TODAY:
January 1, 2003
©2003 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vol. CXIII, No. 75
One-hundred-twelve years of editorialfreedom
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Bush voices oposition
to 'U' olicies, declares
support or diversity
By Jeremy Berkowitz
Daily Staff Reporter
Charging that the University's race-con-
scious admissions policies are "fundamentally
flawed and amount to a quota system," Presi-
dent Bush announced his administration will
file a brief with the U. S. Supreme Court
today, opposing the University's position in
two pivotal lawsuits before the Court.
The brief is an amicus, or "friend of the
court," brief, which is filed by an individual or
organization that is not affiliated with the case
but would like to inform the Court of their
opinion.
The lawsuits - Gratz v. Bollinger, challeng-
ing LSA admissions policies and Grutter v.
Bollinger, challenging Law School policies -
have been moving through the court system for
the past five years. Last month, the Court
agreed to hear the two cases during its current
term.
In his speech, Bush acknowledged that
racial prejudice still exists in the United States
and that it is important to provide diversity in
higher education. But he drew the line at the
University's policies, which he said use an
unfair quota system.
"University officials have the responsibility
and the obligation to make a serious effective
effort to reach out to students from all walks of
life without falling back on unconstitutional
quotas," Bush said in his address from the
White House Roosevelt Room.
He described the specific policies used by
LSA and the Law School, saying the 20 points
added to a minority applicant's score is "often
the decisive factor" in admissions. He also
claimed the Law School admitted students to
meet percentage targets while passing over stu-
dents who have higher grades and test scores.
"Students are being selected or rejected
based primarily on the color of their skin. The
motivation for such an admissions policy may
be very good, but its result is discrimination,
and that discrimination is wrong," Bush added.
University President Mary Sue Coleman
said in a written statement she was disappoint-
"We believe the Court
will reaffirm its decision
in (Regents of the
University* of California
v. Bakke) and find that
the University of
Michigan's admissions
system is fair and legal
under the Cons titution."
- Mary Sue Coleman
University president
ed with Bush's lack of understanding of the
University and how it benefits from diversity
and its admission processes.
"We do not have, and have never had, quotas
or numerical targets in either the undergradu-
ate or Law School admissions programs,"
Coleman said. "We believe the Court will reaf-
firm its decision in (Regents of the University
of California v. Bakke) and find that the Uni-
versity of Michigan's admissions system is fair
and legal under the Constitution."
The Center for Individual Rights, a Wash-
ington-based law firm representing the plain-
tiffs, filed both suits against the University in
1997.
CIR spokesman Curt Levey said while he is
glad the president came out in support of the
plaintiffs, he does not think it will be a decid-
ing factor in the Court's decision.
"We're going to win this because of the law
and the facts and not because the president is
on our side," Levey said.
Several politicians said they oppose Bush's
action, including U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-
See BUSH, Page 7A
Inside: Students react to Bush's statement.Page3A
President Bush makes remarks during a news conference yesterday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, saying he plans to support they
plaintiffs in the University admissions lawsuits.
C-IR to file bn RI' wh 'upreCorttda
By Tomislav Ladika
Daily Staff Reporter
Before the end of the day, the written
case against the University's admission
policies will be sent to the U.S. Supreme
Court. As today's filing deadline approach-
es, briefs from groups opposing the use of
race in college admissions are pouring into
the Court.
Legal briefs will be filed today by the
Center for Individual Rights, a Washington-
based law firm representing the plaintiffs in
Grutter v. Bollinger and
Gratz v. Bollinger. The
ON 1.RION Supreme Court is
expected to hear oral
' arguments in late March
or early April for the
two cases, which chal-
lenge the University's use of race as a factor
in its admissions policies for its Law School
and College of Literature, Science and the
Arts, respectively.
Curt Levey, director of legal and public
affairs for CIR, said the firm's legal team
will not make any major changes to the
arguments it presented in the U.S. District
Court and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Some arguments will be slanted differently,
he said, but lawyers will still use the "two-
pronged argument" which challenges the
See BRIEF, Page 7A
U' bans smoking in residence halls ,_
By Emily Kraack
Daily Staff Reporter
More students in residence halls may be stepping
outside to light up when classes resume in Septem-
ber. The Division of Student Affairs announced Tues-
day that all residence halls will be smoke-free
starting Sept. 1.
Once the ban takes effect, Michigan State Univer-
sity will be the only remaining Big Ten university to
9 allow smoking in its residence halls.
"We confirm that we will move to entirely smoke-
free dorms at the beginning of the 2003 school year,"
said University Housing spokesman Alan Levy. He
said the restriction will apply to all residence halls
but will not affect the Northwood Family Housing on
North Campus. Smoking will be permitted in 16 per-
cent of the Northwood apartments.
About 5 percent of residence hall rooms currently
allow smoking, Levy said. These rooms house 470 of
the 9,400 students in the residence hall system.
Levy said this will be the last step in the Universi-
ty's drive - which began in 1994 - to slowly phase
out smoking in campus buildings. Regulations have
whittled down the number of public building and res-
idence hall spaces where smoking is permitted.
Health issues prompted the University's decision to
crack down on smoking in residence halls, according
to a written statement.
The statement cited a study from the Harvard Uni-
versity School of Public Health, which found that
students are 40 percent less likely to begin smoking if
they live in smoke-free residence halls.
University Health Services Director Robert Win-
field said in a written statement, "We know that
some students come to campus as smokers and we
want to be available to them in discontinuing their
cigarette use."
Winfield added that old ventilation systems,
which circulate air from smoking rooms to non-
4 Tmqt t
smoking rooms, pose health dangers to students
with asthma or respiratory cgnditions and that
cigarette smoking also poses a fire hazard in res-
idence halls.
The Residence Hall Association voted to sup-
port the University's decision in November after
extensive discussion surrounding student rights
within their homes in the residence halls.
Music sophomore Anup Aurora, an RHA represen-
tative from Alice Lloyd Residence Hall, said he
opposed thg move to smoke-free residence halls dur-
ing the RHA debate.
"To me, the University is based on freedom of
choice and the decision to ban smoking takes away
that choice," Aurora said.
LSA sophomore Fernando Moura, an East Quad
resident who smokes, said he also believes the ban
would infringe on his personal rights. "They have
designated spaces (in the residence halls) now, and
See. SMOKING, Page 7A
Famed femmist
preaches peace
By Maggie Adams
and Soojung Chang
Daily Staff Reporters
Bell hooks, acclaimed feminist intellectual, cultural critic
and writer, began her lecture yesterday in the Michigan Union
Ballroom by offering her chair to one of many of the standing
audience members in the packed auditorium. She spoke as part
of the 16th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium tak-
ing place this month at the University.i
Hooks touched upon a variety of current issues, including
possible military action in Iraq, affirmative action, the media,
the environment, militarism and Sept. 11, all of which she tied
together with a message of non-violence in accordance with
King's teachings.
"I thought it was interesting how she covered all of the
bases," LSA freshman Lorea Barturen said. "She intertwined'
present world problems with her own values and beliefs."
Hooks mentioned King's opposition of the Vietnam War,
based on his view that the war exemplified imperialism,
The HOOKS Pars Mcsm
The Michigan bench reacts to a 3-point basket In the final minutes of the game
against Ohio State. Michigan won 61-50.
Win over Buckeyes
makes it1 for Blue
By Seth Klempner
Daily Sports Writer
COLUMBUS - At halftime of Ohio
State's 81-60 win over No. 15 Indiana
last weekend, the pride of Buckeye
nation - the NCAA football national
title trophy - was brought out as the
2002 Tournament championship banner
was unfurled, sending the Value City
Arena crowd into a frenzy and pro-
pelling Ohio State to victory.
Tnfortunatelv for the Buckeves no
motivational tactic could lift them to a
win over Michigan last night.
The Wolverines recovered from first
half struggles to defeat the defending
Big Ten champions 61-50 and extend
their winning streak to 10 games.
For the first eight minutes of the con-
test, it appeared the Buckeyes had kept
their momentum going from the week-
end as they jumped out to a 15-7 lead.
Hurting the Wolverines even more
than the eight-point deficit was the fact
See BUCKEYES. Page 8A
Writer and lecturer bell hooks speaks about a variety of current events during the Martin Luther King, Jr.
vmnnaium in the Union Ballroom vesterday.
L