One hundred ten years ofeditori'alfreedom ati NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 7640557 wwwmichigandaily.com Wednesday April 11, 2001 student reports rxobbery, ass ault Male student was attacked from behind ar Stockwell Rpsidence Hall yesterday * sten Beaumont Staff Reporter male University student report- e ing robbed by two armed men a' 1:30 a.m. yesterday morning near Stockwell Residence Hall, said Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown. - A crime alert issued about the incident yesterday by DPS comes at a~n e of heightened awareness fol- i ng last week's alert regarding the sexual assault of a West Quad resident. Brown said the robbery victim was returning home after stopping at an automatic teller machine when one of the perpetrators put his hand around his neck and a blunt object up against his back. The victim told DPS one of the s*jects asked, "Where is your money?" while the other subject reached into the victim's pocket, removed his wallet and took $60 in cash. The crime alert stated the two perpetrators fled the scene toward South University Avenue. Brown said crime alerts are issued when there is the possibility of a threat to the general public. "We send out crime alerts when tAe is a crime, committed against a person," she said. "This armed robbery would fit that category." Brown added that usually a description of a suspect is needed before a crime alert is issued. "We need to have something to war people about' she said. How- ever, she added that it is rare when zictims are unable to give some So of description of their assailants. Crime alerts are not issued for date-rape cases or instances when the perpetrator can be identified, Brown said. Despite yesterday's incident, few students expressed concern for their safety at ATMs located on campus. "I always look around and make sure that no one is creeping up on tI but I have always felt pretty sATe," said LSA senior Andrew Iegle. The crime alert described one of the suspects in yesterday's robbery as a black male, approximately 22 years old and wearing baggy clothes. The other suspect was described as a 23- or 24-year-old white male with short hair and a ee. nyone with information about to this incident is asked to contact DPS at 763-1131. *. 4 < g Rackham renovation to be OK'Id By Anna Clark spokeswoman Diane Brown, but it w Daily Staff Reporter likely be improved by the buildine L ill a' AP PHOTO University alum Kevin Olmstead made television history last night by winning $2.18 million on the popular ABC television show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." ABC claims it's the largest game show payout ever. 'U, By James Restivo Daily Staff Reporter alum is a millionaire I University alum and Ann Arbor resident Kevin Olm- stead made television history last night with his "final answer" that gave him the largest game show payout ever - $2.18 million from ABC's popular "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." Olmstead, a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy and assistant to the University of Michigan's quiz bowl team, was able to answer that Igor Sikorsky invent- ed the first mass-produced helicopter to obtain the huge payout. He reached the "hot seat" on last's Friday episode but only had a chance to reach the $200 level before the show ended. He used the last of his three "lifelines" on the $250,000 question. Last night's episode was actually taped last week in New York, but Olmstead kept quiet about his win, unplugging his telephone and left town until after the show aired. The show's last million-dollar payout occurred in July and was awarded to David Goodman, another University alum and friend of Olmstead. Since then, for each show that did not have a winner, ABC added $10,000 to the pot - with Olmstead's victory coming on the 118th episode since. Host Regis Philbin allowed Goodman to call into the show to wish his friend luck, adding, "Go blue!" Olmstead, 42, is not married and he brought his moth- er on the show with him. He holds a doctorate in envi- ronmental engineering from the University of Michigan, as well as chemical engineering degrees from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and the Massachu- setts Institute of Technology. ,Vr See MILLIONAIRE, Page 2 In 1935, former University President Alexander Ruthven asked for a building that would be "the very heart of the campus." Judging by the reactions of the current University community as it looks toward the major renovations set to close the Horace H. Rackham Build- ing for up to two years, it looks like Ruthven got what he asked for. "It's a landmark on campus," said University planner Fred Mayer. "It's a great old building that just needs some upgrading." "It's an absolute old treasure;" echoed Homer Rose, Rackham assistant dean for academic programs. "It's a part of the life of the campus, so the life of the campus will be changed for a couple years." The building that saw Jonas Salk's original announcement of the polio vac- cine on its auditorium stage is scheduled to close early next month for the second phase of an extensive renovation initia- tive, pending the University's Board of Regents' authorization of the $24.2 mil- lion project at their regular meeting tomorrow. While an earlier, nearly completed phase targeted exterior work, including roof repairs, terrace work and safety issues, the second phase will upgrade all major infrastructure, with specific improvements to the ground, first and third floors. Technology upgrading will also be a major focus of the project. The auditorium will not be altered in this.phase, said Facilities and Operations enhanced mechanical systems. Brown added that there are currently no plans for renovations beyond this phase. No substantial changes will affect Rackham's art deco exterior - a style that was fashionable in the 1930s during the building's construction. "I don't think too many people would be happy if there was any change to the style of the building," Mayer said. All Rackham offices - including those of the deans, the Office of Gradu- ate Admissions and the Michigan Quar- terly Review - are being relocated to two separate locations: the Argus Build- ing on the corner of Fourth and West William streets, and a location at 413 East Huron Street. "That's going to be a complication," Rose said. Rose, whose new office will be in the Argus Building, said the location will take some getting used to. "For those of us used to being on Central Campus, that's going to seem fairly remote" Rose said. "The Argus Building is still in Ann Arbor, but it feels pretty west to me." The effects of Rackham's closing will extend beyond the graduate school's offices. Performances and other events that regularly use the Rackham Audito- rium and Amphitheater are temporarily losing an important venue. University Musical Society Program- ming Director Michael Kondziolka said the loss of Rackham will make the See RACKHAM, Page 7 Dingell promotes patient rights act By Louie Meizlish .Daily Staff Reporter An enforceable patients' bill of rights would protect against insurance compa- nies that refuse to pay for necessary pro- cedures, U.S. Rep. John Dingell told University Medical students yesterday. "The patient ought to be able to hold the insurer accountable,"he said. Dingell (D-Dearborn) was invited to campus by the student section of the American Medical Society. He, along with Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.), is a co-sponsor of the so-called "Biparti- san Consensus Managed Care Improve- ment Act," which Dingell said will allow for more accountability among health maintenance organizations. Similar pieces of legislation were approved by the Senate and House of Representatives in 1999 but the bill died after no agreement could be reached in a conference committee designed to rec- oncile the two different versions. Dingell blamed that circumstance on the Republican leadership of both hous- es of Congress, who he said engineered a process by which the bill could be defeated. He said he expects the bill to have a better chance this year. "Quite frankly, the last conference was one of the most adroit practices of obfuscation I have ever dealt with and I hope that we can avoid that being repeated," he said. Dingell said he was "pleased to report that no one is harmed by this legisla- tion," explaining that doctors and employers who contract with health maintenance organizations will only be See DINGELL, Page 7 JEFF HUR\ U.S. Rep. John Dingell (-Dearborn) talks to students yesterday at the Medical School about the Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act Legislation would allow Engler to stay By Louie MelziIsh Daily Staff Reporter With candidates lining up to replace Gov. John Engler in next year's election, proposed legislation to extend Michigan's term limits would allow Engler to seek a fourth term in office. The governor currently is prevented from seeking re-elec- tion because of the term limits initiative approved by Michi- gan voters in 1992. That amendment to the state constitution limits governors to two four-year terms, although Engler was allowed to run for a third term in 1998 due to his first term beginning before the limits went into effect. A proposal by an original supporter of the initiative, Sen. Glenn Steil (R-Grand Rapids), would extend the term limits for the Legislature and state offices, including the governor, to 12 years, and, due to its grandfather clause, would allow Engler to seek a fourth term in 2002. But Steil's office said that that was not the reason for the legislation. "It's certainly not the intent of this thing," said Steil spokesman Brandon Stewart. Susan Shafer, Engler's press secretary, said the governor would most likely not run again, even in the event of the extension's approval. But Michigan Democratic Party spokesman Dennis Denno said the governor cannot be taken at his word. "During the 1994 campaign the governor said that that would be his last campaign for governor," Denno said. "He quickly broke that promise when he ran again in 1998." Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem Twp.) said the chances of Steil's proposal getting on the ballot for a special election this year - a date which would be required for Engler to run for another term - are slim. "I think if you are looking to kill a proposal that language will kill it," said Smith, who plans to run for governor. Since Steil's proposal would also extend the term limits for members of the Senate to 12 years, Smith expected the House of Representatives - many of whose members would not be serving had it not been for term limits - to change the provi- sion so that sitting officials would have to relinquish their seats. "They are going to say to the Senate, 'This was your bullet and you are going to bite it,"' she said. Expectations are that Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus will announce his candidacy this summer. Republicans had gener- Rec buildings to extend hours in the fall By Kara Wenzel Daily Staff Reporter Students, faculty and staff who like to work up a sweat early in the morning or late at night will welcome a change in Intramural Building, Central Campus Recreation Build- ing and North Campus Recreation Building hours. In response to years of requests, the three recreation buildings will open at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday starting this fall. Each building will close at 11 p.m. The facilities currently open at 7 a.m. during the week and close at 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 p.m. Thurs- day through Saturday. "Over the years we have had requests from two groups. Students want us to keep buildings open later in the evenings. Staff and faculty prefer that we open the facilities earlier in the morning so they can exercise before going to work," said Jan Wells associate director of Recreational Snorts. Public Health graduate student. "In response to users' suggestions, we have been phasing in longer hours by keeping the buildings open until 11 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings," said Dick Pitcher, NCRB Building Director. . Michigan Student Assembly President Matt Nolan, a member of the Advisory Committee for Recreational Sports said the request for extended hours was approved last week. "After speaking with students, we noticed that they just don't work on a nine-to-five schedule. Attendance studies taken at the buildings show that it will be beneficial to keep them open longer," said Jessica Cash, a committee member and MSA vice president. New equipment was added to the IM Building after spring break this year and a building-to- building equipment overhaul is gradually occur- ring, Cash added. Mandeep Grewal, an LSA sophomore, said regardless of the longer hours. she still prefers to 7 ,. I