Jt A& One hundred eleven years ofeditorilfreedom *NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 7640557 wwwmichigandally.com Wednesday March 6, 2002 I ------- ,e a @ If R. I GEO s Latest concessions from the * University not enough; final votes to be tallied today. By Maria Sprow Daily Staff Reporter "n till pla bargaining session, GEO Chief Negotiator and Rackham student Alyssa Picard said. "We're not hearing from them on any of the most critical issues," she said. In-depth planning for the walk-out took place after last night's bargaining session. The walk-out, should it happen, would take place on the sidewalks surrounding the most popular University buildings, including East Hall, the Modern Language Building, the Frieze Build- ing, the David Dennison Building and the Life Sciences Institute, which is currently under construction. Angell Hall would serve as "Strike Central," the meeting place for anybody who wants to picket. GEO President Cedric de Leon said the strike would need at least 470 picketers in order ining M to surround those areas, and at that number each supporter would need to picket for four hours. As of last night, little more than 400 voting ballots concerning the walk-out had been turned in to GEO. However, that number is expected to greatly increase. GEO members are having a phone marathon today in order to get more votes turned in before tonight's 9 p.m. deadline. During the bargaining session last night, a letter from LSA Dean Shirley Neuman was presented to members of the GEO. In her letter, Neuman promised she would not use bottom line budgeting, a hiring practice in which departments are given a certain amount of money to hire graduate student arch 11 instructors. GEO members said bottom line budgeting forces some departments to hire cheaper GSIs rather than higher-caliber GSIs. Neuman wrote that she recognized the possi- ble harms of bottom line budgeting. But because the letter would be separate from the contract and would not be legally binding or enforceable, GEO members said it could not be trusted and was not sufficient. "It's not a proposal, it's just an attempt to get us to shut up about bottom line budgeting," Picard said. But University Spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the letter would act as a written commit- ment. Peterson also said a written statement could not be added to the contract because the hiring method falls under the category of Uni- strike Despite withdrawing four minor proposals during its contract bargaining session with the University, the Graduate Employees Organi- zation still plans to go ahead with Monday's planned one- versity budgeting. Budgeting language is not* normally added to contracts. "A commitment in writing is stronger than a verbal commitment," Peterson said. Before yesterday's meeting between both parties, the University only offered the GEO a verbal agreement. GEO members said they will continue to push for a clause against bottom line budgeting in the contract. Some considered putting it under a discrimination clause by arguing that bottom line budgeting discriminates against GSIs who have to pay higher tuitions. But many union members voiced concern over that possibility. "There are a lot of problems with doing See GEO, Page 7 day walk-out, pending a negative vote from the membership or great progress at tomorrow's City Council reverses fall vote to drop United Way By Rob Goodspeed Daily Staff Reporter The Ann Arbor City Council voted Monday to rejoin the United Way, reversing an August 2001 decision to drop out of the organization. Last week, the Washtenaw County United Way decid- ed to remove the local chapter of the Boy Scouts from the list or organizations which automatically receive funding from the organization's community fund. Starting this fall, United Way funds will only go to the Great Sauk Trail Council of the Boy Scouts if employees specifically designate their money go to the organiza- tion. The United Way had previously refused to drop the Boy Scouts from the community fund. "I felt the city was doing its utmost to comply with the human rights ordinance," said City Councilwoman Jean Carlberg (D-3rd Ward). "The University of Michigan students were very vocal," Carlberg said, who added she thought community pressure and negative publicity caused the United Way to change their policy regarding the Boy Scouts. "I am .glad that the United Way changed it's policy on the Boy Scouts. They have a lot of good people that do a lot of good work," said LSA senior Pierce Beckham, one of five students to meet with interim University Presi- dent B. Joseph White to discuss issues including the University's policy with United Way. "The Boy Scouts are not the only organization that receives money from the community fund to discrimi- nate either actively or passively against the LGBT com- munity," he added. United Way officials said the Boy Scout controversy caused the policy change. "The decision was made because it's an organization whose membership standards are controversial," said Jim Cieslar, president of the Washtenaw County United Way, who said the Boy Scouts would not receive funds from the community fund starting fall 2002. The Supreme Court ruled in July 2000 that the Boy Scouts could exclude an openly homosexual man from fulfilling a leadership role because they felt he was not an appropriate role model. White said he approved the change in an e-mail sent out to the University community yesterday. "I welcome this decision by the United Way board," he wrote. "It is consistent with the University of Michigan's nondis- crimination policies and our desire to build an environ- ment that is welcoming to every member of our community." See UNITED WAY, Page 7 I - Conyers blasts treatment of jailed Haddad By Louie MelzlIsh Daily Staff Reporter "Appalling" was the term U.S. Rep. John .Conyers used to describe the conditions in which local Muslim leader Rabih Haddad is being held following his detainment for an immigration violation. Haddad, who is being held at the Metropolitan Corrections Cen- ter in Chicago, is currently undergo- ing deportation hearings in Detroit for overstaying a six-month visa. Conyers (D- Detroit), ranking Democrat on the Conyers House Judiciary Committee, visited Haddad yesterday at the corrections center.. Haddad, a Lebanese national, was transferred there after being arrested and detained in Michigan. "He lives in a poorly lit empty six foot by nine foot cell and is only per- mitted to meet with his wife twice a week and call home four times a month," Conyers said in a written statement. Haddad has claimed that cock- roaches also infest his cell. "The treatment of Imam Haddad has highlighted everything that is abusive and unconstitutional about our government's scapegoating of immigrants in the wake of the Sep- tember 11th attacks," Conyers said. "The use of secret evidence and cruel conditions of confinement against a man with no criminal record who has publicly condemned the terrorist act against our country." Haddad is a co-founder of the Global Relief Foundation, a local nonprofit organization whose assets were frozen by the government, which alleged that the GRF had been funding terrorists. Randall Sanborn, spokesman for the office of the US. attorney for the Northern District.of Illinois, which is handling the case, refused to com- ment on the incarceration. "For an alien who is an overstay, the government doesn't have a tough time proving it because they know when he came in," said William Dance, a Troy-based attorney special- izing in immigration. "The record shows his original stay, as well as any extension Haddad's hearings in Detroit before See CONYtRS, Page 7 LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily Interim University President B. Joseph White gets acquainted with students at a reception in his honor in the Michigan Union Ballroom yesterday afternoon. Whiteme e ts with studen'ts to discuss campus con cerns By Kara Wenzel Daily Staff Reporter Interim University President B. Joseph White mingled with students at a reception last night in the Michigan Union ballroom to address student concerns about their experi- ences on campus. Most of the evening's attendees came to learn a little about White and what his job entails. Engineering junior Evan Pollack said, "It shows he has a genuine interest in his job that he took the time to meet us." Residence Halls Association President and Engineering junior Tim Winslow came to the reception because he "never got the opportuni- ty to meet (former President Lee) Bollinger and see how he interacts with students." Specific student concerns about the Univer- sity, including questions about the Graduate Employees Organization, came up in the con- versations with White. "I think GSIs deserve fair treatment. They need to put a stop to bottom line budgeting and create childcare," Kinesiology freshman Pete Woiwode said. RC sophomore and Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality member Sarah See WHITE, Page 7 Images from inside I MSA debates need of political opinions in decision making By Tomislav Ladika Daily Staff Reporter Resolutions were passed in sup- port of the University's affirmative action policies and the Graduate Employment Organization's contract negotiations with the University at last night's Michigan Student Assembly meeting, but much of the debate centered on whether MSA members should voice their own political opinions when making decisions affecting constituents. Most of the debate focused on the affirmative action resolution, which Michigan Student Assembly express their support of the University of Michigan's use of affirmative action." The resolution passed by a 21-10 margin, with five abstentions. LSA representative Kristin Harris said students trusted the MSA repre- sentatives they voted for to repre- sent them in a variety of capacities - including political issues impor- tant to the University, like affirma- tive action and the GEO negotiations. "We are influenced by political activities every day of our lives, so LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily Marie Wang, keynote speaker for Asian Pacific Heritage Month, spoke yesterday evening at the Michigan Union. Increased awareness aim of heritage-mont By Leslie Ward Daily Staff Reporter The Asian Pacific American Association kicked off its celebra- tion of Asian Pacific American Her- itage Month last night and began their goal of "opening eyes and challenging minds." The event featured speakers with multiethnic groups, who highlight- ed the importance of activism in the Asian community. "What, in your minds as Asian Americans, are you able to con- tribute to making this place a better place for all of us?" keynote speak- er and University alum Marie Weng asked the audience. "This is what it's really all about. ALYSSA WOOD/Daily LSA junior Nicole Matti views the Prisoner Art Show on display through March 18 at the Media Union Gallery on North Campus. _i i I I