LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, December 5, 2001- 3
HIGHER ED
Reported cases
of cheating rise
at UC-Berkeley
BERKELEY, Calif. - Cheating,
plagiarism and all categories of acade-
mic dishonesty have experienced dra-
matic spikes in recent years at
University of California-Berkeley. Ear-
lier this year, an entire midterm was
tossed out because of widespread
cheating.
Reported cases of cheating alone
have more than doubled at the universi-
ty, from 61 in 1998 to 148 last year.
The increasing numbers reflect a
corresponding rise in cheating at uni-
versities across the nation, said a UC
Berkeley official responsible for
upholding the code of student con-
duct.
The accessibility of the Internet has
been a significant factor in the rise,
making it easier for students to down-
load, purchase or plagiarize term
papers, said Neal Rajmaira, UC Berke-
ley student judicial affairs director. The
national trend is troubling, in particular
after considering that a great deal more
cheating goes on than is caughtor pur-
sued, he said.
"Academic dishonesty is anathema
toathe idea of higher education' Raj-
maima said. "It. cheapens and diminishes
the degree of everyone who has gradu-
ated from this university and threatens
the integrity of the name Berkeley."
Anthrax found in
students freezer
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Two vials in
the personal freezer of a recent Brown
University graduate now studying at the
University of Connecticut tested posi-
tive on Friday for anthrax.
Tomas Foral, a history of art and
architecture concentrator who complet-
ed pre-medical requirements as an
undergraduate and is now working
toward a master's degree at UConn, dis-
covered a rusty silver can labeled
"anthrax" while cleaning out a labora-
tory freezer six weeks ago.
Foral was asked to destroy the five to
seven vials in an autoclave, but he kept
two in his personal freezer alongside
samples of the West Nile virus and
Eastern equine encephalitis.
The vials remained undiscovered
until last Tuesday, when federal officials
followed up on an anonymous tip
received weeks before from a UConn
student claiming Foral had not
destroyed the entire sample as request-
ed.
Investigators arrived on campus
yesterdayForal reportedly told inves-
tigators he kept the tissue samples,
taken in 1968 from a cow that died of
naturally occurring anthrax, for future
study.
One year after ban
lifted, gay couples
not using chapel
DURHAM, N.C. - Almost a year
after Duke Chapel lifted its ban on
same-sex unions, the University com-
munity has yet to see a gay couple mar-
ried on its altar.
Last December, President Nan Keo-
hane and Dean of the Chapel Will
Willimon announced their decision to
lift the ban in a letter to the Committee
to Explore the Blessing of Same-Sex
Unions in the Chapel. The committee
was appointed by Keohane and
Willimon to debate and make recom-
mendations on the issue.
"There had been people in the past
who had requested a service, and been
denied," said the Rev. Mark Rutledge, a
United Church of Christ minister at the
university. Rutledge wrote an article in
Out-Lines, the newsletter for Duke's
Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Life, that outlined possible
reasons gay couples have not taken
advantage of the Chapel's new "open
and affirming" policy.
According to Rutledge's article, gay
couples in Duke's community may have
trepidations about "One, the question of
who at the Chapel would perform such
a ceiemony; Two, the current conflicted
status of this issue in most churches;
Three, the current atmosphere on cam-
pus; Four, the legal and ecclesiastical
status of such unions; and Five, uncer-
tainty about what to expect from a
potential officiant about the process of
preparing for a ceremony."
-Compiled from U- WIRE reports by
Daily Staff Reporter Maria Sprow.
MSA moves to address variety of issues
By Kara Wenzel
Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly is trying
to combat problems with elections, student
group funding and campus improvement
issues by forming taskforces and funding ini-
tiatives.
MSA President Matt Nolan decided to ask
the assembly to fund keeping the Central
Campus Recreation Building open later for
two days a week next semester after speaking
with RecSports Director Bill Canning and
recreation supervisor Jan Wells.
"If MSA authorizes the money next week,
the CCRB will be open Sunday and Monday
nights during the entire month of January and
February until 1:30 a.m. instead of 11 p.m.,"
Nolan said. "This will be our opportunity to
give students exactly what they've asked us
for."
At last night's meeting, LSA Rep. David
Goldman introduced an amendment to the
MSA Compiled Code that would allow the
Budget Priorities Committee to fund student
groups at more than one point during the
MSA focuses on extendzg fthe
hours of the CCRB next semester
semester.
"Basically we need to make these amend-
ments to the code so we can change the way
we do allocations," Goldman said.
"We want to address what's wrong and
how to fix it with consitution reform and
elections," said Rules and Elections Commit-
tee Chair John Simpson.
Also concerning student group funding,
former BPC chair Javier Restrepo is working
on creating an MSA taskforce that will devel-
op a website to detail all of the possible stu-
dent group and project funding sources at the
University, complete with applications and
requirements for each group.
"There's not a main source of funding
information for student groups," Restrepo
said.
"There are a lot more student funding
sources available on campus."
The assembly will vote on the allocation
for extended CCRB hours, changing the
MSA Code to allow for three BPC funding
cycles and creating the campus funding task-
force during next Tuesday night's meeting.
Earlier, the assembly passed a resolution
to support student presence at the 6th Circuit
Court appeal of the University's affirmative
action trials and to fund buses for students to'
travel to Cincinnati for the hearing tomor-
row.
"The University of Michigan is governed
by the Board of Regents and they're united in
the general counsel's defense of affirmative
action even though they come from different
political parties," said LSA Rep. Rob Good-
speed.
"Our university is under attack," LSA Rep.
Kristen Harris said. "Its students are under
attack, so going down (to Cincinnati) to sup-
port our university and its students is impor-
tant."
Goldman stressed that the assembly should
encourage students with opinions on both
sides of the affirmative action issue to attend
the rally and hearing.
To follow up on a resolution passed last
month to combat sexism on campus, the
Women's Issues Commission will be holding
a roundtable discussion for all members of
the campus community next Monday.
"This is a roundtable so the environment
should be comfortable," WIC co-chair Eliza-
beth Higgins said. "We want to brainstorm
actions to take on campus and hear what
everyone has to say about sexism and sexual
assault."
In addition, MSA published its first semi-
annual report detailing the progress and
achievements of its various committees and
commissions.
The report is available in the MSA office
located in room 3909 of the Michigan
Union.
Weekly protest
Thomas voted new
House minority leader
By Louie Meizlish
Daily Staff Reporter
State House Democrats yesterday elected
Rep. Samuel "Buzz" Thomas of Detroit as
their new minority leader, replacing Rep.
Kwame Kilpatrick, who is resigning Jan. 1 to
become mayor of Detroit.
Thomas, 32, a former home builder and
congressional aide, defeated Rep. Jack
Minore of Flint to become the second black
legislator to lead either party in the Legisla-
ture, after Kilpatrick.
Unlike most leaders, however, Thomas will
serve for only a half-term. He is term-limited
after this, his third term, and is running for
the state Senate in 2002.
It was a sweet victory for Thomas, said
Rep. John Hansen (D-Dexter). In 1998
Thomas lost to Kilpatrick for the post of
minority floor leader, which is considered a
stepping stone to the top leadership post.
Several House Democrats yesterday said
they were pleased with Thomas' election and
are looking forward to continuing good rela-
tions with the majority Republicans. Kil-
patrick and House Speaker Rick Johnson
(R-LeRoy) have both drawn high marks for
their ability to work together. Thomas said he
wants to maintain those good relations on the
public television show "Off the Record" last
week. Republicans currently hold' a 57-52
majority in the House, which they have con-
trolled since 1999.
"To me, the first item on the agenda is the
relations with the other side, and I think I
have every reason to believe Buzz will be
someone who can work very well with the
other side," said Hansen, who represents
northwestern Washtenaw County and north-
ern Ann Arbor.
Rep. Doug Bovin of the Upper Peninsula's
Gladstone, who dropped out of the leadership
"I consider Buzz a very
strong moderate within
the caucus"
- Rep. Doug Bovin (D-Gladstone)
Assistant Minority Leader
race and endorsed Thomas just before the
Democratic Caucus was to vote, echoed
Hansen's remarks and praised Thomas' abili-
ty to compromise.
"I consider Buzz a very strong moderate
within the caucus," said Bovin, who will con-
tinue as assistant minority leader. "He's been
willing to work with and listen to every-
body."
Democrats and Republicans have worked
together on some issues such as election
reform and land use, but issues such as bills
in the Legislature to curb living wage laws
are still issues of contention between the two
parties.
"There's been times we've had to draw the
line and say, 'Looking out for future of
Michigan requires us to oppose certain legis-
lation,"' said Rep. Chris Kolb (D-Ann
Arbor), a Thomas supporter.
The defeated Minore, however, did not rule
out another run after the 2002 elections, but
remains optimistic about the Democrats'
future.
"We're in a much better condition that any-
one thought we'd have. I think we have a real
shot at taking over the House," he said.
All offices are up for election in 2002,
including the House, Senate, governor, secre-
tary of state, attorney general, and Supreme
Court. Republicans currently have majorities
in or otherwise control all of those bodies
except the attorney general's office.
LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily
Dawn Nelson, "Sonfire", and Bridgitte Downs protest in front of the Ann Arbor Federal Building
yesterday. All are part of an anti-violence protest group that sppntaneously began congregating
every Tuesday outside the federal building after Sept. 11.
Peeping torn seen
in residence halls,
DPS issues alert
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By Jacquelyn Nixon
Daily Staff Reporter
Campus police concluded yester-
day that a recent string of "peeping
tom" incidents in University resi-
dence halls are linked.
Department of Public Safety
spokeswoman Diane Brown said in
all but one case the suspect's
description has been strikingly sim-
ilar.
DPS issued a crime alert for the
suspect, who was spotted again in
an East Quad Residence Hall
women's restroom Sunday. A third-
floor Hayden House resident
observed a black man watching a
female student showering. He left
the scene after the resident saw
him. The suspect was spotted again
yesterday morning in an East Quad
women's restroom watching a
female student showering.
"In each case he has entered an
unsecured area ... a door has been
propped open or taped up," Brown
said.
The man was described as being
in his early 20s and wearing a gray
sweatshirt and a prominently dis-
played gold chain. .He might have
been wearing blue jeans, a black
cap and black leather jacket.
DPS issued another crime alert
yesterday after two unknown white
men entered an unlocked room in
the Law Quad's Lawyer's Club Res-
idence Monday and stole two lap-
top computers. The duo fled the
scene when the resident entered the
room.
Both men were described as
. being about 6 feet tall. One suspect
is between 18=22 years old with a
stocky build and short, light hair.
He was seen wearing a red baseball
cap turned backwards and a dark-
colored rugby shirt and dark cargo
pants.
The second man has a medium
build and dark hair.
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