LOCAL/STATE The Michigan Daily - Thursday, January 4, 2000 - 3A 'U, By Jen Fish Daily Staff Reporter reports significant financial growth Use of tobacco products declines among teenagers According to a survey conducted by the Institute for Social Research, titled Monitoring the Future, the use of several drugs has decreased sub- stantially over the last few years. The surveys used 45,000 students in grades eight, 10 and 12, and showed that the use of inhalants, LSD, crystal methamphetamine and Rohvp- nol have all decreased by 25 to 33 per- cent from their peak levels reached in 1996 and 1997 due to the changes in the availability of marijuana. sThough the declines have been much smaller, researchers also hgve seen a decrease in the use of crack cocaine and cocaine powder among students. Researchers have seen the largest decline among eighth graders, with a farily consistent level amongt students bf upper grades. Even with the declines, drugs including ampheta- mines. barbiturates, tranquilizers, hallu- inogens besides LSD, opiates other than heroin and alcohol, did not witness asignificant decrease. This year, the survery also showed an increase in the use of ecstasy in all grade levels, heroin in 12th graders and steroids in 10th graders. The survery was instated 25 years ago because of a series of grants made by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is oncof the National histitues of Health in the U.S. Depart- ement of Health and Human Services. It shows representative samples of students from public and private schools across The United States. Researcher offers model of Pangea The position of Pangea, an ancient supercontinent that began falling apart .more than 200 million years ago to form seven continents, has been solved, according to University researchers and the Geological Survey of Norway. Using geological evidence, the researchers created several models to show how today's continents fit together before the seperation of Pangea. The most popular model, called Pangea A, shows South Ameri- ca touching the southern edge of *North America, and it shows Africa to the east of South America, adjacent to the Atlantic coast of North America. Using the magnetic fields of the Earth within rocks, geologists have found information which disagrees with Pangea A; and hope to use the magnetizaiot ,recrd 4orloeate thee exact latitude of the rocks when the magnitazation was recorded millions Oof years ago. Geology Prof. Rob Van der Voo feels that the southern continents should be farther north than the Pangea A model because of studies using the magnetic data. An an effort to combine classical Pangea studies and the new magnetic research, Van der Voo and Trond Torsvik, a colleague from the Geolog- ical Survey of Norway, hope to find out if the Earth still rotates on the .same dipole components, such as the ,north and south magnetic poles, as it i before Pangea split apart. New way to fix kspacecraft found Researchers from the College of Engineering believe they have discov- cred the way to fix a spacecraft while *airborne by creating machines that learn from experience to detect prob- pems and fix themselves. MACE II, a demonstrational device 6f a self-reliant, adaptive machine, docked at the International Space Sta- tion in September, making it the first experiment aboard the space station. The week of Dec. 15 began MACE If's first mission, which is to detect problems with hardware and technolo- gies on board the spacecraft, named Atlantis, and correct any problems which may arise. MACE II uses algorithms that allow it to adapt to changing conditions with- i4t using any ground controller. Researchers call this technology fre- quency domain expert control, which is an advance beyond MACE I, which could only test and fix gained controls. Compiled by Daily StaffiReporter Lisa Hoffman. The University is starting the new millennium with a strong financial foundation and an eye toward environmental sustainabili- ty, according to reports presented at the last month's meeting of the Uni- versity Board of Regents. Chief Financial Officer Robert Kasdin presented the University's financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000. Citing increases in private gifts, invest- ment returns and research awards, Kasdin said the University is "in excellent financial health." Kasdin also said the University's financial status is "a result of tight control on expenses by faculty and staff, as well as maximization of various revenue streams ... as well as the generosity of the state." The state appropriation to the University was S394 million, an increase of 5.7 percent from the last fiscal year. Another significant increase was in the area of new research awards, which totalled S654 million, up from 5452 mil- Iion. Gifts to the University also increased substantially as well, from S177 million to S231 million. The University's investment port- folio also performed well, achiev- ing a 43.6 percent return on investments. This placed the Uni- versity in the top quartile in the country as tracked by Cambridge Associates. The University's continued finan- cial security has earned it a "Aaa" rating from Moody's Investor Ser- vice. The University is one of the first two public universities in the coun- try to earn this distinction, Kasdin said. The board also was presented with two plans for maintaining and increasing the University's environ- mental sustainability. Terry Alexander, Director of Occupational Safety and Environ- mental Health, told the Board the Rulgl1 University has taken existing pro- grains that are in place to comply with state and federal regulations and "taken them to the next step." Some of the University's initia- tives include collaboration with the city' of Ann Arbor for renewable energy, recycling campaigns in Residence Halls and Michigan Sta- dium and alternative de-icing mate- rials to replace sand and salt use. Students representing the "Sus- tainable University of Michigan" initiative also addressed the Board, asking the University to consider a plan that continues present pro- grams while also considering envi- ronmntal responsibility and environmental impacts. Where the money comes from The University's current operating funds are about $3.4 billion, and cone from a variety of sources: 0 State appropriations: $394 million UStudent tuition and fees: $544 milion 8 Private gifts: $231 million V Research grants: $554 million 6 Hospitals and other similar activities: $1.3 billion in revenue r 1r Moving on up Sundergraduate case pleases most regents By Jen Fish Daily Staffl Rporter Just before the University Board of Regents' meeting got underway last month, members of the Board and University. executive officers were talking animatedly among them- selves. In fact, the meeting started nearly 20 minutes late. There was a lot to talk about. The previous day Federal district Judge Patrick Duggan decided to grant a motion for summary judgment in favor of the University in the lawsuit challenging the use of race as a factor in undergraduate admissions. "I'm thrilled," said Regent Larry Deitch (D-Bloomfield Hills) of the verdict. In a written statement, Regent Kathy White (D-Ann Arbor) wrote that she was "profoundly and deeply elated that the court has found that the University may consciously consider race in admissions to attain education benefits inherent in diversity." "I am excited that the University will be able to continue to seek diversity in student enrollment. This will make the University a better and stronger academic institution," she concluded. At least one regent expressed concern about Duggan's finding that while the University's current system is permis- sible, the "grid system" used from 1995-1998 was not, con- stitutional. "I thought it was a very interesting decision in that (Duggan) found a distinction between the two sys- tems," said Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor). "The question is whether the results were different. It's a "This will make the University a better and stronger academic institution." - Kathy White Regent (D-Ann Arbor) question of process. The question that hasn't beer addressed was would they (defendants Patrick Hammachce and Jennifer Gratz) be admitted under the new system ... she said. Recently re-elected to the board, Deitch and Rebecca McGowan's (D-Ann Arbor) support of the lawsuits was at, issue in their bid for re-election. During the campaign, it was asked if a change in the bal ance of power in the board would alter any future particip - tion in the lawsuits, which have been predicted to go asEfa as the Supreme Court. Because of the powers granted to the Board by the state it could theoretically direct University President Lee Bollinger to settle the lawsuits. But there seems to be little doubt now that the University will continue to defend its policies. "This board will support an appeal," Newman said. Fellow Republican David Brandon (Ann Arbor agreed. "From my perspective, the train has left the station," h. said. "Everyone else has a realistic view that .there's a long road ahead." AILY ONLINE 4NDAIL Y.COM JLbN(;A Ufl"i -O '( ly Engineering sophomore Erik Schroeppel struggles yesterday to open the door to South Quad Residence Hall after winter break. Students take advantage o book exchange READ THE D WWW.MICHIGA By Elizabeth Kassab Daily Staff Reporter Shelves filled with textbooks crowded the Pond Room of the Michigan Union yesterday, as part of the Student Book Exchange that runs until Saturday. The Student Book Exchange is a nonprofit, student-run organization that holds a book drive during the first week of every semester. Students can sell their unwanted textbooks and search for materials for this spmester's classes. "It's for students, by students," said Education senior Hank Opoku, who is volunteering at the book exchange for the third year. Today is the last day for students to bring in books they want to sell. Stu- dents can buy books tomorrow and Saturday. Student Book Exchange President Bennet Borsuk said the exchange normally lasts five days, with three days for selling books and two days for buying. But because this semes- ter begins on a Thursday instead of the usual Wednesday, Borsuk said it was not practical to start on Tuesday since not many students were in Ann Arbor. The group also decided not to extend the drive because students.do not have classes on Sunday and can easily pick up books and checks, said volunteer Jennifer Carroll, a Kinesiology senior. Students decide the prices of the. books they sell. Borsuk said recom- mended students try to sell their books for less than the used price but more than the sell-back price in any of the bookstores on campus. "Students can put any price. You can price your books at S500, but they're not going to sell," Borsuk said. "People make good judgment calls on pricing." Students keep 85 percent of the money from-their sales, with the remaining 15 percent going to the Stu- dent Book Exchange. Borsuk said the nonprofit organization uses the money to cover the cost of renting space in the Union and advertising on campus. "It's a good opportunity to save quite a bit of money," Student Book Exchange Vice President Mike Thompson said. Engineering senior Jennifer Zieg said she agreed, but also said she does not always find all the books she need- ed, especially for upper-level classes because they are often smaller classes and students sometimes keep their books. LSA senior Erin Muladore said the bookstores will not buy back many of her books because the read- ing lists change for the classes she takes. But she has had luck selling them through the Student Book Exchange. Borsuk estimated that about 2,000 books and 800 students will find their way to the Pond Room during the four-day drive. Sunday students will be able to pick up the books that did not sell and checks for the books that were sold. All books that are not retrieved are automatically donated to the Student Book Exchange for the next semester's book drive and students lose the opportunity to sell them back to book- stores for any money. Many of these books end up in the "clearance" sec- tion, Borsuk said. Often outdated, these books usually sell for one or two 'dollars. Thirty volunteers, many from the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, aid the seven Student Book Exchange officers to ensure the book drive runs smoothly. I..- I THE CALENDAR What's happening in Ann Arbor today srE rrc %FR ICT-% m