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January 27, 2004
@2004 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vol. CXIII, No. 84
One-hundred-thirteen years ofeditorialfreedom
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IFC counters
'U' ideas for
Greek system
By Mona Rafeeq
Daily Staff Reporter
In response to recently drafted ideas to alter the Greek
system, the Interfraternity Council is sponsoring a petition
to oppose the changes.
The University ideas include mandating substance-free
housing, professional live-in advisors and a delay to the
rushing or pledging process for new students until the start
of the winter term.
A revision and stronger enforcement of anti-hazing poli-
cies are also discussed in the plan, which Vice President for
Student Affairs E. Royster Harper originally discussed with
University administrators. Harper has said she does not
know how the IFC received a copy of her ideas.
IFC President Casey Bourke said the group has always
discouraged hazing incidents and that a stronger policy may
be needed. The IFC said that their main criticism is that the
University does not have the authority to mandate Greek
system changes.
"As far as I know, no other student group is under the con-
trol of the University, and doing something like that is dis-
criminatory against the Greek system," Bourke said.
Jared Stasik, executive vice president of IFC, said that a
University mandate might adversely affect Greek pledging
processes.
"One of the changes mentioned in Vice President Harper's
proposal is a delay to rushing, and we feel that this infringes
upon students' rights to freely associate, a right that is part
of our student constitution," he said.
When new students come to the University, they may
want to find a smaller community within the big campus,
Stasik said.
"If certain fraternities do not agree to adopt the changes, the
University can send letters to parents of incoming freshmen
that list them as not having complied with University standards
and thus present them in a negative light," Stasik said.
When asked about the effects of the University's changes
See PETITION, Page 2
'Hard winter
brings even
harder-to-pay
heating bills
By Lindsey Paterson
Daily Staff Reporter
With this month bringing record low temperatures, stu-
dents have been donning extra garments before walking
around campus. But now they not only have to deal with the
frigid cold outside, but also with higher heating costs to
keep them warm inside their homes.
Costs for the current heating season, lasting November
through April, will rise by 30 percent from last year's
expenditures, according to the Michigan Public Service
Commission.
The cost of heating a home throughout last year's heat-
ing season averaged $634, while this year's projected
costs are at $795.
MPSC spokeswoman Judy Palnau said that costs for natu-
ral gas have gone up due to increased demand for heating.
As temperatures drop, consumption of natural gas has
increased, while gas supplies have grown at slower rates.
This is not the only time in recent years when the cold
weather has driven up the price of heating. When natural gas
supplies were replenished last February, the increased
demand caused consumer prices to become dramatically
higher, Palnau added.
"We had a colder than normal winter last year, so the
amounts put into storage were used up quickly," Palnau said.
Climbing bills create problems for students on short
budgets. But the state offers different plans to people who
qualify for need-based financial aid. Students can call their
See HEATING, Page 3
Candidates square off in
New
By Michael Gurovitsch
Daily Staff Reporter
Hampshire
primaries
MANCHESTER, N.H. - The blistering cold was no
match for the fiery supporters of four of the top five leading
Democratic presidential hopefuls who campaigned in New
Hampshire's largest city yesterday in anticipation of today's
first national primaries.
The latest poll conducted by Quinnipiac University indi-
cates that Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who did not
campaign in Manchester yesterday, is in the lead with 30
percent of likely voter support.
Kerry is followed by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean
(17), Gen. Wesley Clark (14), Sen. John Edwards of North
Carolina (14) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut
(8), all of whom appeared in Manchester yesterday.
The latest poll conducted by
Quinnipiac University idicates that
Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts ...
is in the lead with 30 percent of
likely voter support.
Dean
Dean, who is trying to re-group after a disappointing third
place showing in Iowa, spoke for nearly an hour in the mid-
morning to an energized crowd on nearly every major issue
- from the recent round of Bush-led tax cuts to sex educa-
tion.
"There was no middle class tax cut," Dean said, adding
that although some Americans got money back from the tax
cuts, they spent it all on higher college tuition and health
care premiums.
Dean also assailed Bush for allowing the national debt to
reach $500 million. "Bush is running a credit card presiden-
cy ... but on our grandchildren's credit card," he said.
Turning to sex education, Dean promised to reverse the
policy of providing federal aid only to programs that exclu-
sively teach abstinence as a form of birth control. "We need
to stop the nonsense of abstinence-only federal grants for
sex ed. If you want to stop teenage pregnancy, give (adoles-
cents) the facts," he said.
The former Governor also made several appeals to the
mostly pro-Dean audience to spread his message. He jok-
ingly asked his supporters be "Dean draggers" and drag
their friends to the polls.
Clark
No more than a half-hour after Dean finished speaking, a
mob of political followers, this time mostly Clark support-
ers, stampeded to the steps of the Manchester City Hall
building. Clark arrived shortly after 2 p.m. and delivered a
quick, three-minute stump speech in which he portrayed
himself as an accomplished leader who is not a professional
politician.
"I need your support to bring a higher standard of leader-
ship to America," Clark said, quoting his campaign slogan. "I
am not a professional politician. I have never ran for office."
Although Clark only spoke for a few minutes, groups of
supporters encircled the town hall steps well before the Gen-
eral arrived. One such pro-Clark group, Mikva Challenge of
Chicago, stood behind Clark while he spoke, each member
donning a different campaign sign.
"I believe he is an ordinary American. He can take us
places we've never been," said Mikva member Kiara Harris.
Edwards
Later in the evening, Edwards spoke in the same theater
Dean had earlier in the day. His supporters were not as
vociferous as Dean's were, but they were equally numerous.
Edwards began his speech by describing what he calls "two
different Americas," a theme he has used many times before
while campaigning. He spent the majority of his 20-minute
speech citing examples of what a separate America means.
He focused part of his remarks on racism, which he says
still divides the nation. Edwards used his own experiences to
illustrate the importance of racial issues. "I grew up in the
South in the 50's and 60's and know how important it is to
overcome these things ... I remember movie theaters where
blacks were sent to the balcony," he said.
"This is not an African-American issue or an Asian-
American issue. It is an American issue ... (we want) our
children and grandchildren to grow up in a country not
divided by race," Edwards added.
Edwards also mentioned his proposal to fund higher edu-
cation. The plan would guarantee in-state public school
tuition to any student who qualifies for college and is will-
See PRIMARY Page 7
JEFF LEHNERT/Daily
Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark, a retired general, speaks to a crowd at the Palace Theater in Manchester,
N.H., yesterday. New Hampshire voters will cast their ballots in Republican and Democratic primaries tonight.
PRIME TIME
'Comeback Key' seks toparlay
caucuses victoryinto primaryv success
By David Branson
Daily Staff Reporter
Of all the Democratic presidential candidates preparing for
today's New Hampshire primary, Sen. John Kerry of Massa-
chusetts may be feeling the greatest upswing in campaign
momentum. After a victory in the Iowa caucuses last week
and continued strength in national opinion polls, Kerry is
moving into the position of a Democratic frontrunner.
Although Kerry downplayed his high standings in the
Iowa caucus entrance polls, those same polls rightly pre-
dicted his victory. In a Newsweek poll conducted by
Princeton University, Kerry has risen from a favorite
among 5 percent of surveyed Democrats on December 11
to a 30 percent favorite last Thursday.
"Not so long ago, this campaign was written off," said
Kerry after the Iowa caucuses. "But you stood with me ... so
we can take on George Bush and fight the special interest
groups and give American back its future and its soul."
Kerry's success comes on the heels of aggressive cam-
paigning and a largely undecided democratic electorate.
He uses his own symptom of prostate cancer as justifica-
tion for expanding the health care system of federal
employees to all Americans.
He also holds a "Service for College" initiative to help
students pay for higher education and is the only candidate
.with formal plans for renewable energy and environmental
preservation.
Although he voted with his fellow Senatorial presiden-
tial candidates in favor of invading Iraq in September
2002, he now is heavily campaigning against America's
prolonged involvement in Iraq, and the domestic conse-
quences of the occupation.
"It is long since time in America, the only industrial
nation who has yet to recognize that health care is not a priv-
See KERRY, Page 7
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Study: A2residents live low-stress lives
By Sarah Roffmart 100 like-sized metropolitan areas in the coun- about 2 percent and half that of the national
For the Daily try. average, according to Sperling's website -
"I saw that study and I don't know how contributes to its low stress level. Ranking in
Some students may be doubtful, but the they calculated it, but it doesn't seem appro- the 8th percentile, the city has a stable eco-
presence of a university may actually con- priate to my stress level," said LSA freshman nomic base, and is populated by people who
tribute to Ann Arbor's low stress ranking, Amruta Mundade. She added that at the least enjoy what they're doing, Sterling said.
according to a new study that looks into social there is stress "trying to not lose sensation in "Ann Arbor is higher stress than where I
factors in a community. my limbs walking to class." live out in the boonies in Jackson, but I used
"A college town is a great place to live and Sperling's survey, which was published this to work in East Lansing and people are far
Ann Arbor is a great example of that," said month, ranked Tacoma, Wash. the most stress- more stressed out there," said Erik Berg,
Bert Sperling, who conducted the study with ful city, followed by Miami, Fla. and New assistant manager at Kinko's Inc. on East Lib-
Oregon-based research firm Fast Forward, of Orleans, La. The least stressful city was erty Street. "About half the business people
which he is chief executive officer. "The Albany, N.Y. Detroit was ranked as ninth that come through here want their projects
young people add vibrancy and there is so most stressful. completed by yesterday. But the other half are
much to do for the community, including Nine factors were considered in the study, pretty cool about when it can get done."
sporting events, plays and lecture series." including unemployment rate, violent and When it comes to weather, the number of
Sperling has 16 years of experience analyz- property crime, commute time, suicide rate, cloudy days in Ann Arbor was high - in the
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