LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March8, 2001- 3A

Hillel celebrates Purim 2001

Students feel
race relations
.between blacks,
whites worsening
A recent study at the Institute for
Social Research found nearly a
third of high school seniors in the
United States worry about relations
between races and 20 percent feel
that relationships between whites
and African-Americans are wors-
ening.
Researcher Tony Brown studied
data across the nation of 4,500
white, black and Hispanic students
*between 1996 and 1997.
Of the students analyzed, 50 per-
cent of black seniors said they wor-
ried about race relations, compared
to almost 30 percent of white and
Hispanic students.
When asked if relations were
worsening, 23 percent of white stu-
dents, 19 percent of black students
Sand 15 percent of Hispanic stu-
dents agreed.
In another study, titled "Being
Black and Feeling Blue: Mental
Health Consequences of Racial
Discrimination," Brown and other
researchers focused on mental con-
sequences of racial discrimination.
By analyzing interviews of 779
men and women, researchers dis-
covered that psychological distress
rnd depression in black people was
linked to racial discrimination.
*Distress was assessed by asking
participants how often they felt
stressed, pressured, moody, down-
hearted, nervous or upset.
UNC study shows
women who talk
about business to
OOthers succeed
In order to succeed in entrepre-
neurial endeavors, women need to
discuss informal business matters
with people other than family
members, according to a study
done at the University of North
Carolina.
The Research Triangle at UNC
discovered that business people
with a large amount of family in
their business network were less
likely to venture out and start aj
business of their own, and women's
networks more often included fain-
' ily members than men.
The research included surveys of
353 people aspiring to start a new
business or to own a business in
Durham and Wake counties in
1990and 1991.
The results showed that 56 percent
of women included family in their
network, where men included 40 per-
cent. Women's networks were made of
20 percent family members, com-
pared to 14 percent for men.
The study also found that the
more variety in network members,
the more likely the person was to
start a new business venture. These
groups consist of family, friends,
business, associates, consultants
and coworkers.
Campaign finance
system displeases
most Americans
The results of a new survey
released by Ohio State University
show over two-thirds of Americans

wofld like to change or replace the
current campaign finance system.
People surveyed favored reforms
-which would limit spending, put a
limit on soft money contributions
and require more money to be
raised by the state where the candi-
date lives.
Using telephone interviews,
Ohio State's Survey Research Cen-
ter spoke with 1,229 people across
the country, and found that 18 per-
cent of the people think the exist-
ng system is "broken and needs to
be replaced."
Only 8 percent of the people sur-
veyed believed the system is fine
the way it stands, while 51 percent
agreed the system has some prob-
lems, which need to be solved and
23 percent feel the system is
flawed but doesn't require change.
Compiled biv Daily Staf'Reporter
Lisa Hofjiman.

By Karen Schwartz
Daily StaffReporter
In celebration of the annual Jewish holiday of
Purim, both the Chabad House and Hillel will
be hosting events tonight to mark the occasion.
The one-day holiday is celebrated with the
reading of the Megillah, a book of the
Hebrew Bible that tells the story of the Jews
in Persia and a man named Haman who was
persecuting them.
Chabad House's Rabbi Alter Goldstein said
the holiday is intended to celebrate the idea that
although there are times when Jews are perse-
cuted, they have still persevered and survived.
"This holiday hits home within our lives
since we have had a number of trials within
history with the 6 million Jews being killed in
World War II ... again trying to annihilate a
nation and they were not successful. We're
still here to tell about it," he said.
Associate director of Hillel Rabbi Rich
Kirschen said the holiday is a joyous day
because the Jews were saved. "It's partially a

feminist holiday and it's also a really fun holi-
day. The story ends that we were saved so
that's why we're happy."
Purim traditions include giving baskets of
food to friends and to those in need and eat-
ing cookies called hamentashen, triangle
shaped pastries filled with poppyseed or jam
shaped like Haman's hat.
Students gathered to make baskets and
hamentashen last night. "Part of Purim is
sharing with one another and it's done by
means of food because part of the holiday is
to make everybody happy and make sure
everyone has things to eat," Goldstein said.
Kirschen described Purim as "almost a
combination of Halloween and New Year's
Eve" because people dress in costume and
because "you're supposed to drink until you
don't know the difference between the hero
Mordechai and the villain Haman."
However, as it is Hillel's policy not to serve
alcohol, Hillel will be promoting a Purim cele-
bration without the drinks. "From our perspec-
tive it's enough to read the Megillah, dress up in

;tume and eat hamentashen," Kirschen said.
Another element of Purim is being funny
d making light of everything and everyone,
said. Even the speech made at the
:gillah reading, though it reflects on reli-
>us issues, he said, is "very tongue in .x
cek. The goal is to be funny on Purim."
The Chabad House will be hosting two
nts on campus tonight, one at the Chabad
use at 7:15 and another at 9:30 in the
rth-floor lounge of the Mary Markley Res-
nce Hall for those in the hill area. The .
gillah will be read both places, with festiv-
s to follow.
Two readings of the Megillah will also take : ..
ce at Hillel at 7 p.m., an orthodox and a
iservative and reform reading.
Goldstein and Kirschen both said students
welcome, though not required, to attend in
itume. Both groups are hoping for a large
fnout. "So many people come for Rosh y?
shana and Yom Kippur," Kirschen said. SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Dally
'hy not come together for a really fun time Devorah Goldstein (left) works with her sister in law,
ich is Purim." Chanchi Goldstein, to make cookies in celebration of Purim.
tudents awalt aria
of yougrsbig

Working solo

By Jane Krull
Daily Staff Reporter

LSA sophomore Adam Young said he is excited
to have his two younger brothers see his life at the
University first-hand when they visit him for Sib-
lings Weekend 2001, which begins tomorrow
evening.
Mark Young, 16, and Paul Young, 13, are two
of the 300 siblings expected to visit the Universi-
ty during Siblings Weekend 2001, sponsored by
the Residence Hall Association. "I am excited for
them to see how I live and to experience the col-
lege environment," Adam Young said.
RHA President James Taylor said there are
roughly 150 siblings registered for the weekend's
activities, but he is expecting twice that number
to register tomorrow night. Registration begins at
7 p.m. in the Michigan Union.
The first event of the weekend is Michigras,
held at the Union, an event co-sponsored by RHA
and the Michigan Union Programming Board.
Michigras, a play on the recent Mardi Gras,
includes food, games and a magician. Michigras
is open to all students at the University.
The carnival theme will spill over into the
weekend's activities, concluding with a carnival-
themed dinner served in the residence hall dining
rooms Saturday night.
On Saturday morning there will be a "cultural
tour of Ann Arbor" including the Matthei Botani-
cal Gardens, the Kelsey Museum of Archeology,

"I am excited for them to
see how I live."
- Adam Young
LSA sophomore
the Exhibit Museum of Natural History and the
University Museum of Art, Taylor said.
"This is a chance to experience hidden trea-
sures of the University that a lot of students never
take the opportunity to see," he said.
The weekend will conclude with a brunch Sun-
day morning.
Some siblings are visiting this weekend to check
out the University as a future college prospect, said
LSA sophomore Elizabeth Brennan, whose broth-
ers Adam, 17, and Jason, 15, are attending the
weekend's activities. "They both want to go to
school here so it is a good experience for them to
come and see the University," she said.
Despite the official title of the weekend, some
students are having visitors that are not related by
blood or marriage, but are still considered part of
the family.
ISA sophomore Peri Nelson is having her Ger-
man foreign exchange student, Marta, who is living
with her family, visit for the weekend. "She is very
excited to come here for the weekend. She is think-
ing about going to college in the states so Michigan
is definitely one she wants to look at," she said.

Playing solo in the band room, Kearsley High School freshman Michael Wilson, 15, practices
"American River Songs" on his trumpet for an upcoming performance as he waits for his parents
to pick him up after school on Tuesday.

Smaller universities
harmed by tuition
c aps, presidents say


LANSING (AP) - State-imposed
tuition caps are hurting smaller uni-
versities, the presidents of Northern
Michigan University, Saginaw Valley
State and the University of Michigan
at Flint told a state House subcommit-
tee yesterday.
"The intent of the Legislature is
well-founded," Northern Michigan
President Judith Bailey told the House
Appropriations Higher Education
Subcommittee. "But to be penalized
for what is best for the students is a
hard pill to swallow."
The Legislature granted the state's
universities a 5.4 percent increase in
1999, but not without some strings
attached. Lawmakers warned that the
universities would have to keep tuition
increases below 3 percent or they
would lose state money.
That penalty cost Northern Michi-
gan $780,000 last year after it imple-
mented a new program to give each of
its 8,400 students a laptop computer,
Bailey said.
The laptop program - which costs
students an extra $770 per year -
was planned and advertised to incom-
ing students well before the Legisla-
ture passed its tuition restraint
measure, Bailey said.
Without the laptop program, tuition
and fees at the university only would
have risen by 2.7 percent last year, she
said. But the additional 5770 made it
appear that tuition was rising by about
20 percent.
Bailey said that Northern is being
punished for a program that will reap

benefits for the state. The laptops are
transforming campus life and ensur-
ing graduates will be technologically
skilled, Bailey said.
"The message sent by tuition
restraint language has to be, 'I am not
being rewarded for being innovative
or creative or keeping my pact with
the Legislature to run a university,"
Bailey said.
Northern is in the lowest funding
tier of the state's university system,
along with University of Michigan-
Flint, Saginaw Valley, Lake Superior
State and Grand Valley State. The
schools would each receive at least
S4,500 per student under Gov. John
Engler's proposed budget for the 2002
fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
University of Michigan at Flint
Chancellor Juan Mestas said that
because tuition rates at his school are
so low, a 1 percent tuition increase
would bring in only about 5250,000.
At a larger university, he said, that I
percent could bring in S2 million.
Saginaw Valley President Eric
Gilbertson said the system has the effect
of penalizing the schools that have tried
hardest to keep their tuition low.
State Rep. David Mead (R-Frank-
fort) a member of the subcommittee,
agreed that the Legislature made a mis-
take when it passed the tuition limits.
"That's what happens when we take
one paint brush and try to paint the
state as a whole," he said. "I personal-
ly don't think that S800,000 means a
whit to the other 14 universities. But
to one university, it means a lot."

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