One hundred tenyears ofeditornafreedom * t NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 764-0557 www~michigandaily.com Tuesday April 10, 2001 I [ "4 #~k/~:~: /. _ __ I Utility By Ted Borden Daily Staff Reporter Rising utility costs will likely drive up average rates for on-campus housing at the University by 5 rcent in the fall, after four straight years of ases below 3 percent. "We have an annual process of reviewing these rates ... and a long history of using student rate groups,' said Alan Levy, director of Housing public affairs at the University. "We're doing everything we can to keep a University education as affordable as possible." The proposed increases were developed by University Housing in collaboration with the Residence Hall Association, the Family Housing F Setting Student Advisory Committee and aiinistrators. The University Board of Regents costs drive up housing rates will vote on the proposal Thursday. For the 2001-2002 school year, a double room in a traditional residence hall like South Quad or Mary Markley will cost $6,068, up from this year's cost of $5,780. The increase is higher than last year's rate hike of 3 percent but lower than the increases at many other large universities. The University of North Carolina augmented its rate by 11.8 percent, while the cost at the University of Washington went up by 10.3 percent. Levy noted that several points were taken into consideration when determining the proposed increase, including general inflation, the costs of food, staff and services and planned costs, including the installation of a new electrical and fire alarm system in the East Quad Residence Hall, similar to the system recently installed in South Quad Residence Hall. One of the greatest factors for the increase is the rise in utility costs. "The anticipated utility hikes are an important component of this and we have to account for the increase," Levy said. Facilities and Operations spokeswoman Diane Brown noted that the cost of a single unit of oil for the University power plant, which has been buying oil on the open market since the late 1980's, skyrocketed over the past year from $2.81 to $10. Nationwide, the cost of utilities is on the rise. Earlier this month, Energy Secretary Spence Abraham predicted the energy crunch will only worsen this summer and proposed new oil drilling in Alaska. A recent CNN/Time poll showed that 19 per- cent of Americans believe the country is in a energy crisis - 46 percent think energy short- ages are a "major problem." Michigan ranks ninth in the nation in energy consumption and sixth in natural gas use. Some students said the proposed increases in residence hall rates may discourage people from living on campus. "I think more sophomores would definitely be living in the dorms if the prices weren't as high," said LSA freshman Jane Kleyman, who is renting an apartment next year. But LSA freshman Blake Goldstein said he was not fazed by the proposal. "It doesn't surprise me," Goldstein said. "The prices are rising for everything else in this town." Deadline looms for last-minute tax fers U Returns must be in the mail by 11:59 p.m. next Monday By Hanna LoPatin P Staff Reporter For many students, taxes are a symptom of the real world - a place that remains far beyond the bound- aries of the University. But as this weekend's tax return deadline approaches, Business Prof. James Hines said filing tax returns is not something that University students should shy away from. Hines, who also serves as research ctor of the University's Office of a Policy Research, said that even if students fall under the filing threshold, sending in a tax return is still worthwhile because more than half the U.S. population gets a refund. "The small hassle involved in fil- ing pays big dividends in terms of refunds," he said. ecause April 15 is a Sunday this , returns must be postmarked by 11:59 p.m. April 16. The only people exempt from this deadline are people filing from counties declared "disas- ter areas" by the government follow- ing the Seattle earthquake. They have until April 30. LSA freshman Catherine Sinclair works a jobduring the summer but said she would not be filing any tax returns. "I don't make enough money for it tiatter," she said. Some students seek out the help of people with tax experience. LSA junior Michael Hondorp worked for a month this summer but said he is still filing a tax return "because I want to make money back." "I kind of do (the tax return)with my dad," he said. or LSA senior Shane Rodriguez, who works a steady job, filling out a tax return is well worth it: He expects a $600 refund. Rodriguez looks to his grandfa- ther, a retired accountant, to help him fill out his tax return. "I just drop off my information to my grandfather, sit down and talk to him," he said. But Hines said students can easily fill out tax forms on their own. The s themselves are available for download on the Internal Revenue Service website. "For almost every tax payer it's an easy calculation. You can do it in an hour," he said. "A (University of ) Michigan student can handle this operation." The most important thing, Hines said, is to pay on time. "Even if you don't have the ney, it's much better to file the return on time," he said. Hines had his own suggestions to make tax return filing more fun for the average student. "I think of how I would improve (the form) if I were the commission- I United they stand COnstruction, police hinder Naked Mile By Maria Sprow Daily Staff Reporter Tomorrow, University seniors will open their e-mail boxes to find an annu- al letter from University President Lee Bollinger discouraging them from run- ning the Naked Mile next Tuesday, the end-of-term tradition begun in 1986 as a prank by the men's lacrosse and rowing teams. Bollinger's e-mail to describes the Mile as an "event laden with risk." Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper and Department of Public Safety Director William Bess also plan to send an e-mail to the student body tomorrow discussing problems with the run. University Provost Nancy Cantor has also sent a letter to faculty urging them to dissuade their students from running. "Many runners who were motivated by the enthusiasm of the moment, fur- ther fueled by alcohol, later expressed regret at -having participated," Cantor wrote. "Participants are subjecting themselves to potential assault, arrest and serious physical harm; and there is the very real likelihood that the conse- quences of their actions will come back to haunt students far into the future." University spokeswoman Julie Peter- son also said the University has spent "a couple thousand" dollars on print ads characterizing the mile as dangerous and a "groper's paradise." "It's an educational campaign," Peter- son said. DPS spokeswoman Diane Brown said she could not comment on the number of officers that will be present but that security and police enforcement will increase until students stop running. "We need it to go away long before anyone incurs a major injury or death," she said. Although runner participation decreased last year to an estimated 400 students, the size of the crowd watching the event remained consistent with pre- vious years, at about 10,000. Brown added that construction sur- rounding Angell Hall could be a unique safety hazard this year. "There's a lot of construction activity and fencing in the area where this has traditionally taken place, and this has made some areas a lot smaller," she said. There has been speculation that the route, which traditionally takes runners See NAKED MILE, Page 2 JOYCE. LEE/Daily Muslim students gather on the Diag last night to join in prayer with Christian and Jewish students for the victims of the 1948 massacre in Deir Yassin, a former Palestinian village, and for peace in the Middle East. "It's not really an issue of ethnicity or religion, it's a humanitarian issue," said LSA sophomore Nada Abu-Isa. Was--htenaw De-mocrats eyeing 2002 Senate rac,.e By Louie Meizlish Daily Staff Reporter Although the last election may only have taken place five months ago, several prominent Washtenaw County Democrats are already considering a run for the state Senate in the 2002 election. One of those considering a run is former state Rep. Liz Brater, who served from 1995 until term limits forced her out of office in 2000. Brater also served as mayor of Ann Arbor from 1992 to 1994. Brater, who last May reclassified her campaign committee as a Senate campaign committee, said she has not yet made a final decision. "I do have an exploratory commit- tee and am seriously looking into it," she said. Brater now serves as director of land use at the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center, focusing on urban sprawl and the preservation of farm- land in the county. Another potential candidate is sec- ond-term Rep. John Hansen of Dex- ter, whose House district includes the northern portion of Ann Arbor. Hansen, a former superintendent of the Dexter school system, said he is postponing a decision until the Legis- lature completes the redistricting process and sets the boundaries for the Senate district. "Boundaries can be changed dra- matically. It's quite possible that this Senate district would center close to Jackson;'he said. Also considering a run is former Rep. Mary Schroer of Ann Arbor. Schroer, who served in the Legisla- ture from 1992 until 1998, said there is no way to tell who the candidates will be until next year. "There's a lot of speculation, but whether people are serious is a whole other question," she said. Nevertheless, Schroer said she expects the district to remain a safe seat for Democrats. She also predict- ed that most campaigning and fundraising for the Senate seat will get underway within the next few months. Schroer is currently studying for a bachelor of science degree at Eastern Michigan University. Prior to serving in the Legislature, she was an admin- istrative assistant to Sen. Lana Pol- lack. The current senator - and Pol- lack's successor - Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem Twp.), is restricted from running for re-election due to term limits. See SENATE, Page 7 of.Easter GENEVA (AP) - Christians everywhere will celebrate Easter on the same day this year because of a calendar quirk, a coincidence that has revived interest in trying to set a uni- versal date for the observance. Both Western and Eastern churches agree that the date should be based on a principle set in the year 325, which states that Easter falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. However, the dates vary because Protestant and Catholic Churches fol- low the 16th-century Gregorian Cal- endar, while the Orthodox churches use the older Julian Calendar. The two currently differ by 13 days. Easter can occur between March 22 and April 25 for the Western Christ- ian churches, while the range for Orthodox Easter extends from April 4 to May 8. "Especially in regions where Chris- tians of the Western and Eastern tra- See EASTER, Page 7 Churches try to tame wild dates Renowned Madrid architect delivers Wallenberg lecture By Tovin Lapan Daily Staff Reporter World-famous architect Rafael Moneo traveled thousands of miles from Madrid to address an overflowing crowd, some even watching on closed circuit TV, yesterday at the Art and Architecture Building for the annual Raoul Wallen- berg Lecture. The lecture is given by an architect from the international community each year in honor of Wallenberg, a 1935 Swedish graduate of the University's College of Architecture .. a T . «11A; - - -A ; - -;o1I 1 . "It is extremely compelling for me to help remember such a generous and courageous man as Raoul Wallenberg with a presentation of my work," said Moneo. Moneo is a prestigious Spanish architect who has won both the Pritzker prize and the UIA gold medal for achieve- ments in architecture. Moneo has designed museums, train stations, offices and public and residential buildings throughout Spain as well as a museum at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Moneo also has served as the department head at Harvard's School of Architecture. "The Wallenberg lecture has always drawn the most pres- Rafael Moneo, a famous Spanish architect, speaks with students on North Campus. Moneo, who delivered the annual Raoul Wallenberg lecture, has designed museums, train stations, offices throughout Spain. He has also served as a department head at the Harvard University School of Architecture. I I