it lull One hundred eleven years ofeditorildfreedom 1UIil NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 764-0557 www mlchlgandally. corn Friday March 15, 2002 tr exit, s ', , . 02002 The Michigan Daity Regent Horning bashes 'U, policies By Shannon Pettyplec. and Kara Wnzel Daily Staff Reporter Racial tensions, anti-affirmative action views and bickering regents were the themes of a let- ter written by Regent Daniel Horning (R-Grand Haven) to Regent Kathy White (D-Ann Arbor), which was obtained by The Michigan Daily yesterday afternoon. In the letter, Horning openly expressed his views against the University's use of race in admissions and responded to an accusation made by White that the appointment of a white University Board of Regents chair and vice- chair is unacceptable. Last month the regents approved the formation of committees and the election of a chair. "Your comments 'we can't have two white males as chair and vice-chair ... even my dad thinks so,' are glowing examples of why affir- mative action is simply another term for entitle- ment," Horning said. "Kathy, insulting comments like yours reek of everything that is wrong with affirmative action." In the letter, Horning said even though he has publically defended the University's admissions policies, he is personally opposed to them. "I have openly defended the importance of a - have openly defended the importance of a diverse student body, yet privately .. I certainly don't feel they are based on merit." - Regent Dan Horning in a letter to Regent Kathy White (D-Ann Arbor) diverse student body, yet privately I have held to my chest that I don't think our admissions policies will withstand this legal challenge, and I certainly don't feel they are based on merit," he said. Horning goes on to describe in his letter how he believes affirmative action keeps qualified students out of the University while letting less qualified minority students in. "I would like to invite you to join me the next time I visit with a high school senior and his/her parents to explain why a 3.85 GPA and 30 ACT score just aren't enough for the Uni- versity of Michigan ... even with a letter of rec- ommendation from a sitting regent," Horning said in the letter. "Can you imagine me explain- ing that if they were a minority or from an underrepresented group of people it would be acceptable but being a Caucasian from western Michigan creates a problem?" In an effort to show that the chair and vice- chair positions were not racially motivated Horning said in the letter "This year's Michigan See HORNING, Page 7 Personal ino., tests found scattered near Dennison By Tyler Boersen and C. Price Jones Daily Staff Reporters just throwna The pape way but w dumpstersn The privacy of many students was jeopard- Little Chem ized late last Thursday night when winds blew "Informa old test forms and grade reports from an open shredded,n dumpster. around outo Many Astronomy 101/111 tests dated from Aikman said 1997 to 2000 were found among computer- Also disc printed lists of student names, social security much of th numbers and class grades. two building Students listed on the sheets were angry that in the Offic the University disposed of their sensitive and abilities des private information in this fashion. Universit "I am definitely kind of mad," recent LSA that studen graduate Mark Sandri said. "The University issue to the should not throw things away in public dump- out could o sters. ... It is pretty private information to be accident. Mediator may join GEO, 'U' contract Daily Staff Reporter away where anyone can get at it." rs were not shredded or torn in any ere disposed of in boxes into the near David Dennison and the C.C. istry Building. ation like that should probably be not left out and allowed to blow of a dumpster," LSA senior Amanda d. overed in the scatter which covered e lawn and sidewalk in front of the gs were letters written by an official e of Services for Students with Dis- cribing a student's mental illness. y spokeswoman Julie Peterson said ts' privacy concerns are a serious University, and the papers laying only be described as a mistake or "The University would never intentionally handle those (documents) in a way to make them available to the public," she said. While the social security numbers leads to questions of student privacy, the Astronomy tests and answer sheets question the honor of the exams. "I'm very concerned about this because it sounds like the confidentiality of students, and possibly the integrity of an exam, have been compromised, albeit not intentionally," Robert Owen, LSA associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, said. "It sounds like we need to develop and implement more secure procedures for dispos- ing of trash that may contain confidential mate- rial," he added. The tests and papers were cleaned up the fol- See PAPERS, Page 7 The second annual SPEAK OUT brought Eating Disorder Awareness Week to a close last nifif. Youcan recover from this, you can do it. I'm living proof that you can get help and over come this," $SPAK co-president Lauren Victor said. Inside: A wrap up of Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Page 3. Regents dwell on fin ace, blrefly touch on secuity Members of the Graduate Employees Organization last night said negotiations between GEO and the University took a drastic turn. After both sides called Tuesday's discussion on By Shuanon Pettyplece and Kara Wenzel Daily Staff Reporters Despite the dozens of home invasions and peep- ing tom incidents that occurred over the last three months, the University Board of Regents spent over an hour discussing finances at the University Med- ical Center, and 20 minutes on student safety at yesterday's monthly meeting. Some regents, such as Regent S. Martin Taylor (D-Grosse Pointe Farms), feel students are not doing enough to protect themselves, despite the University's increased security measures. "Students have to understand that they are their own best protectorates," Taylor said. "Everybody always thinks the bad stuff is going to happen to someone else." Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper told the regents the University has set up outreach programs now and during previous orien- tations to educate students on campus safety, but students need to do their part as well. "It's a challenge to get them to do the right thing," Harper said. Regent Andrea Fischer-Newman (R-Ann Arbor) said she believes the University needs to be doing more to keep students safe, and students need help learning how to protect themselves. "I am, as a parent and as a regent, concerned about safety in residence halls more than anything else," Newman said. It is very easy to get in and out of those dorms if See REGENTS, Page 7 child care promising and a step in the right direction, the University's bargain- ing team suggested bringing in a state- provided mediator, a maneuver that union members said signified an inabili- ty to communicate. "Mediators come in when there is a belief that the break-down in bargaining f J V comes from problems communicating," GEO Chief Negotiator and Rackham student Alyssa Picard said, adding that GEO members do not agree that a mediator would solve the troubles between the union and the University. "In our case, that's not what is going on. What is going on is that they don't want to put the money into childcare. We don't think we're having trouble communicating." University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the University See GEO, Page 7 JESSICA YURASEK/Daiy LSA junior Galy Guzman and Engineedng senior Naween Somani, a member of the Indian Student Association, talk yesterday at the Campus Summit. CCIapus Sullmit i i stresses diversity, leader connection Regents discuss issues with students at chat By Kara Wenzel Daily Staff Reporter In an attempt to help students understand what the University Board of Regents is and what they do, the Michigan Student Assembly's communications com- mittee held a fireside chat for students and regents to get to know each other last night. Regents S. Martin Taylor (D-Grosse Pointe Farms), Andrea Fischer-Newman (R-Ann Arbor), Kathy White (D-Ann Arbor) and Larry Deitch (D- Bingham Farms) answered questions about topics as diverse as their favorite college memory to what the Board of Regents does. Taylor explained that the regents are like the board of directors at a corporation. "We appoint the presi- dent of the University, set the salary of the President and generally govern the University," Taylor said. White is currently taking time off from her profes- sorship at Wayne State University to serve as a White House Fellow, a unique opportunity she explained to the students. "About 11 to 19 people come from around the country to serve in high level offices to work on policy issues," she said. "I work with the Secretary of Agriculture." White said she is really enjoying her job. "Later in your career you're going to want to do this," she said. Taylor told students that lately the bulk of the regents' time is spent on selecting a new president. "We have also spent a lot of time on the affirma- tive action lawsuits," Newman said. "But we also do things like set the calendar and decide whether or not the bathrooms will be redone in your dorms." One student asked the regents why they recently instated committees and a chair and vice chair posi- tion on the board. "In all the other universities in that state of Michigan, you won't find one that operates the way we do (without committees or chairs)," Taylor said. "Pure and simple, it's a matter of good gover- nance." White said the president having to talk to eight By Karen Schwartz Daily Staff Reporter Interaction with students of different ethnicities can be rare in the early years of a student's University experience, attendees of a Campus Summit said last night. Leaders from over 30 student organi- zations came together with faculty, staff and administrators last night to discuss promoting diversity, dialogue and inte- gration on campus. The Campus Summit was designed as a means of building unorthodox connec- tions across campus and between stu- dent leaders. The over 50 participants addressed questions of cultural separation and interaction between students as well as how and when to most effectively affect students and raise cultural diversity awareness campus-wide. "I don't think there has really been a .F...., 1.. - -4-.41- n- - +-+'-t address this issue on a larger scale,"said Arti Desai, president of Mortar Board, one of the groups that co-sponsored the event. Desai, an LSA senior, added that the summit is a way to unite the campus to participate in a necessary discussion and a way to help move the ideas from conversation topics to action. "People talk about it in small groups, with friends or in student organizations, but they don't necessarily talk between groups or with administration." For LSA freshman Nancy Stano, the event was an important chance to dis- cuss what hinders people in their attempts to interact and get to know eachother. It also was a chance to find ways to help students overcome these hindrances and look for the uniqueness in others. "Students have to want to get to know each other and to appreciate the differ- ences in one another," she said. "Stu- dents and groups have to appreciate their -. n U5MRAIT D-ne7 BRENDAN O'DONNELL/Daily Regent Larry Deitch (DBingham Farms) participated in yesterday's fireside chat with the Board of Regents. regents individually was unwieldy, so having a chair helps the board organize. "We all still have a vote each," Taylor said. "There See FIRESIDE, Page 7 -h I p .I "