One hundred eleven years ofedirial freedom
NEWS: 76-DAILY
CLASSIFIED: 7640557
wwwmichgandail y. com
Thursday
October 18, 2001
b
d.Pl. ..
~00#1101 tkdty
Regents
to meet,
* discuss
next step
By Rachel Green
Daily Staff Reporter
In addition to three days of private,
informal meetings beginning the
process to find a successor for Universi-
ty President Lee Bollinger, the Board of
Regents will meet publicly today amid
speculation that they may soon act to
replace Bollinger before he leaves to
become Columbia University's 19th
president.
Regent Olivia Maynard (D-
Goodrich) would not comment on
whether the regents will be voting to
terminate his position at the University
prior to his scheduled departure on June
30, but said, "I suspect the transition
will take place sooner than that."
The board met Monday behind
closed doors in what Maynard said was
a constructive gathering, and said the
regents have several upcoming formal
and informal meetings scheduled this
week, including a closed meeting this
morning in the Regents Room of the
Fleming Administration Building.
Today's open meeting will take place
at the University's Flint campus at 1:30
p.m.
Regent Larry Deitch (D-Bloomfield
Hills) would not comment on when
Bollinger might leave and whether the
regents would ask him to leave the Uni-
versity earlier than scheduled.
Maynard said in addition to an infor-
mal meeting set for 8 a.m. tomorrow,
the regents plan to hold an open meet-
ing at around 9:30 a.m.
This meeting was not confirmed on
the schedule, but could be added at
least 18 hours in advance of the meet-
ing, said interim Provost Lisa Tedesco.
See REGENTS, Page 7A
-------------------- ----- ------ -------
Inside: The regents will hear a report
on the state of the University's
endowment fund. Page 3A
I
f
No cases o
anthraxi
MicAika
By Tyler Boersen
Daily Staff Reporter
A national anthrax scare that has people across the
country checking their mailboxes with caution has
left some students with a taste of fear despite the
fact that no cases of the potentially deadly bacteria
have been confirmed in Michigan.
"There is no reason for people in Michigan to be
alarmed," said Robert Winfield, interim director of
the University Health Service. "There is no reason to
use gas masks or take preventive antibiotics. People
just need to be reasonably vigilant."
The University will not acknowledge whether
anthrax is used in research on campus.
"We do not confirm the use of any biological or
chemical materials in our research lab," said Facili-
ties and Operations spokeswoman Diane Brown.
"Since September 11, policies and procedures to
ensure safety and security in our labs and across
campus have been reviewed, evaluated and enhanced
where appropriate," Brown said.
Due to the heightened anxiety surrounding a
potential anthrax threat, the University has been
working to educate students and staff on the effects
of anthrax and safety in handling suspicious pack-
ages. Winfield said all residents of University resi-
dence halls have received flyers on how to handle
mail that is unusual.
Winfield added that 12 samples of powder from
Washtenaw County have been -tested by the Michigan
Department of Community Health. He said that so
'far, none have tested positive for anthrax.
Stan Reedy, medical director of the Washtenaw
County Public Health Department, said the MDCH
system to test substances for anthrax was not in
See ANTHRAX, Page 7A
0
U.S. Capitol Police officer Jonathan Getz stands watch outside the Capitol in Washington yesterday. Congressional leaders ordered an unprecedented
shutdown of the House after more than two dozen people in Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office tested positive for exposure to anthrax.
House shuit down for 5 days
WASHINGTON (AP) - Thirty-one Sen-
ate employees tested positive for anthrax
exposure, officials said yesterday as the
threat of bioterrorism rattled Capitol Hill.
Hundreds more lined up nervously to be test-
ed and leaders ordered the shutdown of the
House and three Senate office buildings.
"We're in a battle with terrorism, a new
form of human warfare," said House Demo-
cratic leader Dick Gephardt. Officials con-
firmed evidence of exposure in a second
Senate office - adjacent to Majority Leader
Tom Daschle's suite where an anthrax-spiked
letter was opened earlier this week - as well
as spores in a centralized mail room in a
building across the street.
House leaders shut down operations
through the weekend to allow for extensive
testing. "To ensure safety, we thought it best
to do a complete sweep, an environmental
sweep," said Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill).
The Senate announced plans to close all
three of its sprawling office buildings, but in
a gesture of defiance aimed at terrorists,
made plans to convene today.
There was cause for bioterrorism concern
elsewhere in a nervous nation, five weeks
after terrorist attacks that killed more than
5,000 people in New York, Washington and
See WASHINGTON, Page 7A
U.S. special forces ready for
call to action in Mghanistan
WASHINGTON (AP) - Special operations
troops capable of clandestine warfare are aboard a
U.S. aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean awaiting a
call to action, military officials said yesterday.
In another new twist, Air Force F-15E fighter-
bombers flew attack missions in Afghanistan yester-
day for the first time since the air campaign began,
another defense official said. Several F-15Es flew
from a base in the Persian Gulf area, the official said,
speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official did not know the F-15Es' targets. Pre-
viously the only land-based aircraft flying combat
missions in Afghanistan had been Air Force B-2, B-
1 B and B-52 long-range bombers.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said in the
immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
that the military portion of America's response
would rely heavily on special operations forces. He
and other U.S. officials have refused to discuss
details, including timing.
Several days before the United States and Britain
began airstrikes in Afghanistan on Oct. 7, a top admin-
istration official said some U.S. special operations
troops had slipped in to conduct scouting missions.
While U.S. warplanes have struck targets across
Afghanistan for 11 straight days, there have been
indications that preparations for using such troops
are moving ahead.
Helicopter-borne special operations forces were
put aboard the USS Kitty Hawk in the Indian Ocean
several days ago, said officials, speaking on condi-
tion of anonymity.
The officials, who offered no details on the mis-
sion, cautioned against the interpretation that these
troops were necessarily about to enter combat.
President Bush, traveling to a conference in China,
said the war on terrorism may take a long time.
"You mark my words: People are going to get tired
of the war on terrorism. And by the way, it may take
more than two years," he said in an interview with
Asian news editors.
U.S. military radio broadcasts into Afghanistan by
Air Force EC-130E Commando Solo aircraft are
warning the ruling Taliban they will be destroyed not
only by U.S. bombs and missiles but also by Ameri-
can helicopters and ground troops.
"Our helicopters will rain fire down upon your
camps before you detect them -on radar," one mes-
sage says in two of the local Afghan languages,
according to transcripts provided by the Pentagon.
"Our bombs are so accurate we can drop them
right through your windows. Our infantry is trained
for any climate and terrain on earth. United States
soldiers fire with superior marksmanship and are
armed with superior weapons," the message says.
The Pentagon has not acknowledged the presence
of any U.S. ground forces in Afghanistan. Officials
have said for weeks that troops would be needed to
root out leaders of bin Laden's al-Qaida network.
See MILITARY, Page 7A
Life in dorms
'has ups, downs
BRENDAN ODONNELL/Daily
Jack Welch, former chief executive officer of General Electric Co., is interviewed
yesterday in the Power Center for the PBS program "CEO Exchange."
'CEO Exchange'
visits
U
By Daniel Kim
For the Daily
October and November are impor-
tant months for many University stu-
dents, not just because of midterms
or Thanksgiving break but also
because they must begin thinking
about whether they want to stay in
the residence halls or move into an
apartment or house.
Roughly two-thirds of the entire
University population of 36,000 lives
off campus in houses, apartments or
fraternity and sorority houses, said
Jeffrey Micale, system administrator
at the Office of Housing. Most of the
remaining one third usually fresh-
percentage of upperclassmen who
decide to stay on campus.
"You don't have to worry about
cooking, cleaning the bathroom, or
subletting over the summer. You also
get to meet a lot of people," said
LSA senior Muhammad Mian, a
West Quad resident.
There are other students like Dan
DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily
LSA freshman Nick Mahanic serves food to LSA freshman Matt Kohlenberg yesterday
in East Quad. Not having to cook Is a popular benefit of living in a residence hall.
By Ted Borden
Daily Staff Reporter
PBS came to campus last night to
film an episode of its program "CEO
Exchange" with Jack Welch, former
chairman and chief executive officer of
General Electric Co. Interviewed in
front of a crowd of several hundred at
the Power Center, Welch expounded
on his views of how to achieve success
in both a commercial and personal
manner.
In speaking of his triumphs with
GE, Welch said, "it's been the focus on
people ... that's been the key ingredi-
campus
ly, the "wind was at our backs" during
his tenure, which began in 1981 and
ended several months ago, "it's about
the people who come to relish change.
Change is at the heart of what makes
business vital."
Throughout the interview, Welch
answered several questions previously
submitted by some of the nation's top
CEOs, including Warren Buffett of
Berkshire Hathaway and Michael Eis-
ner of Disney.
In response to Ford CEO Jacques
Nasser's question about Welch's
biggest success, Welch said it would
have to be turning GE into a "meritoc-
to live in a residence hall because he
is graduating in December.
"It makes it the easiest to move in
and out," Webb said.
However, Webb said the one dis-
advantage to living in a residence
on campus, the University strongly
encourages students to not bring cars
to school.
The only residence halls that have
available parking spaces for their resi-
dents are the Vera Baits Houses, Burs-
i