Friday, November 12, 2004 Opinion 4 Jasmine Clair tells you how to win a seat on MSA Arts 8 Experimental jazz trios hit Hill Auditorium MIKE HART'S PATH TO GLORY ... FOOTBALL SATURDAY Weather iqnwa~ 47 One-hundredfourteen years ofeditorialfreedom www.mrhigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXV, No. 32 62004 The Michigan Daily GEO, 'U' seek nev contract Transgender right 4 4. 0 ' . 04' L, health care on table By Ekjyot Saini Daily Staff Reporter i ALEXANDERK UIALUS4/Uaily Local high school senior Tina Baldwin holds up a sign reading "Equality" at a protest of the passage of Proposal 2 on the corner of Liberty and Fifth streets. The rally started on the Diag and headed to City Hall yesterday afternoon. Studenits pr By Elizabeth Belts Daily Staff Reporter The sidewalks in downtown Ann Arbor were crowded yesterday, taken over by protesters from Ann Arbor high schools and the University. About 150 students carried signs, banners and rainbow flags in opposition to the pas- sage of Proposal 2 in the Nov. 2 election. "This will be looked upon by our children how we look upon racism in the 60's," LSA freshman Drew Philp said. The passage of Proposal 2 amended Michigan's con- stitution to ban gay marriage and similar unions. Those in opposition to the measure say it is an infringement on otest gyM an individual's civil rights. Those who support it believe it protects marriage, which they believe should only be between a man and woman. The march through downtown began as a small rally on the Diag, organized by 15-year-old Julia Upfal, a part- time student at Huron and Community high schools. Upfal said she felt let down by the results of the election. "By not letting some people have rights they deserve ... it's one of the things that is tearing this country apart" Upfal said. Upfal described her friends' sadness after Proposal 2 was passed during the election, and expressed frustration that they were unable to vote. Other high school students 0 I arnage nan also perceived the protest as a way to voice their own beliefs. "I know so many people who are against (Propos- al 2) who are in high school, and we're trying to do what we can to get the word out," Upfal said. As the crowd on the Diag grew, protesters formed a circle around the "M" in its center. Amidst cries of "equal- ity" and waving signs reading "What is moral about hate? What is moral about discrimination?" students spontane- ously addressed the crowd by entering the circle. Brittany Allen, LSA senior and co-chair of the LGBT commission of the Michigan Student Assembly, was one of the first to speak to the crowd. See PROP 2, Page 7 Two years after holding a walkout, the Graduate Employees' Organization is back at the table with the University, seeking s"- cific protection of transgender rights, less discrimination toward international students and more childcare subsidies. Negotiations will begin today for GEO to renew its contracts for the next three years, after the current contract ends on Feb. 1, 2005. GEO's platform this year rallies around "fair and equal access to education, health care and employment." The union is working toward providing equal support and ser- vices to its diverse members, GEO President David Dobbie said. "A majority (of members) are parents, and one-third are inter- national students," Dobbie said. The platform includes working toward increasing child-care subsidies for parents, as well as working to remove what Dobbie called discriminatory policies toward international students. GEO also plans on pushing for a change to the nondiscrimina- tory clause within the University bylaws, GEO members' contracts and the GradCare health insurance plan. The current language of the health care plan does not address the transgender community, GEO plans to push for the inclusion of gender identity and lan- guage giving people freedom to express gender in their own man- ner in all University literature. Health care has been issue of contention between the University administration and GEO in the past year. Last November, the Uni- versity made changes to the premium structure for the University's employee health care plans, and wanted to implement the changes to the GradCare program. GEO filed a formal grievance, opposing the changes because employees are under contract, but no changes ended up being made to GradCare. The University would have to wait until the contract expires to make any changes. Dobbie hopes to negoti- ate with the University in order to maintain the plan's policy that graduate student employees do not pay premiums. The impact of Proposal 2, which amends Michigan's constitu- tion to ban gay marriage and similar unions, will also be discussed at bargaining sessions today, Dobbie said. Many members, he said, were worried about the impact it would have on domestic-partner benefits. University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the negotiations today would focus upon setting "ground rules" and coming to an agreement as to what will be discussed in the upcoming weeks. "The goal is to conclude negotiations before the contract expires, but in the past there have been situations where (graduate student instructors) are working without a contract," Peterson said. A bargaining team led by Jeffrey Frumkin will represent thie University in the negotiations. Frumkin also led the University's bargaining team in negotiations with the Lecturers' Employee See GEO, Page I College political groups set new pnorities By Krystin Elizabeth For the Daily They campaigned on the Diag for hours. They handed out pamphlets to any and every student they could find. They went door-to-door throughout the community mak- ing sure everyone was registered to vote for the election. But the election is over. So now what happens to the campus political groups? Although the presidential election has ended and many people's election fever has died down, the College Demo- crats and College Republicans are still working to raise political awareness and involvement. "We're trying to maintain a conservative presence on campus," said College Republicans events chair Andrea Brown, an Engineering senior. "Historically, involvement drops off throughout the year for us, especially during an election year. We're working to make things more inter- esting and entertaining for our members." Throughout the year, both groups will put on a number of partisan events - including hosting local and national politicians on campus. In addition to raising awareness of political issues, the speakers serve to clarify platforms, answer questions and advance their own stances. "There's a lot of misinformation on what the parties stand for," said College Democrats member Sarah Mon- sell, an LSA junior. "And with all these new issues like the marriage platform, we're really working hard to clarify the platforms and have speakers talk about the issues, the candidates and what's going on in the world." Other efforts throughout the year for both groups are to maintain their campus presence, prepare for upcom- ing elections, continue to register young people and keep political involvement among students high. The main goal, however, varies between groups. Although both the College Democrats and College Republicans acknowledge the importance of a cohesive community, the organizations have set substantially dif- ferent priorities for their group and its members. The College Republicans have noticed post-election animosity and tension. Therefore, they will be working throughout the year will toward uniting the students on campus. "Liberals seem to think that the world won't lis- ten to their opinions," said College Republicans Vice Chair Ben Saukas, an LSA sophomore. "And conser- vatives really feel that the campus is attacking their See ELECTION, Page 7 Arafat 's death makes little impression on most students By Victoria Edwards "Hopefully, Arafat's death will make people come to grips Daily Staff Reporter with the failures in the past and try to avoid (making the same mistakes) in the future," Salhi said. Although Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died Wednes- But Or Shotan, head of the Israeli Student Organization, said day, University student groups who are often no strangers the death of Arafat symbolizes a whole new step in potential for to political activity have remained largely silent over his peace in the Middle East. death. "His death opens up a whole Although no student groups "He will be mis have organized activities to mourn his death, discussion the same timel about the future of Middle East peace talks and the future of the burial symboli proposed Palestinian state have circulated throughout campus, accomplished i said Students Allied for Free- dom and Equality President Car- Palestinians ar mel Salhi. lacet weri Salhi said his group grieves the pthey death of Arafat as a Palestinian leader, but he said he believes that Arafat's contributions only mini- President, Students Allie mally helped the Palestinian peo- ple in their fight for a homeland. "He will be missed. But at the same time his death and burial symbolize that for all he accomplished in his life, the Palestinians are still in the same place they were in before," Salhi said. Salhi said one of the most glaring examples of the lack of suc- cess of Arafat's leadership was in that he was prohibited from being buried in east Jerusalem by the Israeli government. sed. But at his death and ze that for all he n his life, the e still in the same e in before." - Carmel Salhi d for Freedom and Equality new window for peace between Israel and Palestine. I'm sorry about his death as a person, but ... he led uprisings of violence against Israel," Shotan said. Jessica Risch, co-chair of American Movement for Israel, said her organization's primary hope is that the new leadership which arises in his place will bring peace between the Pales- tinians and Israelis. "We just hope that the new leadership will arise and lead us to peace. Israel looks for a partner in peace," Risch said. Arafat, who was the leading Palestinian symbol over the last 40 years, watched his health take a turn for the worse on November 3 when he fell into a coma. His health conditions produced widespread panic over would become his succes- sor in the peace talks, and where the future of the potential See ARAFAT, Page 7 First human rights scholar named to lead new initiative a ;,