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Wednesday
February 6, 2002
LSA to change elective requirements
By Kara Wenzel
Daily Staff Reporter
Students currently enrolled in the College
of Literature, Science and the Arts can look
forward to more leeway in their schedule
choices due to changes approved by LSA fac-
ulty Monday.
Among the proposals LSA Student Gov-
ernment members presented to LSA deans
was one aiming to increase the number of
elective credits from outside the college that
students can count toward an LSA degree
from 12 to 20.
A new interdisciplinary category will be
Askew faces
misdemeanc
assault charg
By Jeremy Berkowitz
Daily Staff Reporter
added to the existing five distribution areas
- natural science, social science, humani-
ties, creative expression and mathematics and
symbolic analysis - that can be used to ful-
fill the last nine of 30 distribution credits.
Students may now take up to three credits
in any interdisciplinary courses, which are to
be cross-listed with LSA and another school
within the University.
LSA-SG President Rachel Tronstein said,
"We are working on making minors in other
schools and colleges available to LSA stu-
dents, and we believe this is the first step."
Academic minors in other schools will be a
real possibility for LSA students in about a
Playing with food
year, she added. interdisciplinary studies ... such a
Tronstein said the policies and details are give grant money and look at fac
still being worked out by the LSA Curricu- she added. Until now the undergrad
lum Committee. Which interdisciplinary lum did not reflect the same mentali
courses will be available for credit toward These changes to the faculty
distribution and what classes of students will help remove curricular impedime
be affected by the new system are yet to be disciplinarity," LSA Associa
determined. Undergraduate Education Robert
LSA-SG members researched peer institu- in a written statement.
tions and found that the schools they studied For those who are serious about stu
focused on interdisciplinary programs. They ferent disciplines, the University cur
submitted proposals to the LSA deans last students to dual-enroll in the Schoolc
year for an increase in the credit allowance either LSA or the College of Engine
outside LSA, Tronstein said. to pursue two degrees, a process thatr
"Everything else within U of M promotes 11 semesters of coursework on averag
*Camipus
as when they
ulty tenure,"
uate curricu-
ity, she said.
code "will
nts to inter-
te Dean of
I Owen said
udying in dif-
rently allows
of Music and
ering, usually
requires 10 to
ge.
prepares
for national civil
rights conference
Michigan running back and LSA junior B.J. Askew
was arraigned Monday on a misdemeanor charge of
domestic assault and battery. If found guilty, he could
be sentenced to a maximum of 93 days in jail and a
$500 fine.
Pittsfield Twp. police arrested Askew Sunday night after he
called them following a dispute with his 20-year-old girl-
friend.
The couple was apparently arguing
when he pinned her to the bed and
then threw her out of his residence at
the Spicetree Apartment Complex.
He let her back in only after he
reopened the door, and she then bit
him on the forearm. Askew then
called police from his neighbor's resi-
dence.
According to an official statement
Askew from the Pittsfield Twp. Police Depart-
ment, "Officers responding to the scene determined that
there was a probable cause an assault had occurred and a
domestic relationship existed between the parties
involved."
Askew was released on bond, although he will have to
appear in court for a pre-trial hearing on Feb. 20.
The Athletic Department could not confirm whether Askew
will be face any disciplinary action.
"I don't know enough to comment on it" said Bruce Madej,
athletic director for media relations.
Askew is not the only University football player to face
charges of assault this year.
Freshman cornerback Markus Curry plead guilty to a
charge of assault with no battery Jan 14. He faces sentencing
Feb. 14.
By Maria Sprow
Daily Staff Reporter
Student activists from around the country will
visit campus this weekend to take part in the sec-
ond national civil rights conference hosted by local
members of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative
Action and Integration and Fight for Equality By
Any Means Necessary.
The conference is scheduled to begin 9 at a.m.
Friday with a discussion about civil rights achieve-
ments. Detroit-area high school students will join
University students and BAMN members in a
march and rally at 1 p.m. on the Diag.
This conference follows a previous national con-
ference that was held at the University over the
summer, and although BAMN members said they
did not know whether the turn-out would be lower
or higher than the summer forum, they expect
whoever comes to be more politically involved.
"I think it will be bigger," said BAMN member
Agnes Aleobua, an LSA junior. "It will definitely
be more widespread.... There is a wide range of
-issues that we have to take up."
Most of the expected attendees marched in
Cincinnati in December when the two lawsuits
filed by the Center for Individual Rights against the
University's admissions policies came before the
6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
"The people who are going to be coming to the
conference this weekend are going to be more
politically active," said RC junior and BAMN
"There is a wide range
of issues that we have
to take up."
- Agnes Aleobua
BAMN member
member Ben Royal. "They have already been
involved over the past semester in helping organize
the march in Cincinnati and passing the new peti-
tion around."
An original petition, in which people showed
their support for affirmative action, was presented
to the appeals court judges on Dec. 6 by Miranda
Massie, who represented the student intervenors in
the lawsuits. BAMN members created a new peti-
tion following the appeals to get more signatures of
those supporting affirmative action.
Although the judges made a statement criticizing
the use of a petition in a judicial setting, Royal said
petitions and other forms of action will make an
impact on the admissions trials.
"The fact that they delayed the hearing so that it
could be heard by the full court - which is some-
thing that rarely happens - the fact that (this was)
the first time in history that they've ever issued
tickets for a hearing and the fact that they had an
overflow room speaks to the impact that we had
See CONFERENCE, Page 7
ALYSSA WOOD/Daily
Justin Leitch sculpts a falafel at Jerusalem Garden on South Fifth Avenue
yesterday.
Retail fraud a problem at local shops
By Ted Borden
Daily Staff Reporter
In recent months, retailers have had to
cope with a sour economy, wavering
consumer confidence and poor holiday
sales. Yet they have also dealt with one
traditional loss that has remained con-
stant over the years - retail fraud.
"It doesn't change. It's a cost of doing
business in retail," said Ed Davidson,
owner of Bivouac, on South State Street.
"The expense is there with the rent,
wages and electrical bills. The goal is to
minimize it."
But this practice shows no signs of
abating anytime soon. In a survey con-
ducted by the University of Florida,
retail "shrinkage" - as shoplifting is
commonly referred to in the business
world - was shown to have caused loss-
es exceeding $27 billion in 1999, the
last year for which figures are available.
Richard Hollinger, director of the
University of Florida's National Retail
Security Survey, said the rate of shrink-
age, as a percentage of total sales, has
hovered about two percent for much of
the past decade.
But in recent years, it has decreased
"largely due to the success of anti-
shoplifting technologies. Also, stores
have done a much better job of tracking
inventory," he said.
He noted that a great deal of shrink-
age "is the result of disgruntled employ-
ees," who were responsible for about 46
percent of the last survey's recorded
losses. The average loss for apparel
stores per incident of employee theft
was $1,078.13. In contrast, the average
loss per shoplifter was $222.67.
"Shoplifting is actually easier to
deter," Hollinger said. "Customers can
be scared off by cameras. But employees
know how the security measures work."
Discussing security measures is taboo
for almost all retailers. None of the 10
Ann Arbor store managers spoken to
regarding this subject would consent to
discuss it.
Davidson said shoplifting is "human
nature. We've caught shoplifters who are
parents of students. It really runs the
gamut."
Popular targets for shoplifters include
electronic goods, such as CDs and
DVDs, said Hollinger, because they are
easier to steal and sell for a profit.
"They are less likely to be tagged and
the price break point is not that high,"
he added.
Rich Kinsey,-detective sergeant at the
Ann Arbor Police Department, said he
receives many reports each week of
retail fraud from local retailers.
"We're not as high as some urban
areas, but it occurs," he said, adding that
reports can come from any type of store,
be it a drug store or a high-end depart-
ment store.
Ida Hendrix, general manager of Bri-
arwood Mall, said she shared the same
sentiment.
"We are on the low end of the scale,"
See FRAUD, Page 7
Native American oet
discusses rejudice
ALYSSA WOOD/Daily
Ann Arbor realtor Jim Wines speaks against a proposal to
create small apartments In residential neighborhoods at the
city planning commission meeting last night.
Ci~ty councilJ
nxes housing
proposal
By Rob Goodspeod
Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City council unanimously rejected a pro-
posal to allow for the creation of apartments connected to sin-
gle-family homes Monday night.
Urban planning experts say the proposal would pro-
vide needed low income housing options, but many Ann
Arbor residents have voiced opposition. In a public meet-
ing last night, some complained that the new rule could
allow for an influx of students into family neighbor-
hoods.
"We feel threatened by an invasion of students and
unscrupulous landlords," said Gary Supanich, a resident of
South Forest Avenue.
"We seek to strengthen - not destroy - our neighbor-
hoods," he added.
Some residents complained that the new regulation could
not 6-a an4'nrr.ntl nn-1y
By Mica Doctoroff
For the Daily
Adk
Native American poet, author, screen-
writer and producer Sherman Alexie filled
the Michigan Union Ballroom to capacity
yesterday evening as he spoke about how
ignorance leads to hate.
Titled, "Killing Indian's: Myths, Lies,
Exaggerations," Alexie's presentation was a
continuation of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Symposium.
But sentiments were not solely limited to
issues concerning Native Americans.
Alexie explained that prejudice looms in
all walks of life.
he said.
"Using hate, fear and ignorance you can
get men to fly airplanes into buildings.
Using hate, fear and ignorance you can get
our country to bomb a ninth world country,"
he said in reference to the events and after-
math of Sept. 11.
"We get taught to hate each other," he
said.
Alexie questioned whether Americans are
in a better place with President Bush in
office.
He said he does not think Bush has
decreased the problems of pain, racism,
classism and homophobia in our nation.
"Growing up, we are taught that anyone
C - *Al l .,.c-'I
LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily
Sherman Alexie, who wrote the screenplay for the film "Smoke Signals,"
i
I