LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, March 13, 2002 - 3
HIGHER ED
Regents suspend
admissions at U.
Wisconsin system
MADISON, Wis. - Effective
March 9, the University of Wiscon-
sin System Board of Regents sus-
pended undergraduate admissions to
all of its campuses. Regents said the
decision was necessary in light of
additional budget cuts the university
currently faces. .
"The regents (Friday) morning
ordered the president of the System
and all the chancellors to suspend
sending out offers of admission to any
more students until we have a chance
to analyze the impact of the Joint
Finance Committee's actions on our
budget," Wisconsin Madison Chancel-
lor John Wiley said.
Board of Regents President Jay
Smith supported this decision by say-
ing that the university has no choice in
the matter.
"We must operate like a business,"
he said. "We can't enroll students if we
don't have the (general purpose rev-
enue) to pay for them:'
Gay man sues U.
Maryland hospital
for discrimination
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Robert
Daniel and Bill Flanigan knew the day
would come when they would have to
say goodbye to each other forever. But
as the AIDS virus finished ravaging
Daniel's body at the University of
Maryland Medical System's Shock
Trauma Center, Flanigan, Daniel's gay
partner, never got his chance to say
goodbye.
In a claim filed against the hospital
on Feb. 27, Flanigan said he was not
allowed to see his partner because the
hospital didn't recognize their partner-
ship as being "family." By the time
Flanigan did see Daniel, he had lost
consciousness. Daniel died three days
after being admitted to the hospital on
Oct. 19, 2000, from a form of gan-
grene brought on by complications of
the AIDS virus.
Daniel "left the world without the
support of the person who loved him
most," said David Buckel, Flanigan's
attorney.
Thomas Scalea, the chief physician
at Maryland Shock Trauma Center,
said Flanigan was not discriminated
against. The reason Flanigan was not
initiallyallowed to see Daniel is
because the doctors were still trying to
stabilize him and any visitors could
have hindered the process, according to
a statement issued by Scalea.
Flanigan and Daniel signed a legal
document giving Flanigan the power to
make medical decisions for Daniel in
expectation that doctors might not rec-
ognize Flanigan. Daniel confided to
Flanigan that he did not want to go on
life support at the end of his life.
Daniel was transferred to the Shock
Trauma Center from the Harford Hos-
pital in Havre de Grace, Maryland.
That night, Flanigan sat in the waiting
room for four hours while they worked
on Daniel but was never consulted
about medical decisions, according to
the claim. By the time Flanigan saw
Daniel, he was unconscious with his
eyes taped shut, and a breathing tube
had been inserted, contrary to Flani-
gan's requests, according to the claim.
U. Connecticut
fined $129,500
for animal abuse
STORRS, Conn. - The University
of Connecticut has agreed to pay
$129,500 in federal fines after admit-
ting to allegations by the U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture that it abused
research animals.
The USDA gives evidence of 99
separate violations of the Animal Wel-
fare Act since 1998 in its formal com-
plaint against the institution.
Some of the complaints include the
deaths of 22 naked mole rats that
occurred while their caretaker was on
vacation, failure to provide veteri-
nary medical care to rabbits, failing
to keep proper records and neglect of
several animals.
Last April, the university announced
$20 million would go to research facil-
ity construction and improvements as
part of the Connecticut. 2000 project.
-- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter'
Maria Sprow.
Wahhaj:Islam
'positive force' in America
By Leslie Ward
Daily Staff Reporter
Muslims in America must act as a con-
science for the country, Muslim leader
Imam Sirah Wahhaj said yesterday in a lec-
ture at the Michigan Union.
Wahhaj, who spoke to a crowd of more
than 200, discussed the issues facing Mus-
lims in America today and how the pres-
ence of Islam is a positive force in the
country today.
"Islam is here to make America better,"
Wahhaj said. "Muslim people should not be
afraid to warn against the evils that we all
commit. Muslims around the world are
waiting for us to change policies in America
for the better."
Wahhaj said he believes that Islam will
play a crucial role in the future of America.
"We are talking about a topic that has the
potential to divide us, but at the same time,
the great power to unite us," he said.
Wahhaj emphasized the importance of
compromise, and the ability of Muhammad
to see that all people have limitations. He
encouraged people to view compromise as
a positive step of progress as opposed to an
act of weakness.
"(Muhammad) kept it real not part of the
time, but all of the time. Prophet Muhammad
was the master in the art of compromise. He
had the tremendous ability to see human lim-
itations," Wahhaj said.
Wahhaj focused on the importance of
understanding the motives behind the words
of Muhammad. He said it is not just an
issue of what the prophet said but why he
said it.
"If I were going to teach Islam in college,
I would teach not only the Quran, but the
context. Without the context, it's silly. We
need to stop (taking it out of context). We
need to start examining and dialoguing with
one another," Wahhaj said.
Freedom makes America unique, Wah-
haj said. He said this freedom is having
different effects on Muslims and voiced
his concern about the ability of Muslims to
avoid the temptations which come with
that freedom.
"The strength of America is its freedoms.
What is the strength can also e its weak-
ness. Everything has a limit; you can go too
far. Everything has a boundary, so for the
Muslims, we look at what are the bound-
aries," he said.,
Students who heard Wahhaj speak were
impressed with his ideas.
"He definitely possesses a lot of charis-
ma. He (speaks) truthfully. It's good to get
someone who is passionate about this sub-
ject," Engineering senior Pratik Shah said.
"He brings a very good American per-
spective of Islam, especially when many
people think that Islam can't be integrated
into Western culture," added Engineering
junior Kashif Sheikh.
Wahhaj.has been Imam of Masjid At-
Taqwa in Brooklyn, New York since 1981.
He is also Vice Amir of the Council of
Muslim Leaders in New York, serves on
the Board of Advisers for the North Amer-
ican Islamic Trust and is Vice President of
Majlis Ash-Shura Islamic Society of North
America. Wahhaj was also a speaker on
campus earlier this year during Islam
Awareness Week.
LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily
Imam Sirah Wahhaj spoke of the role of Muslims and Islam in
American life yesterday evening at the Michigan Union.
Movement medicine
Students First makes MSA
accessibility a top priority
By Tomislav Ladika
Daily Staff Reporter
University students may have noticed the chalk markings
and campaign posters of a new party among more familiar
party names running in the winter Michigan Student Assem-
bly elections.
That party is Students First, a diverse group of candidates
who want to renew student interest in their own government
by representing as many student organizations as possible.
Sarah Boot, Students First presidential candidate and cur-
rent MSA Communications Committee chairwoman, said
she noticed apathy toward student government this year
when few students attended her "Meet a Rep" program,
which provided them the opportunity to discuss student gov-
ernment issues with an MSA representative.
Boot said she feels students are not interested in MSA
because "a lot of people in student government right now
don't have connections to the University other than student
government."
The lack of involvement in student organizati'ons and
diversity in the MSA have resulted in a lack of new ideas
this year, Monique Luse, an MSA representative and Stu-
dents First candidate for president of LSA Student Govern-
ment, said. In response, Luse and Boot, along with Students
First vice presidential candidate Dana Glassel, decided to
create a new party.
Students First members believe they can increase interest
in student government because the party is composed of
candidates from many different student groups and back-
grounds, MSA candidate Jason Mironov said.
"Almost every aspect of campus is reached," he said. "If
elected, the candidates would successfully represent all con-
stituents on campus because of their affiliation.".
MSA candidate Brandon White said his status as a black
student inclines him to support all University minorities.
"If elected, I plan to serve as a potent voice for minority
Winter 2002
students and continue to ensure equitable funding for minor-
ity student groups," he said.
In addition to candidates like White, Students First also is
promoting leaders from a wide variety of student organiza-
tions on campus - from Hillel to the Greek system,
Mironov said.
Boot said the slate includes experienced student govern-
ment leaders from the former Michigan Party and Universi-
ty Democrats - two parties that disbanded this year.
Although diverse, the slate is composed of candidates
who all agree that "there needs to be a change in MSA that
results in a positive, forward-moving motion in our student
assembly," Mironov said.
If elected to MSA, Students First representatives hope to
create an outreach program which requires each MSA repre-
sentative to keep contact with a certain number of student
organizations, Boot said.
Another big concern is the effectiveness of MSA,
Mironov said. He said less than half of the assembly's
money is handed out to student groups, and that instead
of trying to win the administration's approval, MSA
should demand changes it feels are necessary for the
University.
Mironov said his platform includes improving residence
halls and off-campus housing, and-White said improving
tutoring services and implementing bike shelters are several
of his ideas.
But while developing student projects is important, it only
comprises half the role of student government, White said.
"The other half is having an ear close to the ground and
being responsive to who matters the most - the student
body," he said.
EMMA FOSDICK/Daily
Stella Raudenbush instructs the neuromus.cular integration action technique at
the Michigan League yesterday. This is an alternative medicine expressive
fitness movement.
Compuware files
plagiaris-m lawsuit
* "
againsti
DETROIT (AP) - Compuware
Corp. filed a federal lawsuit here
yesterday claiming IBM Corp.
copied parts of the software compa-
ny's computer codes - including the
glitches - for the technology giant's
own products.
The 50-page complaint seeks an
undetermined amount of financial
damages. It also claims IBM illegally
used its monopoly power in main-
frame hardware and software products
to compete unfairly in the software
tools market.
"We have been considering this dis-
tressing issue for quite some time and
regrettably concluded that Compuware
was required to take this action in
order to protect the interests of the
company, its customers and its share-
holders," Compuware President Joseph
Nathan said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for Armonk, N.Y.-
based IBM said the company doesn't
comment on pending litigation.
Analyst John McPeake with Pruden-
tial Securities said the lawsuit illus-
trates tension in the relationships
between IBM and companies that cre-
ate software for its computers, since
IBM offers some of the tools itself.
But he noted neither Compuware
nor IBM likely will see immediate bot-
tom-line effects because of the lawsuit.
"I don't think over the near term it
means a whole lot for either compa-
ny in terms of their results,"
McPeake said.
In early-afternoon trading, shares of
IBM, which Monday issued encourag-
9
ing news about its performance, were
up $2.96 at $108.20. Shares of Com-
puware were down 41 cents at $12.36.
Compuware's Nathan said the suit
came about after the Farmington Hills,
Mich.-based software and professional
servicescompany discovered that cer-
tain IBM products contained portions
of Compuware code.
The IBM products - File Manager
and Fault Analyzer - mirrored fea-
tures, such as the way the data is dis-
played, of Compuware's File-AID and
Abend-AID products, he said.
The company alleges the software
even had the same glitches as earlier
versions of Compuware products.
And the lawsuit claims that portions
of IBM's File Manager manual
includes passages that are "nearly ver-
batim copies" of manuals produced
by Compuware.
Nathan said because IBM dominates
the market, many of Compuware's
products must be able to interact with
IBM products. But when IBM devel-
oped File Manager and Fault Analyzer,
as well as a debugging program similar
to one Compuware makes, Nathan said
IBM stopped sharing information.
"Commencing in at least 1999, IBM
developed and carried out a scheme
specifically intended to compete unfair-
ly in each of these markets, and to utilize
its monopoly power in the mainframe,
operating system and other markets ...
to gain an unfair competitive advantage
and, ultimately, monopoly power in each
of the three mainframe software tools
markets," the suit alleges.
THE CALENDAR
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
EVENTS Pak, noon -1:00 p.m., Health Service, 7 - 9:00 SERVICES
School of Public Health, Campus Information
Running Effective Meet- Room 1152 p.m., Pond Room, Michi- Centers, 764-INFO,
ings Workshop; Spon- "Japanese Americans in UiUfo@um ich.ed/, or
sored by Engineering World War II and gan union www umich.edu/-info
stuenb ELnee nd A S.A.F.E. Walk, 763-WALK, 4
Student Leadership and. Arab/Muslim Americans Gues.. Rectal:+ Jonsua Call 24 hours a day, ';