Thursday, September 23, 2004
News 3A Jews for Jesus spread
word on campus
Sports 10A Matt Lentz helps turn
around Blue's running
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Weekend 6B A look at the many
Ann Arbor cultures
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One-hundred-thirteen years ofedtorialfreedom
www.mic/kandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXIII, No. 167 c2004 The Michigan Daily
SAPAC
changes
complete
By Aymar Jean
Daily Staff Reporter
Following months of outcry from
students and sexual assault survivors,
the University has made significant
changes to sexual assault services
this summer. But, even as the offices
settle into the school-year rhythm,
some students are still not entirely
pleased with the changes made.
The changes to two University
agencies, the Sexual Assault Pre-
vention and Awareness Center and
Counseling and Psychological Ser-
vices, have divided students and
administrators ever since they were
coordinator - who handles walk-
ins and advocates on behalf of sur-
vivors in issues like housing.
Over the summer, the University
also changed its intended plans and
kept SAPAC's 24-hour Crisis Line
on campus. Originally, administra-
tors planned to move the emergency
phone service to SAFE House, the
county provider of sexual assault ser-
vices. But those plans changed after
organized protests from students.
But those who opposed the chang-
es did not have all their demands
met. Counseling at SAPAC has
already been moved to CAPS - a
major point of contention with stu-
proposed in January.
ties were working
to improve and
streamline ser-
vices, they were
bitterly at odds
over how improve-
ments should be
accomplished.
In July, the
University offi-
cially reorganized
SAPAC and CAPS.
Two counsel-
ors from SAPAC
joined five sexual
assault specialists
at CAPS to conduct
long-term sexual
assault counseling
in the office located
in the Michigan
Union.
Now relieved
While all par-
How SAPAC
reorganized...
1. Two counselors from
SAPAC joined five sexual
assault specialists at CAPS
2. SAPAC will focus on edu-
cation, advocacy and crisis
intervention
3. New staff position, who
handles walk-ins and advo-
cates on behalf of survivors
4. A social work professor
dent activ-
ists. And,
although the
Crisis Line
will remain
on campus,
it will not
involve stu-
dent volun-
teers.
Instead, a
social work
professional
will respond
to emergency
calls. Oppo-
nents say that
employing
only one pro-
fessional is
inefficientand
eliminates
the distinc-
ASHlLEYHLHr r/LDily
Charles Ream, Sclo Township trustee, is pushing for an initiative to change Ann Arbor city laws to legalize medicinal marijuana use. The initiative will
be voted on In the November election.
Mecnal pot use on A ballot
will respond
calls on the
Line
to emergency
24-hour Crisis
By Karen Tee
For the Daily
Although marijuana use is illegal in most parts of
the United States, on election day the citizens of Ann
Arbor will decide whether medical marijuana should
be legalized in the city.
A proposal on the November election ballot would
amend Ann Arbor's charter to allow the use of mari-
juana for medical purposes. If the initiative passes,
users who can prove they are using marijuana with
the recommendation of a qualified health profession-
al will be exempt from fines or prosecution by Ann
Arbor police officers.
Yet the move may be merely symbolic, even if the
charter does get amended. Lloyd Johnston, a research-
er at the University's Institute of Social Research,
said, "There has never been a real implementation of
laws (to legalize medical marijuana) because the fed-
eral law always trumps the state laws, and state laws
in turn trump local laws."
Scio Township Trustee Charles Ream, who spear-
headed the drive to place this initiative on the ballot,
says this is a chance for the city to "send a big message
that we want to help patients here, and that it is foolish-
ness that marijuana is not available to sick people."
As much a personal crusade as it is a political issue
for Ream, the 57-year-old University alum speaks with
great conviction of the efficacy of the drug. In 1968,
while in college, Ream suffered from stomach ulcers
and gastric pains so severe that he considered drop-
ping out of school. Nothing the doctors prescribed
could ease his trauma.
"It was only after a friend gave me cannabis joints
to smoke that I managed to take control of my life
See MARIJUANA, Page SA
of its counseling function, SAPAC,
located on North University Avenue,
will focus on education, advocacy
and crisis intervention. It currently
has three student volunteer pro-
grams, including a men's activ-
ism program that promotes sexual
assault awareness. It also has a new
staff position - the direct services
tive relationship between a student
volunteer and student survivor.
But SAPAC Director Kelly Cichy
said the use of one staffer has "been
going quite well.... The callers have
been very appreciative of reaching
her too. It's cut down on the response
time."
See SAPAC, Page 3A
. Kerry's wartime
record influences
Vietnamese voters
By Michael Kan
Daily Staff Reporter
A whopping 71 percent of the
Vietnamese-American community
plans to vote for President Bush in
the upcoming election, according to
a recent national poll by the multi-
ethnic news agency New California
Media.
Dan Tran, a member of Vietnamese
Americans Against John Kerry, isn't
surprised. Instead he anticipates an
even higher percentage, predicting
Vietnamese will virtually vote unani-
mously for Bush.
"I think 90 percent of the Viet-
namese in America will vote against
Kerry," he said.
Amid an already heated election
littered with issues surrounding
Iraq and the economy, in the eyes
of some Vietnamese the sole fac-
tor determining their vote has been
their resentment of presidential
candidate John Kerry's record with
their homeland.
For anti-communist Vietnamese
who fled the country, Kerry's anti-
ELECT IONS 04
Vietnam war stance and policies on
current relations with Vietnam have
only evoked anger.
This has fueling their hostility to
his candidacy and helping to sway an
overwhelming proportion of votes to
Bush, leaving only 11 percent backing
Kerry as indicated by the poll, con-
ducted by national polling organiza-
tion Bendixen Associates.
While the number of Vietnamese
registered to vote in 2000 was near
325,000 according to U.S. Census
reports, Sergio Bendixen, president of
Bendixen Associates, said the number
of Vietnamese registered voters now
could be as high as 600,000.
"So their vote will be a little less
than 1 percent (of the total registered
voters). If you were to look at the 18
battleground states, at most there will
be 100,000 Vietnamese votes in those
states," Bendixen said.
With the number of Vietnamese
voters growing, Vietnamese oppo-
nents of Kerry hope their communi-
ty's support for Bush will deny Kerry
his shot at the White House.
See ELECTION, Page 8A
Hiring of
college
graduates
may rise
By Lucille Vaughan
Daily Staff Reporter
As many seniors at the University
begin to hunt for their first full-time
jobs, a new survey indicates that the
employment picture will improve sig-
nificantly this year for college gradu-
ates, especially those looking for jobs in
manufacturing or the Midwest.
According to a survey released by
the National Association of Colleges
and Employers, the number of new col-
lege graduates hired this school year is
expected to rise 13.1 percent from last
year, with hiring rates in the service
and manufacturing sectors expected to
increase more than 12 percent.
Marilyn Mackes, executive direc-
tor of NACE, a group that provides
information to college career advisers,
said in a news release that the survey's
positive projections continue an upward
trend from the previous year. "This is a
good indication that the job market for
new college graduates is back on track,"
she said.
Employers in the Midwest - includ-
ing Michigan, which has the nation's
second-highest unemployment rate at
6.7 percent - projected the greatest
increase, reporting that they expected
to increase their hiring of new college
Bush, Kerry surprisingly similar on energy
policies
plants," said Anyone in the .market
By Justin Miller
failed to show up for a vote on the Bush energy bill, which included a
to rebuild their plants, to buildI