LOCAL/S TATE The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 10, 2001- 3 Bill would allow jail time for fake ID use Cause unknown in U. Minnesota freshman's death MINNEAPOLIS - For the second time in less than a year, a University of Minnesota freshman died in a cam- pus residence hall. Aaron M. Minor, a 19-year-old College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences student, was found dead in his Pioneer Hall suite Saturday afternoon. The Hennepin County medical examiner said an autopsy on Minor was complete Sunday and "couldn't find anything wrong with anything in his body (or) any of his, organs." The medical examiner did not release an official cause of death. Tox- icology results will take five to seven days. University police dispatch said "there was no visible signs of suspi- cious circumstances" - such as alco- hol use, drug use or foul play - at the scene. Last February, University freshman Jonathan Thielen was discovered dead in a Bailey Hall room. He died of blunt head trauma after falling from a bunk bed. At an all-resident meeting Sunday night in Pioneer, University police Officer Josh Betts said there was noth- ing he or his partner could do when they arrived. Minor was pronounced dead at the scene. U. Nebraska may ban cell phones from classrooms LINCOLN, Neb. - The beeping of familiar classical music tunes during class has caused the Univer- sity of Nebraska's Residence Hall Association to take notice. After several students put cards in RHA's comment boxes com- plaining about the noise in their classes, the Residence Hall Associ- ation's executive board wrote a bill asking the Associated Students of the University of Nebraska to ban cellular phones in all classrooms. RHA members passed the bill Sun- day night 12-8, with two absten- tions. ASUN can write its own bill how- ever it wants. Senators debated the bill during the meeting. Some said students might need to bring their phones into class if they were waiting to hear an update about a family emergency or a hospitalized relative. Some said if ASUN banned cellular phone use, it should ban beepers, too. Security assaults students rushing field after game COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Uni- versity of Maryland students who stormed their way onto the field at Byrd Stadium following Saturday's game against Virginia found the day's hardest hits came after the game. As the final seconds of the game ticked away, students began running onto the field, only to find them- selves in the middle of a security frenzy, with students, both female and male, being tackled and punched by ushers. Two ushers were fired immediately following the game after responding "inappropriately" to student celebra- tions, according to an apology issued by Contemporary Services, the secu- rity firm that handles campus athlet- ics. "I couldn't even sleep [Saturday] night," said Lenny Lambert, Contem- porary Services branch manager and a campus alumnus. "I was sick to my stomach." The athletic department also released an apology regarding the behavior of Contemporary Services ushers. According to the statement, ushers were "overly aggressive" in attempts to stop students from running onto the field, something the athletic depart- ment allows fans to do. - Compiled from U-WIRE reports by Daily Staff Reporter Lizzie Ehrle. By Louie Meizlish Daily StaffTReporter People who use fake identification could face harsher sentences under a bill approved yester- day by a state House committee. The legislation would increase the maximum penalties for possessing a fake ID from 30 days to up to one year in jail. In addition, a fine of up to S 10,000 could be imposed on violators of the proposed law. The bill, which was introduced by Rep. Jen- nifer Faunce (R-Warren), chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee, was approved unanimously by the committee yesterday and now heads to the full House for consideration. Backers of the bill, such as committee vice chair Mike Kowall, said the bill is really intend- ed to punish those who use fake licenses for the purposes of getting credit cards and then not paying the bills or for people who drive haz- ardous who are not qualified to drive. "It's not geared at your one-time offender that's buying beer with a fake ID," said Kowall (R-White Lake). Kowall cited an incident that occurred at the Great Lakes Crossing shopping center in Auburn Hills, where a shopper used a fake dri- ver's license in order to receive a store credit card and then used the card to purchase $1.5 million in goods over two days that he never paid for. "You don't wantto lock up half of the kids at Michigan State," said Rep. Bill McConico (D- Detroit), a member of the House committee. Instead, McConico said he supported the bill mostly as a deterrent so students will not try to use fake IDs. The bill also gives harsher penal- ties to those who produce fake IDs. "It's a good preventive action but it's a little bit harsh. I could understand why they'd want to do it but a year in jail for some kid wanting to get alcohol is a little bit harsh," said one LSA freshman who has a fake driver's license but did not want to be identified. Two other University students said they do not think the bill is a good idea, noting that there still remains the possibility that a judge could sentence a student to jail for using a fake ID to purchase alcohol. "For serious offenses, like credit card fraud, I'd say jail time could be appropriate depending on the case, but imprisoning people for buying alcohol with a fake ID is extreme," said an LSA sophomore. An LSA senior who said she has used two fake IDs while in college --- replacing one that got taken away with another - said she was unfazed. "Am I fearful that I could get arrested? I've had a fake ID for two and a half to three years and I've never had a problem," she said. "I don't think it would deter college age kids because we're going to go out and drink any- way. Drummin' fun Proposal would cut pay of legislators to boost budget LANSING (AP) - State Rep. Doug Spade wants his colleagues in the Legislature to take a pay cut to help the state's budget shortfall. Spade, a Democrat from Adrian, has proposed measures that would trim legislative salaries at year's end from S77,400 to $73,530 -- a 5 per- cent cut -- and keep a 2.9 percent increase from taking effect Yan. 1. One legislator said lawmakers may not be able to trim their salaries, which are recommended every two years by the State Officers Compensa- tion Commission. The recommenda- tions take effect unless voted down by two-thirds of the House and Senate, and there doesn't seem to be a provi- sion for changing them once they're in place. Spade said his measure would mean an additional $ million for the state's $9.6 billion general fund, which faces $450 million to $550 in cuts. Lawmakers have asked state departments to trim their budgets by 5 percent to 10 percent for the budget year that began last week because state revenues have fallen below expectations. "In the end a million dollars won't save us, but it will help," Spade said. In February, lawmakers received a 35.8 percent increase, lifting their salaries to $77,400 a year. They're scheduled to receive the 2.9 percent increase on Jan. 1, raising their salaries to 579,650. Spade said that's not justified giving the slowing state economy and uncer- tain economic outlook in the wake of the Sept. I I terrorist attacks. His measures were referred to the House Oversight and Operations Committee. "Constitutionally speaking, I don't think there's a mechanism for this to happen," said committee Chairman Bruce Patterson (R-Canton). "And it wouldn't even begin to address the significant downturn in the economy." But Rep. Mickey Mortimer, who's already reviewing the budget for the Department of Community Health in anticipation of decreases, said he would cut his salary if it would help the state budget. "There's always something out there that could use the help," the Horton Republican said. "We're getting to a place where these budget cuts are affecting people's lives." Rep. Ken Bradstreet has been work- ing on a measure to reduce lawmak- ers' pay 15 percent. But the resolution would be tied to another that prohibits the Legislature from holding a lame- duck session between the Nov. 5, 2002, election and Dec. 31, 2002. Bradstreet, a Republican from Gay- lord, said he doesn't think it's right to cut lawmakers' pay without reducing their workload. He said he suspects Spade's bill may be a way of getting attention. "I'm not a real big fan of attention- getting political gimmigks that aren't going anywhere," he said. LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily Titos Sompa teaches his "Introduction to Ngmoa" class at the Residential College at East Quad yesterday afternoon. Head of National Guard vis-1ts five Michigan :airports I immer Study Tibet This exceptional Summer Study Abroad program in Tibet provides a comprehensive nine-week, six credit program for the study of Tibetan language, history and culture, run entirely in Tibet. It combines two weeks in Tibet's capital Lhasa and neighboring urban areas, three weeks in various rural areas on the high plateau of Central Tibet (the Tibetan Autonomous Region), and three weeks across the rolling mountains of the Eastern Tibetan region of Kham (Qinghai Province). INFORMATION SESSION Friday, October 12, 2001, 3:00 pm 3050 Frieze Building May 9, 2002 - July 9, 2002 FREELAND, Mich. (AP) - The head of Michigan's Army -and Air National Guard visited troops at five Michigan airports yesterday, the first review since guard members began pro- tecting the airports last week. Maj. Gen. E. Gordon Stump said he had been concerned about power strug- gles or hard feelings between guard members, local law enforcement and airport security employees. But he said yesterday that the 160 guard members in Michigan's 16 air- ports are fitting in well. "It's increasing confidence in the fly- ing public and I think it's great to have the extra measure of security," Stump said. "It shows that we do mean busi- ness." Stump and Col. John Leatherman, who is overseeing the airport mission, flew to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Bishop International Airport in Flint, MBS International Airport in Freeland, Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids and Capital City Airport in Lansing. "We just can't put them out here and let them think we forgot them," Stump said of the troops guarding the airports. Stump said there are about 700 Michigan National Guard members on active duty now, including 250 troops at bases in Germany, Hungary and Saudi Arabia. All soldiers stationed overseas are on missions scheduled before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he said. At each airport yesterday, Stump and Leatherman talked to soldiers stationed at security checkpoints. All are armed with 9 mm pistols. Soldiers said passengers and staff generally have been pleased with the presence of the National Guard. "Ninety-nine percent of the passen- gers say they're really glad to see us," said Staff Sgt. Wilson Tang, 32, of War- ren, a contractor who volunteered to guard the Detroit airport. In Flint, Sgt. First Class Bill Richards said airport staff applauded when sol- diers arrived last Friday. Richards, a cable splicer from Oxford and a 21-year veteran of the National Guard, said he was happy to volunteer. "The nation called and needed me," he said. "I felt like I had to do some- thing. Because they are under the command of Stump and Gov. John Engler, the National Guard soldiers have arrest authority and other regular law enforce- ment powers. Troops under federal command have more limited powers. The soldiers have made no arrests at Michigan airports, but they have had some minor mishaps. At Bishop Air- port, a passenger angry about a security check of his clothing was restrained after he started taking off all his clothes. Stump said he's not sure how long the mission will last or what it will cost. The federal government is footing the bill and has asked governors to keep the troops in place until the federal govern- ment can gain oversight of airport secu- rity in four to six months. "I think they're going to be here for a while," Stump said. "I don't think this is going to go away tomorrow." THE CALENDAR What's happening in Ann Arbor today EVENTS "Dinner, Sex, and a Movie;" Sponsored by the Office nf I chbian 2250 East Stadium "The Disability Rights Movement in Michigan;" Sponsored by University of Michigan Human Mapping of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands;" Brown Bag Lecture spon- sored by the University Center for Russian and SERVICES Campus Information Centers, 764-INFO, info@umich. edu, or i