Wednesday
October 15, 2003
©2003 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vol. CXIII, No. 30
One-hundred-thirteen years ofeditorialfreedom
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KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
A student
smokes
Monday
outside
South
Quad
Residence
Hall.
Some
students
object to
being
exposed
to second-
hand
smoke
outside
University
facilities,
where
smokers
are
supposed
to keep a
distance
from
doors.
FOREST
CASEY/
Daily
State
Michigan officials tally
deficit, may look to higher
education to fill gap
By Andrew Kaplan
Daily Staff Reporter
In the first concrete examination
of Michigan's fiscal dilemma since
May, officials valued the state's
budget deficit at nearly $898 mil-
lion in an emergency conference
yesterday.
Those deficits represent 2.3 per-
cent of the $38.6 billion 2003-4
budget the state had planned for last
March.
The estimate comes less than three
weeks into the new fiscal year, during
which officials say the state will con-
tinue to suffer from
decreased revenues
caused by staggering
unemployment. r
"Michigan's econo- -
my has not seen the job
creation that the rest of
the nation has seen,"
said Treasury Depart-
ment spokesman Terry
Stanton. "Given that
income-tax withhold-
ing and sales tax are so
often directly tied to jobs ... without
additional jobs the state just hasn't been
breaking even."
Gathered before a panel of econo-
mists and state administrators, State
Treasurer Jay Rising, Senate Fiscal
Agency Director Gary Olson and
House Fiscal Agency Director
Mitchell Bean resolved
differences between
estimates made Mon-
day by their agencies.
Their final figures
project that actual rev-
enues fall more than
$300 million below
May projections.
Analysts divide the
budget into two parts,
the School Aid Fund
- a financial aid pro-
gram for Michigan's K-12 students
- and the general fund, which con-
tains all other cash flows. Conference
members measured the deficit of this
year's School Aid Fund at $349.6
million, while citing general fund
budget losses at $569.1 million.
To end the previous business cycle
- which closed Sept. 30 - in the
black with regard to the state's general
fund, officials tapped into this year's
reserve moneys.
That strategy, they said, worked
out old shortfalls but left new holes
in this year's budget that could force
the state to cut many programs and
services - including higher educa-
tion.
Although state officials said they
do not know if higher education will
see funding cuts, they added that
schools will most likely feel the
effects of budget shortfalls.
"(Higher education's) appropria,
tion in '04 is already 6.5 percent
down from the prior year, and
absolutely it could be cut further,"
Olson said.
See BUDGET, Page 5A
looks for $898
U'finds challenge
Policies on
break vr
by school
By Emily Kraack
Daily Staff Reporter
While most students enjoyed two extra days this week-
end, those in some of the professional schools could be
found Monday and yesterday studiously applying them-
selves in classrooms. Students in the Law School had their
fall break last week and Dental School students will have
theirs next week. Medical School students have no fall
break.
University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the schedul-
ing differences were probably due to different academic
Did somebody call a cab?
0
0
in reserving space
for non-smokers
By Evan McGarvey
Daily Staff Reporter
Yesterday, on a dreary and windy
afternoon, a cluster of smokers hud-
dled outside the Harlan Hatcher
Graduate Library.
It's a common sight now across
campus - groups of smokers mass-
ing around doorways and exits,
using some of their last smoking
refuges at the University.
But for some, even a small pack
of smokers can pose a health risk.
Wandee Yamchanchai, a Public
Health student, walks every day
through Central Campus on her way
to class and suffers from the pres-
ence of smokers outside buildings
and on walkways.
"I have very sensitive allergies.
Even when you are walking between
the buildings, the smoke is every-
where. When you walk on the path-
ways, you inhale smoke,"
Yamchanchai said.
In addition to the effects some
people with specific smoke allergies
experience, second-hand smoke is a
class A carcinogen and kills 3,000
non-smokers every year, according
to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's website.
The University's polices regarding
smoking in public places mandate
that no smoking is allowed in any
University building and that anyone
who wishes to smoke outside must
be a "reasonable distance" from any
building.
The University made all rooms
and public areas in residence halls
smoke free last month, sending
smokers outside. But since ashtrays
are placed directly outside the exits
of dorms, some students notice that
smokers tend to stay close to the
dorms, and question whether a "rea-
sonable distance," is respected.
"A lot of my friends are smokers
and they are all outside my dorm.
They stand right outside my door,"
said LSA freshman Lauren Wise.
Greg Merritt, assistance director
of residence housing, said he thinks
the definition of "reasonable dis-
tance" works better than a specific
limit.
"It's a nice idea to have a defined
distance, but it is incredibly difficult
to enforce," Merritt said.
See SMOKERS, Page 5A
calendars in the
pro fe s si ofn a l
schools.
The Medical
School has a sig-
nificantly different
schedule than
other schools. For
example, first-
year students have
classes from early
"We could always use
a break, but we
understand that faculty
have tight schedules."
- Eyad Abu-Isa
MSA representative, Medical School
August until the end of May. Second-year classes run
from mid-August to mid-June.
Medical School student Terry Platchek, a Michigan Stu-
dent Assembly representative, said because the Medical
School schedule is also very busy, "there's no way to
remove a week for the break."
Platchek said the lack of fall break was not an issue that
was actively pursued in the Medical School. "I haven't
heard anyone feel particularly slighted," he said. He added
that medical students expect lots of work.
Eyad Abu-Isa, also an MSA representative from the
Medical School, backed up Platchek.
"We could always use a break, but we understand that
faculty have tight schedules," he said. He pointed out that
second-year students take the first step of their U.S. Med-
ical Licensing Exam in mid-June and need to take a set
number of sequences before taking the exam.
This was the first year medical students got a one-day
break in October, Abu-Isa said. The break was Oct. 8, a day
See FALL BREAK, Page 5A
Despite tensions, police
praise student relations
JOEL FRIEDMAN/Daily
A Metro Airport Taxi lost control, jumped the curb and ran into a tree yesterday at
the corner of East Huron and Fletcher streets.
Women smash glass
ceiling - with some
hel from Mr. Mom
Students spAY
over ofies
cam pus presence
4By Emily Kraack
Daily St1Reporter
Police officers - students see them everywhere,
but have divided opinions on whether they are a reas-
suring presence on campus or a problem that just
won't go away.
Department of Public Safety officers say the rela-
tionship between students and law enforcement at the
University is generally friendly and respectful,
though they see an adversarial relationship with a
fraction of the student community. Some students
have a different perspective, saying police on and
around campus give out too many minor-in-posses-
sion-of-alcohol citations and don't always treat stu-
dents with respect.
Not all police function as ticket distributors. Some
6 fthe friendest interctinn occur behind the scenes.
see you're looking out for them and not bothered by
them, it becomes a friendship." Hicks said students he
has worked with stop in to see him at times.
Hicks said when he joined DPS 12 years ago, stu-
dent dislike for the DPS officers was "extreme."
"The University and the community were battling
about (police having) weapons on campus," he said.
"Now, it seems like its business as usual." Hicks was
referring to the debate in the early stages of DPS
about whether officers should carry guns. DPS
police officers carry guns; security officers such as
those in residence halls do not.
Before joining DPS, Hicks served on the Detroit
police force for three years. He was also a varsity track
and field hurdler for the University until 1980, when
he graduated and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team.
He did not compete in the Olympics because the Unit-
ed States boycotted the Soviet games that year.
Officers face unique challenges on campus. DPS
Officer Gene Weincouff said the biggest challenge
of working in a campus setting is that police officers
have to keep "selling themselves." He described this
as the process of constantly building relationships
with new freshmen, reestablishing rapport with fac-
ulty or staff who have been gone and dealing with
turnover in residence halls. "It's not like you can
accomplish a step and move on," he said.
"I think here most of the people are more will-
ing to talk to us and make contact," Weincouff
FOREST CASEY/Daily
Department of Public Safety Officer Gene
Weincouff, left, and Sgt. Gary Hicks say
their relationships with students are mostly
positive.
tragedy to tragedy. Here, you can have a relationship
with clients above and beyond tragedy."
Students do not necessarily agree with officers'
view of the relationship.
An LSA junior said two police officers outside
of Scorekeepers treated her roughly on Oct. 2 after
she presented an ID that was expired. The student
asked to remain anonymous because she may be
taking legal action. She said one police officer
grabbed her from behind and said, "I don't have
time for this shit."
She said the officers were swearing as they hand-
cuffed her and walked her to their car. She confront-
ed the officer, who became more respectful, but his
partner took her purse and started going through it.
She said the officers refused to loosen the handcuffs
after she said they were too tight. The officers released
Female executives
tell stories of business
success at conference
By Tomislav Ladika
Daily Staff Reporter
After trying to balance a family
life and a career in the corporate
world for several years, stress forced
Jennifer McKelvey to take a break
from her job.
But when Alcoa Mills Products
offered her a promotion she could not
resist, McKelvey and her husband
found a unique solution that allowed
her to take the position.
"We decided to go for it, and the
critical component was my husband's
decision to become a stay-at-home
dad. He put that out on the table,"
said McKelvey, now a director of
customer services, sales planning
and e-commerce for Alcoa Mills.
Speaking during a panel session
Friday at the Business School's 11th
adapted to his new role taking care of
their children and doing household
chores
"It fits our shared values, our defi-
nition of success ... (and) what our
goals are as a family unit," she said.
Other speakers discussed gender
stereotypes and work ethics.
Anne Stevens, vice president of
Ford Motor Co.'s North America
Vehicle Operations, said she can
only balance work and family by not
trying to control everything her
stay-at-home husband does around
the house.
"There are things you can let other
people do and things he does better,"
she said. "I have this list of stuff I
don't do and haven't done for 30
years."
McKelvey said after her husband
began doing more household chores
she realized that "there's more than
one way to load the dishwasher."
Traditional gender roles and respon-
sibilities were among the stereotypes
addressed by speakers at the Women