One hundred eleven yearsofedorlnfreedom NEWS: 76-DAILY CLASSIFIED: 764-0557 wwwmichigandaily.com Thursday April Ui, 2002 MI~ !O 1k 5,@., n Abr..002 h a ig . Drinking problems increasing at 'U, By Rob Goodspeed Daily Staff Reporter A recent nationwide study has confirmed what surveys have already shown at the University - that rates of alcohol use, and its associated effects, are increasing. While administrators plan a number of new outreach and educational efforts in an effort to combat alcohol abuse, the University is limited by its participation in a nationwide alcohol abuse preven- tion marketing study. "Its been within the last couple years we've had a lot more alcohol-related incidents," said Tom Baez, a clinical psychologist for Counseling and Psychological Services, who participated in National Alcohol Screening Day, an educational program organized by University Health Service, Counseling and Psychological Services and the Department of Public Safety. The program, held yesterday in the Michigan Union and today at Pierpont Commons from noon to 2 p.m. includes a student alcohol questionnaire, educational information about alcohol and an exercise simulating intoxication with a pair of beer goggles. "The philosophy of campus has been one of education and intervention," Baez said, adding that in addition to individual counseling at CAPS and resources at University Health Service, there are a number of Alcoholics Anonymous groups on cam- pus. A new nationwide study released this week con- cludes that alcohol use and abuse continues to be a growing problem on campuses nationwide, conclud- ing that 1,400 college students die each year in alco- hol-related incidents. The study also found that one in five students surveyed had engaged in binge drinking in the pre- vious two weeks and estimates that binge drinking contributes to 500,000 injuries and 70,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape each year. Additionally, the study found that 400,000 students between 18 and 24 reported having unprotected sex as a result of drinking. "I think that (education) is a wonderful resource to have out for people who decide to drink ... but it's not going to deter them from drinking," LSA sopho- more Jessica Smith said. "Students who want to drink will make that deci- sion based on factors such as their social group," Smith said. "It's not as though people feel the need to make others drink." Drinking and binge drinking rates among Uni- versity students increased between 1999 and 2001, according to a study commissioned by University administrators. According to the Student Life Sur- vey released in March, 86.percent of students reported that alcohol use represented a problem on campus. "I knew there'd be a lot of drinking," said LSA freshman Rohini Singh, "It's all over the place ... we're desensitized to it." The survey showed increases in the amount of binge drinking, especially among women. "We definitely see students whose academic per- formances are impacted by alcohol use," said Susan Szpunar, a pre-health LSA academic advisor. "There are resources (about alcohol) ... but students fre- quently don't know what's available." Some students agreed that while educational pro- grams are useful, they aren't well known. "I wouldn't really be sure where to go," Singh said. "I feel like facts are really useful," she said. "If a girl finds out there's 240 calories in a beer, they'd think twice about drinking it." The University is currently engaged in a number of ongoing outreach and education efforts regard- ing alcohol, but their actions are limited by the University's participation in a nationwide study to analyze the effects of certain types of alcohol mar- keting techniques. Called the Social Norms Marketing Research Project, the five-year study pairs 16 schools See ALCOHOL, Page 7A DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily LSA sophomore Chris Perry tries on a pair of beer goggles, which simulate a persons vision after having anywhere between three to eight drinks In an hour, as onlookers fill out surveys. Gas prices will increase temporarily By Ted Borden Daily Staff Reporter Drivers should expect higher prices at the gas pump this summer, due to an increased demand for gas and current conditions in the Middle East. Already prices are about 20 percent higher than in the past month, and they could increase even more, experts say, though they stress this will not become a long-term issue. "Refining capacity is still quite limited in the U.S., so I am sure we will see gas prices rise with the high demand for refined gasoline that comes with the sum- mer driving season," Business School Prof. Richard Sloan said, noting "most consumers expect this", yet oil prices could easily come due in the near future. "Yes, this is the highest price increase in a six to eight Inside: The oil crisis week period in a number of years," continues to rise s John Schmitz, head of equity strategy OPEC declares it at Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati, will not pump more said. "But on a real basis with adjust- oil to replace what ed prices, oil is actually cheaper now Iraq is withholding. than it was 30 years ago and gas has- Iage 2s wn't gone up at all." Page 2A Schmitz said an annual increase in gas demand during summer months is typical and this year's increases should be usual, despite an Iraqi oil embargo and a recent decline in Venezuelan exports. Prices for crude oil soared Monday when Saddam Hus- sein announced Iraq would cut off its exports for 30 days or until Israel withdraws from Palestinian territories. Iraq, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, produces 2.3 million barrels of oil a day and exports 1.8 million barrels a day, primarily to Europe and the. U.S. Meanwhile, exports from Venezuela have shored up due to a strike. But the oil market has calmed in the past two days as Saudi Arabia, the world's largest exporter of oil, has promised it will not allow for a shortage. As for the effect on the current economic recovery, both Schmitz and Sloan downplayed the possible consequences. "Will it derail the economy? No, because there are many other factors at play, including the eleven cuts in interest rates," Schmitz said. "Gas is a small part of a consumer's expense profile." But Sloan did note that if oil prices continue to rise in the future, "this would hurt economic recovery." As for the return of last year's energy crisis, Schmitz * See OIL, Page 7A DEBBIE MIZEL/Daily LSA sophomore Daniel Aghion joined more than 200 students in supporting Israel by holding up the Israel flag in front of East Hall yesterday afternoon. Students hold pro- Rally held 24 hours after Palestinian supporters marched through campus By Shannon Pettypiece Daily Staff Reporter Several students draped Israeli flags over their shoulders as a crowd of more than 200 sang Jewish folksongs and chanted "com- promise not terrorize" yesterday. Organizers said the purpose of the rally was to make the pro-Israeli voice on cam- pus heard. Yesterday's demonstration came 24 hours after Palestinian supporters silently marched through campus bound and gagged to draw attention to the suffering of Palestinians in the Middle East. American Movement for Israel co-chair Samantha Rollinger, an LSA junior, said many students 'on campus feel uncomfort- able speaking out in support of Israel. "I see a lot of students on this campus who support Israel or sympathize with the cause who either feel that they are not educated on the issue enough or that it's not their place to speak up. But clearly today's rally gave them that opportunity," Rollinger said. Rollinger, like many students at the rally had ties to the region through friends or irael rally family members. One protester, Hadassab Max, a Social Work graduate student, has a sister in Israel. "I don't support everything the Israeli army does, but I definitely support Israel's right to exist," Max said. Germanic politics Prof. Andrei Markovits, who also has friends and distant family members in Israel, said he has noticed a trend in anti-Israel support on politically active U.S college campuses. "There is a sense that supporting Israeli is also supporting the United States, and leading American universities, such as (the University of) Michigan, Berkley and so on See RALLY, Page 7A Troops go into Ber Zeit after withdrawal JENIN, West Bank (AP) - Israeli forces moved into the central West Bank village of Ber Zeit early today, witnesses said, just hours after the gov- ernment announced it was leaving three other villages. Tanks rolled into the village --north of the commercial center of Ramallah - and troops quickly occupied the police station and began doing house- to-house searches, witnesses said. The soldiers met no resistance, they said. Earlier yesterday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon delivered a blunt mes- sage: Israel will not pull back until Palestinian militias are crushed. Despite his pledge to continue the offensive in the face of intense U.S. and international pressure to call it off, Sharon's defense ministry announced late yesterday troops were pulling out of West Bank villages of Yatta, Qabatya and Samua. Yatta and Samua are near the south- ern city of Hebron, and Qabatya is near the northern city of Jenin, where some of the most fierce fighting has been reported. Sharon's statement earlier yesterday defied increasingly impatient U.S. demands for a withdrawal from Pales- tinian towns - to be delivered in per- son tomorrow by Secretary of State Colin Powell - and came hours after an Islamic militant blew himself up on a bus in northern Israel, killing himself and eight passengers. Speaking to cheering soldiers at a post overlooking the battered Jenin refugee camp, Sharon said he explained to President Bush that "we are in the middle of a battle" which, if abandoned prematurely, would only require another round of fighting later on. "Once we finish, we are not going to stay here," the former general said. "But first we have to accomplish our mission." He added that unless Israel crushed the militants, the phenomenon of suicide bombings "could spread like a plague around the world." Earlier in the day, Israel's Security Cabinet affirmed the decision to con- tinue the offensive. By nightfall, resist- ance was subdued in the Jenin camp - where fighting has raged for days and where 13 Israeli soldiers were killed Tuesday in a sophisticated Palestinian ambush - and in the old town of Nablus, the largest West bank city. Powell insisted his peacekeeping mission was not threatened by Sharon's refusal to halt the incursions. "My mis- sion is not in the least in jeopardy," he told reporters in Spain. Powell, who arrives in Jerusalem later today, said he intends to meet both Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Sharon said Powell would be making a "tragic mistake" in meeting with Arafat, who has been confined to SFeminist Fair attempts to debunk myths of feminism By Shabina S. Khatri Daily Staff Reporter Innovative games, appetizing food and enlightening information mixed in the Diag yesterday during the annual Feminist Fair, a colorful and education- al event that aimed to debunk the myths surrounding feminism while raising awareness about women's issues. LSA junior Vered Jona, one of the fair's core organizers. said the term "The idea is that there's a lot of neg- ative press that goes along with the word 'feminism.' Today we're trying to break the stereotype that feminism is an angry girls movement," she said. LSA junior Mari Poulos said she was pleased with the message she received from the fair, which was sponsored by the Feminist Leadership Alliance. "I do consider myself a feminist but not a stereotypical feminist. I'm not a man-hater like people think feminists Jona added that "feminism means empowering women to take control of their lives and make decisions for themselves. Every woman, regardless of race, ethnicity and sexual orienta- tion can be empowered and lead a life that's stronger." One factor that set this year's FemFair apart from past years was the sheer vari- ety of student group co-sponsors. The list included Violence Against Women, Planned Parenthood, the Sex- ual Assault Prevention and Awareness I PATRICK ICONFSz !fly~ i