LOCAL/STATE The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, January 9, 2002 - 3 HIGHER ED New admissions standards adopted by universities EUGENE, Ore - By 2005, Oregon universities will prize skill mastery over SAT scores and high school GPAs when deciding who they accept. State- administered proficiency tests will replace the decades-long scoring method. The Oregon University System's plan -= titled the Proficiency-based Admissions Standards System will put higher education in line with a bill passed in the 1995 Oregon Legislature to implement more skills testing at the K-12 level. PASS participants will gain admission by demonstrating skills in subjects ranging from English and math to visual and performing arts. Although the University will contin- ue to use grades and SAT scores as admissions criteria after 2005, PASS students will receive preferential admission treatment. "PASS won't be the only way for students to be admitted into the Uni- versity," University admissions Direc- tor Martha Pitts said. "What it means is that if there is one space available for two students, and one of them has par- ticipated in the PASS system, that stu- dent will be the one admitted." She added that out-of-state admis- sions standards would not immediately change, but like the rest of the system, They "would be evaluated over time," Pitts said. Oregon's change reflects a nation- wide philosophical shift from test scores and grades to skill proficiency. Washington, Maryland and California are implementing systems similar to Oregon's, and several state universities have tentatively agreed to accept each other's proficiency-based admissions standards, Pitts said. Other schools are moving toward tests such as the SAT-II, which is a series of separate tests in math, writing, foreign language, physics, chemistry and biology. Most require math and writing plus a third of the student's choice. California University System Assistant Vice President Michael Reece said his system is also consider- ing creating its own testing system to further emphasize proficiency. "In this day and age, with the emphasis placed on achievement, we're emphasizing achievement rather than some vague notion of aptitude," Reece said. "The SAT-II demonstrates mas- tery of a specific subject matter. That's why it's preferred" instead of the SAT. Historian faces more charges of plagiarism PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Ambrose, the well-known historian who recently admitted using wording similar to that in passages of Univer- sity of Pennsylvania history profes- sor Thomas Childers' "Wings of Morning" in his "The Wild Blue," has been accused of borrowing pas- sages from the late Jay Monaghan's "Custer: The Life of General George Armstrong Custer." Forbes magazine is reporting that in his 1975 book "Crazy Horse and Custer," Ambrose used similar phrases to those written in Monaghan's 1959 work. The new accusation comes just one day after the publication of a Week- ly Standard article in which Ambrose is accused of plagiarizing Childers' work. Ambrose has admitted to using wording and passages in his latest book, "The Wild Blue," that are at points nearly identical to "Wings of Morning, an historical book written by Childers in 1995 about his uncle's expe- rience on a B-24 bomber crew during World War II. In both books under question, Ambrose reportedly cited and credited the writers he has been accused of copying, but did not place quotation marks around the passages in question. Officer dies after double transplant DETROIT - Tragedy struck the Wayne State University Police Department over winter break when it lost 15-year veteran Randy Guzowski. Guzowski, 42, died Dec. 23 of complications from a kidney and liver transplant he received in November. - Compiled from U- Wire reports by Daily StaffReporter Maria Sprow Politicians WASHINGTON (AP) - There's no EZ lane at the airport, even for Very Important Passengers. th In an age of increased security, notables as v well as no-names are getting the once-over and p then some at airports around .n¢ the country. Members of M Congress and their kids, for- * a mer Vice President Dan Quayle and even Transporta- i tion Secretary Norman Mine- t ta have gotten the full treatment from screeners. w The latest: Rep. John Din- h gell, who at age 75 and after b 46 years in Congress was L asked to drop his trousers at Dingell t Washington's Reagan National Airport over the to weekend. d subjected "They felt me up and down like a prize steer," wr he Dearborn, Democrat later recounted. "I was ery nice, but I probably showed I was dis- br leased." ult When word of Dingell's experience reached pa lineta, the secretary called the congressman to pologize and commiserate. cli "I'm afraid a lot of travelers could probably aft dentify with that experience, including the secre- ry ary," said Mineta spokesman Chet Lunner. lik In Mineta's case, "he had to stand there for what seemed like 10 minutes while they wanded su im and re-wanded him, had him remove his sci elt, empty his pockets, take off his jacket," said cal Iunner, who himself had breezed through securi- .y for the same flight from Baltimore-Washing- do on International Airport. "Eventually they Ba iscovered a stray Altoid mint" whose aluminum mn to airpor apper had triggered the alarms. For Dingell it was his steel hip joint, knee ace and surgically implanted ankle pins that imately led guards to ask him to remove his nts in a back room. Quayle, who had the metal file on his toenail ppers confiscated on a flight out of Washington er guards poked through every item in his car- on suitcase, joked yesterday, "I guess I looked e a security threat." Syndicated humor columnist Dave Barry wasn't re what it was that prompted guards to turn his reening at Denver's airport into what he jokingly lled a "near-proctological" experience. "I cannot imagine terrorists getting anything ne if they were traveling with a baby," said arry, who was flying with his wife and 20- onth-old daughter. t security David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, said ordinary passengers should find all this evidence of "equal inspection under the law" reassuring. "Everyone gets the same kind of scrutiny, and that's good for airline passengers,"he said. For all the recent evidence of security lapses, a number of notables can testify to tight screening. Podesta, former chief of staff to President Clinton, figures it's his olive skin tone and his casual dress now that he's a college professor that have gotten him singled out for extra screening on at least eight flights in recent months. On one shuttle flight to Washington from New York, he said, "All the guys in business suits" strolled onboard, while he was detained for extra searches along with a black teen-ager and three South Asian men. Ready to roll Levin pushes for improvements to border secunity Public Policy students Hillary Mull, Orysla Kulick and Julio Perez watch as Ann Arbor resident "Acme" takes a shot in Michigan Union billiards room yesterday afternoon. SM ests cheaerto aeS DETROIT (AP) - Leaders in Michigan and Ontario say a system of "reverse inspections" could prevent Ter- rorists from crossing the U.S.-Canadian border and speed up delays that have been plaguing the crossings since the Sept. 11 attacks. U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and Remo Mancini, corporate vice president of the Canadian Transit Company, said the move is needed for the safety of both countries and to streamline international trade commerce between the two coun- tries. "If you want to protect your bridges and tunnels from explosives than you do it before people cross them not after," Levin (D-Mich.) said. "It's a no- brainer." Levin said he does not see any major problems with establishing the new sys- tem, but said he's yet to receive an answer from U.S. Customs officials and doesn't understand what's taking so long. On Friday, Levin and fellow Democ- ratic Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow sent a letter to the commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service urging the imple- mentation of the system. Levin said that if he doesn't receive an answer by Jan. 18, he will convene a congressional committee hearing and call the commissioner to testify. "This is a matter of principle," he said. "Once we get an answer, there are a number of logistical issues, but I think we can solve them." Under a "reverse inspection" system, United States and Canadian customs officials would set up stations on oppo- site sides of the border. Forms of the system are found at a few Canadian airports and at the Eng- lish Channel tunnel, Mancini said. Jim Mitchie, a spokesman for U.S. Customs in Washington, said customs officials are aware of Levin's letter and that a response is forthcoming. Mitchie said that reverse inspections are one of a number of changes that American and Canadian officials are considering to improve safety and effi- ciency. But he said there's no time frame for making a decision on its implementation. A plan commissioned by Canadian Transit includes the creation of an "International Zone" that would span both sides of the border. There would be separate traffic lanes for frequent crossers like .those in the Nexus pro- gram and the Just in Time delivery ser- vice, Mancini said. A short-term plan could be imple- mented in as little as 90 days and a long- term plan, which would include the construction of new buildings and the acquisition of new property, could be up and running in 20 months, he said. LANSING (AP)-- The state has drastically cut the num- ber of questions on standardized tests requiring students to write out answers in their own words because they're too expensive to grade. The state budget crunch is the main reason the Michigan Educational Assessment Program tests have been changed, state officials said yesterday. In most cases, the number of test questions requiring written responses will be replaced by multiple choice ques- tions. For example, the eighth-grade social studies test used to have seven open-ended questions. This year it will have one. Some tests also will have fewer multiple-choice ques- tions. The fourth- and seventh-grade reading tests have been cut from 68 to 40 multiple choice questions. "It's going to take less human hours to correct the test," said Department of Treasury spokesman Terry Stanton. "We had to do some belt-tightening. But we're still real con- fident that the test is a good barometer." The savings will come from not having to pay as much to the two testing companies the state uses. NCS Pearson Inc. of Minnesota grades the multiple-choice portions of the tests, while Measurement Inc. of North Carolina grades open-ended questions. Job cut speculation overshadows new cars at auto show v V Michigan Book & Supplv DETROIT (AP) - Speculation, rumor, leaks and announcements over job cuts at General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are steal- ing much of the spotlight from the dozens of new vehicle introductions at the North American International Auto Show. The most sought-after quarry during the media preview this week is the low- down on the restructuring plan Ford will announce on Friday. Between interviews with top execu- tives in the warren of cubbyhole offices in the recesses of Ford's multi- level exhibit area, reporter "scrums" on the show floor and rubbing elbows with executives at nearby. eateries, reporters. have been trying to quiz, cajole, interrogate and beg them for details. DaimlerChrysler AG went through the same challenge at last year's show when speculation was rampant over that company's impending restructuring announcement. "A year ago it was impossible to talk about product," Dieter Zetsche, presi- dent and CEO of the Chrysler Group of DaimlerChrysler, said Tuesday. "Look at us now, the discussion we're having about product, we could never have done that a year ago." Across the floor of the Cobo Center show floor in another collection of prefab offices, GM executives are busy spinning their take on news that leaked out Monday - its plans to offer early retirements and voluntary buyouts to thousands of salaried GM had set a goal of reducing its white collar work force by 10 percent each year. employees. In one such room yesterday, vice chairman Robert Lutz said GM wants to cut 10 percent of its North American white collar work force, or about 4,700 people through attrition and the buy- outs. "No aspect of this should be seen as an emergency action," Lutz said. "It's business as normal." For the last several years, GM had set a goal of reducing its white collar work force by 10 percent each year through such offers and retirements as part of its ongoing "slimming" and cost-cutting efforts, Lutz said. The No. 1 automaker also will delay handing out annual merit raises to employees until late 2002. GM traditionally gives out pay raises at midyear. One analyst predicted the product messages would reach customers despite all the attention paid to business issues. "They're looking for products and services that meet their needs, so I think they're cutting through that clutter," said analyst J Ferron of PriceWater- shouseCooper. used textbooks eMichigan insignia inks clothes & aifts *New &i " Law bo *Art & engineering supplies *School supplies, *FAX service *Medical books & supplies eCLINIQUE in store make-up counter *Greeting cards *Backpacks *Prints & posters eCandy & snacks 924 hr. film service AND MORE! THE CALENDAR What's happening in Ann Arbor today EVENTS U "Classical Pasts, Classi- cal Presents: Interrogat- ing the Classical Ideal: hands-on technique for promoting mental, spiritu- al and emotional well- being, 7:00 p.m., Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, 114 p.m., Burton Tower Informal Singing Group: Ann Arbor Council for Tra- ditional Music and Dance; Singers perform SERVICES Campus Information Centers, 764-INFO, info@umich.edu, or www. umich.edu/ info S.A.F.E. Walk, 763-WALK, I