 ,a +a e. Genome pr0 wow o publish results By Anna Clark Daily Staff Reporter It's not the lunar landing, but according to sci- entific experts, it's just as much of a landmark. This morning, University Prof. Francis *ollins, director of the Human Genome Pro- ject, is expected to announce that the two sepa- rate initiatives to sequence the human genome are essentially complete. The announcement is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. in Washington, D.C. The two organi- zations that have worked to assemble the genome will publish their results in two different journals. The HGP will publish their findings in a spe- cial issue of the scientific journal Nature, while the privately-funded Celera Genomics will publish in Science. This coordination of the release of informa- tion comes after several years of competition between the two compa- vies for developments in Collins the sequencing. Today's announcement follows last summer's statement that 85 percent of the human genome was sequenced. But University Vice President for Medical Affairs Gil Omenn said today will be the first opportunity for scientists and researchers to compare both sets of data. "In June 2000 everyone had a publicity blitz that the working draft was nearly completed. Today we see the results of all that research," Omenn said. "It's a big deal:' The sequenced human genome is the map- ping of all human DNA, including the genes and proteins, which determines variation and diseases in humans. Experts confirm the historic implications of the assembled human genome. "This is huge," said Stephen Gruber, director of the University Cancer Genetics Clinic. "In some respects, it's equivalent to the lunar land- ing for scientists. And the fact that they got this done ahead of time and under budget is remarkable." Gruber, a University assistant medical pro- fessor, added that the sequenced genome pro- vides enormous possibilities for discovery. Gruber said one of the things that surprised him the most is how few genes humans have, noting that it is only about twice as many as worms. "Questions many of us haven't even thought of can now be answered now that we have an assembled human genome," Gruber said. John Moran, an assistant professor of genet- ics at the University, said he agrees the genome data provides an important resource for future research. "This is the first time a blueprint of what it is to be human is in front of us," Moran said. While the HGP has publicized developments on their website as they discovered them, Cel- era will only be offering limited access after today's announcements. See GENOME, Page 7A I MY BUDDY AND ME CIR, 'U ' plan for appeal of LSA decision By Jon Fish Daily Staff Reporter DETROIT - In the first step of what is likely to be a lengthy appeals process, the University filed papers Friday requesting permission to appeal the rul- ing by U.S. District Judge Patrick Dug- gan in the lawsuit chal- lenging undergradu- N A ate admis- sion policies. The deci- 4~ sion, handed down Dec. Inside: The Law School 13, settled admissions trial the case continues with two days without a of testimony over the trial and was weekend. Page 3A considered a victory for the University. Duggan certi- fied the opinion for appeal last month, which allows the parties to appeal although litigation is not fully complete. An appeal of Duggan's ruling would be heard by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals'in Cincinnati. Friday's papers are not the formal appeal -the Univer- sity has said it will only appeal the deci- sion if the Center for Individual Rights files its own appeal. But Kirk Kolbo, lead counsel for CIR, said Friday that CIR will definitely appeal the opinion. "We have the right to appeal automatically,"he said. In his opinion, Duggan wrote that the University's current admissions system, implemented in 1999, is legal in its tak- ing race as a consideration because, Duggan wrote, the educational benefits of diversity that such a system is designed to accomplish constitute a compelling government interest. But Duggan also ruled that the "grid" system of admissions used from 1995 to 1998, the years which plaintiff Jennifer Gratz applied, was illegal. University Deputy General Counsel Liz Barry said the University will likely appeal this portion of the decision. "It's important that (the Sixth Circuit) has all the issues in front of them;' she said "We believe this is the best deci- sion for preserving the victory we've already achieved." CIR will appeal the other portions of Duggan's opinion, including the ruling that excludes University President Lee Bollinger and former President James Duderstadt as defendants in the case. The Sixth Circuit must first decide whether to take the case. If it does accept it, each side will be asked to file briefs in support of their position. Engineering freshman Kathy Wu helps out while Tyler McPherson and Lindsay Peet make bead necklaces Friday at the Kids Fair in Criser Arena. Kids Fair unites pen pal 'buddies' By Shannon Pettypiece Daily Staff Reporter A dozen yellow school buses lined up outside Crisler Arena and more than 1,000 elementary school kids singing "Hail To the Victors" inside Friday morning signaled to anyone nearby that the third annual Kids Fair was underway. The fair brought elementary school students from Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Detroit to the Uni- versity for a day of activities with college students. This event is one of many organized by the K- grams pen pal program in an effort to increase University and community interaction. "The K-Fair gives the elementary students the opportunity to see the many different sides of col- lege ... so that they believe a future education is definitely possible," said K-grams Executive Director Elena Mann, an Engineering junior. But for many participants, the Kids Fair was a chance to meet the pen pals they have been in con- tact with for the past few months through biweekly letters. At the beginning of the school year, children from local elementary schools and University stu- dents involved in K-grams were paired up with one another. The "buddies" corresponded with each other through letters on topics ranging from "Harry Pot- ter" to the presidential election. The process of collecting and delivering the 1,000 letters each month takes roughly 100 student volunteers. "I loved the letters," said LSA sophomore Louisa Kennedy. "I put all of them up on my walL." After the pen pals had met they spent the after- noon participating in activities sponsored by nearly 100 student groups. Kids Fair attendees participated in such activi- ties as a pie eating contest, valentine decorating, face painting, playing with musical instruments, See KIDS, Page 7A LGBT kicks off 'Visibility Week'' MSA upset by changs absent from Code By Carrie Thorson )aily Staff Reporter After the Michigan Student Assembly worked for much of last year developing proposed amendments to the Uni- versity's Student Code of Conduct, many MSA members have expressed disappointment that the changes accepted by President Lee Bollinger did not include several of the assembly's initial recommendations. "We're happy president Bollinger took our changes into consideration," said Student General Counsel Alok Agrawal, "but we're disappointed that he disregarded the ones that were most important." Before MSA's proposed amendments reached Bollinger, they went through the University's Civil Liberties Board and then through the Student Relations Advisory Committee. "In each one of those stages they rejected anything other than the semantic changes MSA proposed," said assembly Vice President Jim Secreto. "They diluted the changes so much that SRAC's propos- al was an evil monster version of MSA's code," he said. Some of the elements of the Code MSA tried to *mend are that hearsay is admissible in an arbitration, there is no clear standard of evidence, and code pro- ceedings are held in secret, Students Rights Commis- sion Chair Mike Simon said. "No one knows what goes on in those dark rooms," Simon said. "We are very disappointed with the admin- istration in rejecting every substantial proposal." Former MSA representative and Rackham student From scrap ® Members of Q-vis caucus train for protest by anti-gay activist By Carrie Thorson Daily Staff Reporter - Amid anxiety over the upcoming visit of the Rev. Fred Phelps, a nation- ally known anti-homosexual minister, Queer Visibility week kicked off "fab- ulously" Saturday with the Red and White Ball at Rackham Auditorium. "It was a really wonderful dance," said Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans- gender Affairs Commission co-chair James Leija. About 150 people attend- ed the ball, he said. Among the upcoming "Q-vis" week events will be a Health Education and Awareness Fair for the LGBT commu- nity this Thursday sponsored by Lifestyle Condoms. The fair will fea- ture free condoms and health informa- tion from groups such as the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, the HIV Ann Arbor Resource Center and the Medical School. "We want this to be about total health, not just safe sex," said LGBT co-chair Ben Conway. "We are striving for positive, affirming events." The week will finish up Friday with the annual Kiss-in and rally on the Diag at noon. Members of the Q-vis caucus attend- ed a peace-keeper training seminar this weekend, in response to claims that Phelps will attend the rally with about 15 picketers. "We're prepared for the possibility of protest;' Leija said. The seminar educated them on how to diffuse vio- lent situations without police interven- tion in hope of keeping the Kiss-in "a See LGBT, Page 7A - JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily University alum Mary Helen Montgomery fashions a "Chinese chiendale gate" out of scrap wood at the Student Woodshop yesterday. National Condom Week aims to put spotlight on safe sex By Ted Borden Daily Staff Reporter "It is very important to know this information to protect personal health," Beth Karmeisool, owner of the Safe Sex Store on South University Ave., said. This week, the store plans to hold its annual Valentine's Day pro- nia's Berkeley campus. Over the years, support for National Condom Week has grown as the num- ber of cases of sexual transmitted dis- eases has increased. One-fifth of the U.S. population has an STD. Two- Today marks the beginning of National Condom Week, during which thousands of learning institutions, - , x '