The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 31, 2001 - 7 Investigators unsure how anthrax is spreading Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON - Anthrax infec- tions in two East Coast women with no known links to contaminated letters are forcing government officials to rethink basic assumptions about how easily the disease may infect people and how widely it may have spread through the mail. Government investigators said yes- terday they could not explain how the deadly bacteria infected a New Jersey bookkeeper, who is recovering ,from skin anthrax, and a 61-year-old New York hospital supply clerk who is criti- cally ill with the more dangerous inhaled form of the disease. VISAS Continued from Page 1 one government agency within the last months. According to the survey, the most c mon reasons universities were askei release records of students were ethni and major, such as those taking Englis a second language or aviation program: More than 950 of the schools i responded to the survey said they had been contacted by the FBI or INS al releasing international student infor tion. According to officials here, the Uni sity has not been contacted. "Right now we're not aware of inquiries for U-M Student informati4 RALbY Continued from Page 1 the country regarding affirmative action. "Affirmative action is more than race in admissions and that what the Uni- versity is doing to support and defend it in terms of the lawsuits is great, but stu- dents need to get involved in looking at all the ways affirmative action operates on campus," she said. Geyer said the event was planned "to organize around increasing recruit- ment and retention in spite of and because of these attacks, and to encourage students to take a proactive approach as opposed to just reacting to the legal attacks." LSA freshman Alex Byrne said he saw a chalk advertisement in the front The women are the nation's 15th and 16th confirmed anthrax, victims, but neither appear to have received suspi- cious mail or spent time at a contami- nated postal facility. "Did they get infected from a piece of mail that went to their home?" asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, director at the National Institute of Allergy and Infec- tious Diseases. "That is being inten- sively investigated right now" Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.), whose Capitol Hill office tested positive for anthrax traces, said the newest cases raise the level of concern for everyone. "Up until now, it was easy for most people to say: 'Well, I don't work in a post office, and I'm not a public figure, said University spokeswoman son. so therefore I don't have to worry,' " Holt said. The greatest concern involves the New York woman, who asked officials not to disclose her name. Until now, health officials have assumed that an inhalation anthrax infection could only be acquired by a person who breathed thousands of anthrax spores. Health experts also instructed any- one who had spent at least one hour in the Manhattan hospital since Oct. 11 - an estimated 5,500 employees, patients and visitors - to start taking antibiotics. That, they believed, would be impos- sible unless a person came into direct contact with a letter containing anthrax. So-called cross-contamination - a letter simply picking up spores by moving through the postal system -- would not be enough, officials have thought. If the woman received such a letter, that would be a significant new front in the anthrax problem. To date, the only confirmed anthrax-laced letters have been to media organizations and the office of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.). If she did not receive a letter, howev- er, then officials must confront the pos- sibility that anthrax is more infectious than they had believed. "It's not what we know or don't know that gets us in trouble. It's what we know that turns out to be wrong," said John D. Clements, chairman of microbiology and immunology at the Tulane University School of Medicine. "This could be a classic example of that." Government officials have relied on research conducted by the Department of Defense in the 1980s suggesting that inhaling 8,000 anthrax spores can cause lethal infections in monkeys. Other studies by the World Health Organization place the figure at 50,000 spores among animal hide workers in Third World countries. A 1999 paper in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. suggests that - inhaling 2,500 spores or more would cause an inhalation infection. Dr. Bradley Perkins, an anthrax expert at the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention int Atlanta, said Tuesday that no one can accurately pin- point the number of spores needed to cause infection in humans. "We know at the two extremes," he said, noting that a large number - more than 5,000, for example - clear- ly poses a significant human danger. Fewer than 10 pose very little risk. "It's what's in between" that is an issue, he said. "We don't have either research experience or even clinical experience or epidemiological experi- ence to be able to give a definitive answer on that." Julie Peter- Matt Kurz, a spokesman for Western Michigan University, said the school has been contacted by a governmental agency for information but not about students. Western Michigan has one of the three largest aviation programs in the United States. Some of the men suspected of hijacking planes and flying them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon trained at flight schools in the United States, although none of them have been linked to Western Michigan. "We've had some contact regarding our aviation program after the September 11 tragedies," Kurz said. "I don't know of any inquiries that have been made '(regarding student information). It would be our poli- cy to cooperate, especially given the con- ditions right now." Universities in Indiana, California and Minnesota have reportedly turned over information to federal agencies. Accord- ing to a CNN report, Indiana University gave up information on hundreds of stu- dents who were studying English as a sec- ond language over the last five years. Information held by universities regard- ing U.S. citizens is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which requires that eligible students give written consent before any records are released. While international students were previ- ously protected by this act, a clause in the act specifies that information can be released if there is a health or safety risk regarding that student. THREAT Continued from Page 1 suspicions terrorist cells already trained or financed by bin Laden's network might be willing to act without a central order from Afghanistan. Key members of Congress said such a decen- tralization was feared because it would make it more difficult to detect where the next attacks were coming from. "If there are people who would do us harm, we have to assume those people are probably trained to do, things without a specific order," said Sen. Richard Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee. A senior U.S. official said American intelli- gence doesn't have sufficient evidence to deter- mine whether this decentralization is already taking place but it is of concern. U.S. intelligence also is considering the possi- bility that the terrorists, aware of the extensive effort to intercept their communications, may be planting false communications to disguise their real plans, officials said. "My guess is the terrorist network is not going to avoid using the tool of disinformation," said Rep. Porter Goss (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Added Shelby: "You have to believe that any messages could be disinformation." Government officials said they are open to the possibility that even the intelligence received in the last week may be designed to deceive the United States and its allies. In addition, the officials said, U.S. intelligence is reassessing information received this spring and summer that led to a CIA warning in June that bin Laden might strike overseas. of the Union and decided to stop by to see what was going on. He said he appreciated that SSAA was promoting its cause without "screaming from the steps of the Grad Library." "I kind of like the quiet atmosphere because you tend to ignore people who shout at you," Byrne said. RC junior Susie Harter, who stopped while passing through the Diag when she saw the tables set up with informa- tion from different student groups, said she wanted to see what the groups were talking about and to show her support for affirmative action. "It's important for our campus com- munity and the large community to see there's students on this campus who think affirmative action is important and valid and want to fight for it," she said. GEO Continued from Page 1 GSIs play as both student and teacher. "We want to support the academic careers of our graduate students. We want them to do well and we want them to have the time and money they need to succeed," said Associate Provost Paul Courant. "Bargaining with GEO is different than bargaining with the other six unions on campus .., because they are graduate students," said Dan Gamble, the chief negotiator for the University. "We are aware of a lot of subjects that crisscross with their being gradu- ate students and instructors," Gamble added. An issue of contention last year between GEO and the College of Litera- tore, Science and the Arts was the so- called "bottom-line budgeting" propos- al, which was originally believed to impose a financial burden on depart- ments within LSA by restricting the amount of money available to hire GSIs. The major concern was that depart- ments would hire less expensive in-state GSIs over potentially more qualified out-of-state and international GSIs. Bottom-line budgeting is a policy LSA employs to funnel funds to departments and programs within the college by providing a fixed amount of money. LSA instead uses what it calls the "slot model," a more flexible policy in which 4he college tells departments how many GSIs they can hire and then pays for whatever the final cost may be. The Michigani Daily Display Tea - U the VVW- as Accov EXGutive 0, Sponsored by D'Amato's Italian Restaurant Corner of lst and Huron St. Downtown AA (734) 623-7400 www.damatos.com ;z . RAPE Continued from Page 1 police. AAPD is conducting an investigation to determine whether the victim's drink was drugged. Although the fraternity is not alcohol-free, Beta Theta Pi could face consequences for holding an unauthorized event with alcohol. G Mike Kokkinen, director of risk management for the frater- nity's national organization, said there have not been any prob- lems with the University of Michigan chapter in recent years. the michigan daily Kokkinen said Beta Theta Pi executives are working with the local chapter, Ann Arbor police and University officials to make sure the investigation is thorough and the situation is resolved. "Action will not be taken ... until the investigation is complete," Kokkinen said. The national organization and the Office of Greek Life will evaluate the chapter's situation when a formal report is produced. "We're not going to comment on the incident right now' said Mary Beth Seiler,- the University's director of Greek Life. "We need to let the investigation take place." A w m EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY Department of McKenny Union and Campus Life presents The ] FAL betwith the Monks of the frepung Loseling Monastery a <; VE TODDLERS). enjoy pets and -10/hr:769-2795. r a pair of cute kids Transport pref. mich.edu. ALL UOFM FOOTBALL tickets and more buy/sell at 517-351-1992 or www.jamestheticketman.com _ _ - h. * ww.boersmatrave.COn Organize Group & Go Free. s " Free Parties + &Hours of - FREED niks.. FREE Meals for Limited Time,'o eal ndteBs oe Visit:ww', .suns lshtours.com J UM FOOTBALL tickets @ Wisconsin: 11-17. 800-861-1119. WANTED U of M vs. MSU tickets. Buy/sale. Please call 313-790-6778. BPILectures The Psychology of Enlightenment Tuesday, November 6 4 p.m., McKenny Union Ballroom And Ancient Art of Healing: Tibetan Buddhist Approach Wednesday, November 7 7p.m., McKenny Union Ballroom Mandala Sand Painting Tuesday, November 6 thru Friday, November 9 McKenny Union ASST. TEACHER (LON Cook, clean, organize, outside. 9-2pm or F/T. $8 BABYSITTER needed fo (5 & 1.5). Evenings. Own' 302-7208 or email yair@ui sacred Music, sacred lNance for World Healing Friday, November 9 8 p.m. For more information please call 734.4673045 or visit our Wet site: www.dsa.emich.edu/campuelife. CHILDCARE for 4 year-old. 3 wknd days/mo. Some evenings poss. Responsible, energetic, own trans. Refs. req. 769-1462. LOOKING for in home child care provider. 30 hrs/week to start January 2002. Experience, references, work experience required. Call Eve and Eric at 734-484-4387. LOVING INDIVIDUAL wanted to care for kids ages 1.5 and 3 mos. Tues. & Thurs., 8:30-3:30. Begining 1/02. Exp. & refs. req. Fax or Email resume to 669-4200 or heather.iones@captrust.com MOTHER'S HELPER NEEDED. 3- 4/week, 4 hrs., flexible. Yvonne 747-9992. -L-. 5pUj~ brak Panama Cit Beach Floia from $39/night $215/week $9.75/person/day Sandpiper Beacon beach resort the "fun place"! Home of the world's longest keg party! Drink draft beer all week long " Tiki beach bar " Entertainment by Boogie Incorporated " Bikini contests " Male hard body contests " 3 pools " Lazy river ride water slide " Huge beachfront * Hot tub " Mini golf gift shop Suites up to 10 people 1-800-488-8828 4 www.sandpiperbeacon.com BACK AND NECK PAIN? Try Chiropractic. Dr. Jayson Epstein, 25 years experience. Relief phase intro: 4 treatments $75. Near UM. 994-5966. FRATERNITIES * SORORITIES CLUBS * STUDENT GROUPS Earn $1,000-$2,000 this semester with the easy Campusfundraiser.com three hour fundraising event. Does not involve credit card applications. Fundraising dates are filling quickly, so call today! Contact Campusfundraiser.com at 888-923-3238, or visit www.campusfundraiser.com GET A VISA CARD that earns you FREE Travel, Clothes, Music, etc. Online approval in 30 seconds. www.get-creditcard.com SEEKING PLAYERS for full court 1-on-1 basketball at IM Bldg. Great run. 434-4251. #1 Absolute Lowest Spring Break Price Guarantee! #2 Reputable company, Award-Winning Customer Service (see website) #3 Free Meal Plans! (Earlybirds) #4 All Destinations! #5 Campus Reps earn $$, Travel Free! Enough Reasons? 1-800-367-1252 www.springbreakdirect.com #1 SPRING BREAK VACATIONS! Cancun, Jamaica, Bahamas, & Florida. Book Early & get free meal plan. Earn cash and Go Free! Now hiring Campus Reps. 1-800-2347007. endlesssummertours.com * BASKETBALL Season tickets desperately wanted by alumni. Call 517-605-8252. *********************************** SPRING BREAK! Flight Concerns & Sail from Florida, spend 5 Day in Bahamas from ;279! Includes most meals! Get Group - Go IND-EPENDENT "It says something about individuals, and institutions. As the only law school in Boston not affiliated with a university, New England School of Law is able to focus all of its resources on your legal education. Located in the heart of Boston's legal community, the school offers innovative programs including the War Crimes Prosecution Project, opportunities for overseas study, a student-run business law center and coursework on Internet Law. The results speak for themselves-94.6% of our 2000 graduates were employed within nine months. Don't follow. New England School of Law i SPRING BREAK 2002 for U. Michigan .d..Rn.t.iln iient,,,esco nffers e Mein 3 BDRM. HSE. needs Room mate for Jan.- Au. Women pref. Rent neR. (734)717-6913