One hundred ten years ofeditoriadfreedom

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Thursday
February 22,2001

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Step into the light

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Universities pressure college
apparel manufacturer in Mexico
to resolve labor standoff
By Susan Luth
Daily Staff Reporter
After hundreds of workers were driven from
their jobs last month at the Kukdong factory in
Atlizco de Pueblo, Mexico, 40 people were final-
ly allowed to return to work yesterday, including
two leaders who were responsible for staging a
work stoppage.
The reports of the workers' safe return came in
the midst of fear that the factory management
might get riot police or even hire Mexican gang-
sters to violently drive away workers trying to
regain their jobs at the factory, which produces
collegiate apparel for the University and other
schools.
The work stoppage was staged when an illegal
union the factory workers have been forced to
join, known by its Spanish acronym FROC
CROC, announced that it was going to declare a
strike even though some workers did not want it.
To protest the forced strike, five workers led the
factory's employees on a walkout, creating the
work stoppage. The five had been pushing to let
the factory allow workers to elect a free and inde-
pendent union to represent them.
During the walkout, riot police and Mexican
gangsters hired by management violently
attacked workers, sending 15 to the hospital. Yes-
terday the management finally agreed to take its

to

jobs

SAM HULLENStAU/Daily
Basked by light coming from the floor of the state Capitol rotunda, a group of tourists listen to a guide explain the history of the building
yesterday morning in Lansing.

workers back and put them in their old positions
with the same salary. They have agreed not to
press criminal charges against the five leaders
who led the work stoppage.
The action came under pressure, as Nike and
Reebok - two manufacturers whose merchan-
dise is produced at Kukdong - pressed the fac-
tory to resolve issues with its workers.
Many American universities have been putting
pressure on Nike and Reebok to send monitors to
the Kukdong plant to report on claims that work-
ers were hit by management with hammers and
screwdrivers and fed rancid food.
"Universities across the country have been
asking their administration to speak out against
Nike," said United Students Against Sweatshops
spokeswoman Sherene Judeh.
University of Michigan General Counsel Mar-
vin Krislov sent a letter to Nike Vice President of
Corporate Responsibility Dusty Kidd earlier this
month. The alleged abuses at the Kukdong facto-
ry would breech the contract that the University
signed with Nike in late January, stating that any
factory where Nike makes Michigan apparel -
such as Kukdong - must follow a code of con-
duct that outlines human rights and labor stan-
dards. By not allowing the workers to vote for a
free and independent union, the factory is
accused of breaking the code that calls for free-
dom of association.
"The pressure by students and universities on
Nike and Reebok has been fundamental in
defending labor rights for these workers," said
RC senior Peter Romer-Friedman, a member of
See LABOR, Page 7A

ACADEMIC PROBATION
r
end for all
tudents
By Samantha Ganey
Daily Staff Reporter
At the end of each semester, some
students return home to more than
just letter grades to show their par-
s. They receive additional letters
t for the refrigerator door - let-
ters warning students they are on
academic probation and at risk for
suspension.
Academic probation does not affect
the majority of the student body, but
each semester, 3 percent of LSA stu-
dents and I percent of Business stu-
dents have semester grade point
averages below a 2.0, automatically
qualifying them for probation. Letters
their respective colleges encour-
Wstudents to schedule individual
advising appointments immediately.
LSA Academic Standards Board
Director Charles Judge sympathizes
with extraneous factors that can con-
tribute to students' inadequate grades.
He said some students are in the
wrong academic programs; others
work too hard. Sickness and depres-
sion also may add to a student's acad-
*ic struggles.
"It is, in fact, somewhat interesting
that the distribution of people who are
on academic probation is a little more
heavily on sophomores and juniors -
with a lot of seniors, too," Judge said.
Students who have attended the
University for at least a year have had
more time to encounter personal
issues and problems that may affect
academic performance, Judge said.
A combination of losing a friend to
icide and letting his grades fall
caused University alum Ed Sul to slip
into academic probation the fall of his
sophomore year and suspension the
following term.
"I lost perspective and purpose. I
had to find the meaning of life all over
again," Sul said.
Judge explained that LSA students
are on probation for one semester and
/&a student's semester grade point
oes not rise to or above a 2.0 in the
next semester the individual is dis-
missed from the University.
The student has the right to appeal
immediately with a petition letter. An
individual conference follows the
appeal but does not guarantee re-

'Campus research
centers on LSI

By Whitney Elliott
Daily Staff Reporter

The Life Sciences Initiative was the focus of
the third annual "State of Research at the Univer-
sity" discussion between University President
Lee Bollinger and faculty and students yesterday
afternoon.
Bollinger emphasized throughout the discus-
sion that the Life Sciences Initiative will bridge
the gap between the humanities and natural sci-
ences on campus.
"I have a feeling that what is going on now in
biology and chemistry will have a yery large
affect on the humanities and the arts," Bollinger
said, giving his support to the combining of many
fields of study into the Life Sciences Initiative.
He said there would be risks involved in the
venture of coordinating two seemingly incompa-
rable fields of study.
"There are shovels in the ground; there are
buildings going up. The question we need to be
asking of the life sciences is how much of this is
a gamble," Bollinger said.
Biology Prof. John Lehman said one risk with
the Life Sciences Initiative is the perspective with
which people who learn through the Life Sci-
ences Institute will view science.
"I'd say there's a real difference there in what
they're learning. The creating and testing of sci-
ence is really the essence of science," Lehman
said.
Bollinger also said this may present a problem.
"Will I ever have any hope of understanding
quantum mechanics?" Bollinger asked, a ques-
tion he has posed to many physicists. He said
they told him that first he must learn math.

Bollinger said the physicists added that the
Life Sciences Initiative is no substitute for learn-
ing the basics of natural science.
Bollinger said the humanities and the natural
sciences cross enough in everyday life that a
combined program such as the Life Sciences
Initiative will prove very useful to the Univer-
sity.
"Very significant artists have used the life sci-
ences as a basis for their art. We need to do more
to explore the possibilities of enrichment for the
rest of the institution," Bollinger said.
Bollinger said although he is genuinely inter-
ested in the way cells divide in his stomach, he
also sees understanding "love, responsibility,
motivation, power and conflicting desire" as
important.
He said that at the University most people live
between the extremes of what is studied here,
from microorganisms to astronomical bodies.
"It's so important because that's where we live
- in the humanities," Bollinger said.
Bollinger said the Royal Shakespeare Compa-
ny's visit next month is a very important illustra-
tion of something the University should be
thinking about, and that people campuswide can
benefit from this type of humanities project.
"This is a role of universities that has not been
properly recognized. People don't think of uni-
versities as patrons of the arts."
Bollinger said the Life Sciences Initiative will
benefit the University greatly in bringing together
the humanities and the natural sciences.
"I believe that this is an opportunity to bridge
the two cultures' divide," he said.
The event was sponsored by the Sigma Xi Sci-
entific Research Society.

SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily
"What we are facing
is 'a revolution in
knowledge. The
University of
Michigan must be
at the fore front of
this"
- Lee Bollinger
University president, addressing a
state House committee yesterday

lobbies fior
state funds'
By Hlana Lopatin
Daily Staff Reporter
LANSING - In appealing to the state House Appropria-
tions Higher Education Subcommittee for a more than 6 per-
cent increase in ftnds, University President Lee Bollinger
yesterday assured legislators that the money would be put to
good use.
"I hope my message to you is we are doing very well at the
level of aspiration you want," Bollinger told the committee
members.
Highlighting the achievements of the University in the past
year, Bollinger noted that one faculty member has been
awarded a Nobel Prize, another was named a finalist for the
National Book Award and one is heading the project to
sequence the human genome.
"There has been a stunning increase in the amount of
awards - research awards - that our faculty receives,"
See BUDGET, Page 7A

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Steely Dan steals sow from
Emiem; rapper wins three
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Veteran "Wow! ... Oh, I cannot believe this,"
rockers U2 and Steely Dan and country Hill said. "I would like to thank my A nd the
singer Faith Hill stole some of the mom and dad for allowing me to go to
Grammy thunder yesterday from my first concert when I was 8 years old
Eminem, whose angry lyrics entangled to Elvis Presley."
the ceremonies in controversy. D'Angelo and Destiny's Child won
Steely Dan, who had never won a two Grammys apiece.
Grammy until yesterday, claimed three, D'Angelo's "Voodoo" won best Album of the Year
including album of the year for "Two R&B album and his song, "Untitled ATwo the ar
Against Nature," besting Eminem's (How Does It Feel)" won best male"Two Nature
controversial "The Marshall Mathers R&B vocal performance. Destiny's Steely Dan
LP." Eminem won three awards in rap Child "Say My Name" won best R&B Record of the Year
music categories. song and best R&B performance by a "Beautiful Day"
U2 also won three awards, including group. U2
the prestigious song and record of the Steely Dan also won best pop album Song of the Year
year for "Beautiful Day." for "Two Against Nature," their first "Beautiful Day"
"It's a very unique emotion I'm feel- disc in 19 years, as well as best pop U2
ing right now. I think it's called humili- vocal performance by a group for
ty," said U2's Bono, who added that "Cousin Dupree." Best New Artist
fellow nominee Macy Gray and others "We've been around a long time," ; Shelby Lynne
should share the band's award. "I'm said Steely Dan's Donald Fagen. "It's Best Rock Album

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