Wednesday
October 1, 2003
02003 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vol. CXIII, No. 22
One-hundred-thirteen years of editoriadfreedom
Tomorrow:
53/39
www.michigandailycom
Affirmative action opponents build support
By Jeremy Berkowitz
Daily Staff Reporter
Michigan voters can expect to see more
door-to-door soliciting in
the first half of next
year, especially from
people attempting to cur-
tail the University's tac-
tics for promoting racial
diversity.
The organizers of a
campaign to put a propo-
sition on the November
2004 ballot acknowl-
edged they have a chal- Connerly
lenge on their hands, but
said they are confident Michigan voters
share their values.
Three months after the U.S. Supreme
Court set guidelines for the University to
continue its race-conscious admissions, the
American Civil Rights Coalition is setting
up a framework for its drive for a state con-
stitutional amendment to ban the use of
race in admissions at the state's public uni-
versities and in government hiring and con-
tracts.
Ward Connerly, a longtime University of
California regent and founder of the ACRC,
leads the statewide effort and oversees its
steering committee of state legislators,
chaired by Rep. Jack Brandenburg (R-Har-
rison Twp.) and Leon Drolet (R-Clinton
Twp.). Brandenburg and Drolet have both
been opponents of racial preferences, call-
ing them illegal and immoral.
Connerly has led similar efforts in Cali-
fornia and Washington state, succeeding in
prohibiting race from playing a role in col-
lege admissions.
A statewide poll of 600 voters showed
that 52 percent support such a constitution-
al ban, with 39 percent opposed and 9 per-
cent undecided, The Associated Press
reported. But Brandenburg said he listens
to Michigan voters, instead of relying on
polls.
"I've only had one person in my whole
district e-mail me and tell me that they
were opposed to what I was doing," he said.
Brandenburg's district is located in
Macomb County.
Brandenburg said there are certain
Michigan cities - including Detroit and
Ann Arbor - where lobbying efforts won't
be made because he doesn't expect much
support in those areas.
While some supporters already are acting
like the initiative will be on the ballot, Dro-
let said he sees a big job ahead in the next
nine months. ACRC plans to begin the sig-
nature drive Jan. 2 and will have six months
to complete it. While 317,000 names are
necessary, a goal of 400,000 has been set to
add more legitimacy to the proposition.
"Trying to get people to vote is secondary to
getting it on the ballot," Drolet said. "Four hun-
dred thousand signatures in a state of nine mil-
lion people is a big challenge."
The effort will require a lot of volunteer-
ing as well as outside funds from the
ACRC.
But Justin Jones, director of policy and
planning for the ACRC, said he sees moti-
vating people to vote - not getting signa-
tures - is the real battle.
"The opposition, knowing the strength
of (our) position, will really come out in
force in Michigan," Jones said. "We will
have to counter them in time." -
State Republican Party leaders refused to
support the initiative over the summer, but
Brandenburg and Drolet both said they feel
state leaders are too worried about political
fallout.
"They're not out there rapping on doors
- I am, I've walked a lot this summer,"
Brandenburg said.
Drolet said he hoped once the initiative
gets on the ballot next summer more politi-
cians would come out in sipport of it,
See BAN, Page 3
FBI probes
White
House for
illega leaks
Bush administration
investigated for disclosing
identity of CIA officer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI
began a full-scale criminal investiga-
tion yesterday into whether White
House officials illegally leaked the
identity of an undercover CIA officer,
and President Bush ordered his staff
to cooperate with the first major
probe of his administration.
Democrats demanded the appoint-
ment of a special outside counsel but
Bush resisted. "I'm absolutely confi-
dent that the Justice Department can
do a good job," he said on a re-elec-
tion fund-raising stop in Chicago.
"If somebody did leak classified
information, lid like to know it and
we'll take the appropriate action,"
Bush said. "And this investigation is a
good thing."
Democratic leaders said Attorney
General John Ashcroft is too close to
the White House to conduct an impar-
tial investigation. "We don't have confi-
dence in John Ashcroft ... and we know
without a doubt that somebody broke
the federal law," Senate Democratic
leader Tom Daschle said.
House Democratic leader Nancy
Pelosi said, "If there ever was a case
for the appointment of a special coun-
sel, this is it."
With pressure building, the Justice
Department alerted the White House
late Monday of the decision to move
from a preliminary inquiry into a full
investigation, a step rarely taken with
complaints involving leaks of classi-
fied information.
The investigation is aimed at find-
ing who leaked the name of the CIA
operative, possibly in an attempt to
punish the officer's husband, former
Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who had
accused the administration of manipu-
lating intelligence to exaggerate the
threat from Iraq.
Most White House employees dis-
covered the probe was under way when
they turned on their computers and
found an e-mail timed at 8:46 a.m. that
said: "PLEASE READ: Important Mes-
sage From Counsel's Office." It alerted
the staff to keep all documents that
could be related to the investigation.
"I want to know the truth," Bush
said. Anyone with information, inside
or outside the administration, should
step forward, he said.
Although Bush said he welcomed
the investigation, it was an embarrass-
ing development for a president who
promised to bring integrity and lead-
ership to the White House after years
of Republican criticism of the Clinton
administration.
While the administration appeared
cool toward naming a special counsel,
Ashcroft has not ruled out that possi-
bility, a senior law enforcement offi-
cial said.
That decision will depend on a num-
ber of factors, such as whether a sus-
pect is identified who presents a
potential conflict for the Justice Depart-
ment. For now, the investigation is
being done by FBI agents in the coun-
'U ,
looks to
slice travel
expenses
By Andrew Kaplan
Daily Staff Reporter
As the University copes with $37
million in budget cuts and tuition
increases of about 6.5 percent, finan-
cial officials have begun developing a
travel management system that they
say could save the University millions
of dollars each year.
To capitalize on cost-reducing
measures, the University will begin
tracking the transportation choices
faculty members and administrators
make for business trips. The data
will be arrayed on a website, which
University officials say personnel
can use to seek discounts on their
airfare and lodging.
Currently, faculty members often
seek travel rebates independently
through their respective depart-
merits, Internet services such as
Travelocity or University-contracted
agencies.
But the new electronic database'
- which the University said it will
launch by year's end - will facili-
tate the search for savings by giving
the University the information it
needs to negotiate rebates on behalf
of its faculty.
Once up and running, the system
could slash the University's travel
budget by as much as $4 million,
said Phil Abruzzi, director of pur-
chasing for the University.
"What's different about this plan
is by capturing the travel data at a
central website, we're going to be
able to know exactly where the trav-
eling is occurring'and between what
cities," Abruzzi said. "When you
know the number of flights per
month, with that information you
See TRAVEL, Page 2
JOEL FRIEDMAN/D~aily
Visitors to the A. Alfred Taubman Health Care Center yesterday enjoy the pictures
and sculptures in a Gifts of Art display.
Ar exhibiatsplays
to lIves of patients
By Koustubh Patwardhan
For the Daily
For more than a decade, the Gifts
of Art Program has helped fulfill
the needs of University hospital
patients when modern medicine
could not, and has been comple-
menting patient treatment with the
positive energy that the arts can
provide, the program's supporters
say.
The Gifts of Art, which started in
1987, consists of art exhibits, week-
ly and special concerts, bedside
musicians and carts filled with
posters. The program features nine
art exhibits that are changed every
twn mnnthc Tlvhihitc inc~lde rigi-
and are popular among patients,
program director Elaine Sims said.
Many patients request their nurses
to take them to view these exhibits,
she added.
Gifts of Art hosts concerts every
Thursday in the main lobby of the
University Hospital and from time
to time undertakes special pro-
grams. This year, Gifts of Art will
host more than 50 shows, including
drama performances and dance
shows.
Another favorite feature among
patients is the, art cart - a cart
filled with framed posters that is
taken to each room so the patient
can choose which poster they would
like tn na nn their ronm wall.
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