LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, March 14, 2001- 3
HGHER ED
Bush's budget
proposes raising
Pell Grant funding
*at all levels
The new educational budget
recently released by President
Bush's administration includes a
proposal to increase Pell Grant
funding, which provides federal
financial aid to students, by $1 bil-
lion.
The new maximum Pell Grant
amount, as proposed by Bush,
would be S3,750, an increase by
about $200. This increase would
include all Pell Grant recipients
and not just freshmen, as Bush
originally proposed.
Other proposals in the budget
include increasing support of his-
torically black colleges and col-
leges that have large hispanic
student enrollment.
Also, Bush's plan would try to
encourage college saving by
increasingethe annual cap on con-
tributions from S500 to $5,000 to
tax-free saving accounts that are to
be used pay for college. It would
also expand existing student-loan
forgiveness limits from $5,000 to
S17,500.
Wisconsin study:
Ritalin abuses on
*rise at coIleges
The practice of illegally using
Ritalin has become widespread
among high school and college stu-
dents, said Dr. Eric Heiligenstein,
head of psychiatry for the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin Health Services.
Some students use the drug to
concentrate late at night, but stu-
dents more commonly use it to
*counter the depressing effects of
alcohol so they can drink more,
Heiligenstein said.
Heiligenstein said the practice of
using Ritalin as a study aid devel-
oped in East Coast prep schools
where students took their habit
with them on to college life.
The abuse of Ritalin can cause
an increased heart rate and
increased blood pressure, accord-
ing to the Physician's Desk Refer-
ence Guide.
It can also lead to heart attacks,
strokes and "psychological depen-
dence with varying degrees of
abnormal behavior."
After interviewing more than
100 Wisconsin students diagnosed
with attention deficit disorder, or
ADD, Heiligenstein found one in
five students regularly misuse their
$prescriptions of Ritalin, Dexedrine
or Adderall without a doctor's
supervision.
College papers
take heat for
controversial book
advertisement
Student newspapers across the
'country have found themselves
amidst of controversy after pub-
Alishing a book advertisement titled
"Ten Reasons Why Reparations for
Slavery is a Bad Idea - and Racist
Too."
Some newspapers, such as Uni-
versity of California at Berkeley's
Daily Californian and UC Davis'
California Aggie, formally apolo-
*gized for the ad's content. Others,
like the University of Chicago
,,Maroon and the Badger Herald at
the University of Wisconsin, said
they have no intentions of issuing
an apology.
University of Wisconsin students
held a protest outside the newspa-
per's office the day after the adver-
"'tis ment ran, calling the paper
racist and handing out fliers con-
demning the editors.
University of California Regent
Ward Connerly slammed the Daily
Californian for its "retreat from the
fundamental principle of free
speech."
The newspaper also received
more than 500 letters to the editor
in response to both the advertise-
ment itself and the formal apology
issued.
- Compiledfrom U- WIRE reports
Shv Daily StafReporferJane Krull.
Regents to choose commencement speaker
By Anna Clark
IDaily Staff Repor
University President Lee Bollinger has recom-
mended six national figures to receive honorary
degrees at this year's spring commencement.
According to tradition, one of these figures will be
selected as the commencement speaker.
The recommended recipients are: William
Davidson, president and CEO of Guardian Indus-
tries Corporation; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth
Bader Ginsberg, ; William Ivey, chair of the
National Endowment for the Arts; Adam Michnik,
a writer, historian and Polish reform leader; Robert
Pinsky, a former U.S. poet laureate; and Marshall
Sahlins, an anthropologist.
The University Board of Regents is expected .o
approve the recommendations at their regular
meeting on Thursday, but some regents have
"It's a very special honor to receive an honorary
degree from the University of Michigan."
- Olivia Maynard
University Regent (D-Goodrich)
already shown enthusiasm for the nominees.
"This is just a wonderful cross-section of the
best in this country" Regent Olivia Maynard (D-
Goodrich) said. "It will be an excellent opportunity
at commencement to see these people, to talk to
them, to just be face to face with people who've
made great contributions to our country."
Rackham Assistant Dean for Academic Pro-
grams, Homer Rose, who offered staff support to
the committee, echoed Maynard's thoughts. "I per-
sonally think that what we're after is honoring peo-
ple who are examples of what we hope to be," he
said.
Maynard added that she feels the degrees are an
honor for both sides. "It's a very special honor to
receive an honorary degree from the University of
Michigan," she said.
Gary Krenz, special counsel to the president,
explained how the University chooses its honorary
degrees recipients.
He said the Committee on Honorary Degrees,
chaired by Rackham Graduate School Dean Earl
Lewis, reviews a large number of nominees from
the University community before recommending a
set of individuals to Bollinger.
"Then the president, with some consultation,
will figure out who to invite to commencement"
Krenz said.
He added that the committee does not selector
formally recommend which of the honorary degree
nominees should speak at commencement but
instead offers "informal consultation" to Bollinger.
"But there's nothing binding about it," Krenz
said.Rose added that it's difficult for him to define
exactly what sort of people the committee is look-
ing for,"but I know it when I see it."
Maynard said the committee asks the regents foi
comments on the nominees before coming back to
them at the end of the process for final
approval."We're definitely able to participate and
certainly have input, but there's a committee io
charge of this process and we're not the commit.
tee," Maynard said.
Hole diggers
Election Board accused of
bias, new members elected
By Carrie Thorson
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly decided at last night's
meeting that its Election Board was in violation of the
MSA code and constitution because of the recent resigna-
tion of Student General Counsel Alok Agrawal, from the
board.
Agrawal's resignation caused the board to fall short of
two constitutional requirements. The board must consists
of three members aside from the election director, and
the majority of the board must consist of MSA represen-
tatives.
In an emergency meeting of the Steering Committee,
held after the regular meeting, Medical School Rep. Caro-
line Scheiber and Women's Issues Commission Chair Eliz-
abeth Anderson were appointed to the two vacant seats on
the board.
Rackham Rep. Jessica Curtin and LSA Rep. Erika
Dowdell called for the resignation of the remaining Elec-
tion Board officials - College of Architecture and Urban
Planning Rep. Shana Shevitz, LSA senior Ryan Norfolk
and LSA sophomore Jun Takayasu - during constituents'
time.
"They've done a lot of damage to the election, and it's
hampering the candidates' ability to run a democratic elec-
tion," Curtin said.
Dowdell and Curtin were recently thrown out of the elec-
tion by the board and reinstated Sunday night after appeal-
ing to the Central Student Judiciary.
"If you guys can't read and interpret the code in an unbi-
ased way, you should not be on the Election Board,ht
Dowdell added.
Remaining board members were unwilling to capitulate
to the demands.
"I firmly intend on remaining part of the election board.
regardless of what they say," said Election Board Director
Ryan Norfolk. "Their attacks were politically motivated."
Director of the Office of Student Conflict Resolutiopi
Keith Elkin spoke at last night's meeting on OSCR's rolein
the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, for-
merly known as the Code of Student Conduct.
"It is important for a community to define its own values
and set expectations," Elkin said. The current code "is not
going to be abolished, and the alternative is not positive Tqr
anyone."
Elkin repeatedly said OSCR did not want to create-a
"quasi-legal system," and actively sought student input's
to what changes should be made.
"We're going to become the premiere office of student
conflict resolution in the country, but we can't do that wit;-
out student help and obviously MSA," Elkin said.
In an effort to voice their concern about the pendig
merger with the Ann Arbor Transit Authority, the assembly
passed a resolution opposing outsourcing of major parts of
University bus service. They also passed a resolution foi
letter of solidarity to the University of California at Berka-
ley student government.
Medical School Rep. Sarah Mohiuddin was appointed is
chair of the Student Health Advisory Board, and LSA Rep:
Jessica Cash and Alex Mcdonough were appointed'as
chairs of the Tax-exempt Textbook Taskforce.
J[FF HURVITZ' Oily
University groundskeepers Alex Sulze and Bill McAllister and LSA senior Kate
Stubelt do a little spring cleaning around CC Little Chemistry Building.]
Hill1el kicks off 'Half
Shekel campaign1
By Elizabeth Kassab
Daiy Staff Reporter
"Shek it." The slogan of the 2001
United Jewish Communities' Half
Shekel campaign urges students to
"shek it up all over campus," or
donate money that will go to a vari-
ety of charitable causes, said cam-
paign chair Micah Peltz.
In its fifth year at the University,
the two-week campaign kicked off
Sunday afternoon at Hillel. It aims to
reach Jewish students on campus,
asking them to contribute money to
the UJC, a Jewish charity organiza-
tion that helps troubled areas all
around the globe.
"Everything you can imagine that
is a good cause, UJC contributes to,"
said LSA senior Lauren Whitefield,
the campaign's marketing chair. "It
really reaches out to everyone."
"Half Shekel" refers to a request
in the book of Shmot that all Jews
contribute half of a shekel to the
community, Peltz said.
"We're making 'shek' a verb," he
explained. About 120 volunteers will
spread out across campus to get the
6,000 Jewish students at the Univer-
sity to become involved in the com-
munity, even if only by donating a
few dollars to the UJC.
The money the campaign collects
is secondary to the sense of commu-
nity people gain by being involved,
Peltz said.
"It is not so much about the
money that you're donating. It's the
fact that you're willing to take a
stand in support of the Jewish com-
munity," he said. "God willing, some
day I'll be able to give thousands of
dollars to UJC."
But for the time being, Peltz said
he understands that college students
do not always have abundant cash
funds. Peltz said the average dona-
tion is S18.
"The real goal is to reach the
6,000 Jews on this campus," Peltz
said. "What we're relying on is
word of mouth and networks of
friends."
While the focus of the campaign
is on the Jewish community, it does
not mean that non-Jewish students
can not contribute money. "It is not
limited to Jewish students; it is not
exclusive," Peltz said.
The campaign originated at the
University in 1997 and gained
attention across the nation. "The
idea intrigued so many other cam-
puses that it's spread to tens of other
campuses," Peltz said. Pennsylvania
State University, Johns Hopkins
University and the University of
California at Los Angeles have all
implemented their own versions of
the Half Shekel campaign.
Because of this, Peltz said the
University's Half Shekel campaign
feels compelled to keep improving
its program and to "raise the bar" for
all participating schools.
To do this, this year's organizers
have introduced some changes. To
make the campaign run more
smoothly, a census has been included
to keep track of Jewish students at
the University.
"The leadership of Half Shekel
has completely redefined the cam-
paign for students," said RC junior
Shari Katz, chair of Hillel's govern-
ing board.
In addition to the logistics of the
campaign, organizers have made it
more friendly to students by
emphasizing students' place in the
Jewish community as well as the
money they are donating. "By mak-
ing students appreciate the impor-
tance of unity and giving to others,
they have made the Half Shekel
campaign not just a charity drive
but a way of thinking about how we
can unite with others to make a dif-
ference," Katz said.
"Coming here today and seeing so
many students understand the goals
of Half Shekel signifies that this
campaign is going to be our most
successful ever and that by the end
of the two weeks thousands of stu-
dents will not only be aware of the
campaign on campus but will have
donated to it as well," Katz added.
State Street renovation project
scheduled to begin in July
,
By James Restivo
Baly Staff Reporter
As its summer deadline nears, the
Downtown Development Authority is
completing the final phases of the
State Street Renovation design while
attempting to stay under budget.
Originally thought to begin in May
or June, the project is now proposed to
start after the Art Fair, planned for July
18-21 to "minimize the negative
impacts of the project," Susan Pollay,
director of the DDA said. Construction
is scheduled to commence in the last
week in July.
The project, which will encompass
the areas just west of campus, sur-
rounded by Thayer, William, Division
and Washington streets has a proposed
budget of S5 million, which must be
scrutinized and revised before it is put
up for a bid.
"We must look at the projects and
decide what elements are necessary,"
Pollay said. "If we put it out to bid
right now, it would be over." Once the
final plan is complete it will go to city
staff for their review before it is
offered up for bids.
The DDA receives its funding
through a tax increment financing
plan, as opposed to the tax revenue
that is used for other public services;
The plan allows property taxes that are
raised because of downtown develop-
ment to be allotted to the DDA for fur.
ther improvements.
"If we spend public money wisely;
then private investors are more likely
to invest in the downtown area," Pollay
said.
Once improvement construction
begins, Pollay said it will done phase
by phase so that the entire area will not
be torn up at the same time. Once
finalized, it is proposed that the project
will take one year to complete.
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it's
graphic
~design.
majors
time
Are you interested in making ads
that will be seen in print as a way
tCd make money, gain experience,
and build a portfolio??!
Call 764.0556 ask for Susan or
Dana for details -- or stop by the
Student
Publications
Building
and get an application from
the Production Department.
i 1.- , Mi r i , So n -F I I A A/i r-4-c
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