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One-hundredfourteen years ofedtorialfreedom
www.mihiandai-y.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXV, No. 57 02005 The Michigan Daily
Some see
chance
ofpeace
in Abbas
By Christina Hildreth
Daily Staff Reporter
Sunday's Palestinian presidential
elections inspired hope and hesitation
about the future of Middle East peace
talks among University students and
faculty as Mahmoud Abbas was elected
leader of the Palestinian Authority.
Abbas's election has stimulated inter-
national talk of renewed peace efforts in
the Middle East. Moreover, Abbas has
been portrayed by the media as more
moderate than his predecessor, Yasser
Arafat, who died on Nov. 11.
"I would say that his election is a
good sign for both peoples to restart the
peacemaking. There are very high hopes
for both sides," said Sammy Smooha,
visiting professor of Judaic studies.
In contrast to Arafat, Abbas is capa-
ble of being a partner for peace, Smooha
said.
Carmel Salhi, president of Students
Allied for Freedom and Equality, a pro-
Palestinian student group, disagreed,
saying Israel, not Arafat, has been the
obstacle to peace.
"The question is not if (Abbas) is
willing for peace, because Arafat was
willing to give up many things for
peace," he said.
"The question is whether or not the
Israelis will allow a just peace. There
can be no peace without a just solution
for the Palestinians," Salhi added.
Nevertheless, students and faculty
said Abbas is more likely than Arafat to
take steps to reduce the violence com-
mitted by Palestinian militant groups.
"(Abbas) believes that it is possible
for both peoples to come to terms with
each other. He really believes that. He
also believes that it is impossible to
reach this goal by violence," Smooha
said.
Since Arafat's death, Abbas has
appealed to Palestinian militant groups
to lay down arms and facilitate peace
talks, Smooha said. "What he is doing is
saying to them, 'Let's make a ceasefire
for a year or half a year and see if I can
deliver,"' Smooha added.
See ABBAS, Page 7
HONORING THE FALLEN
Greeks
promote
party
policies
By Carissa Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
The University's Greek leaders hope the recent social poli-
cy changes - a set of new regulations concerning party size,
alcohol and admittance - will boost Rush numbers, improve
party safety and increase the number of registered events in
the future.
The vice presidents for social responsibility from the Inter-
fraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association last night
held a social policy meeting to educate fraternity and sorority
leaders on the new policies and to clear up any misunderstand-
ings. In the last few weeks, these policy changes have been
met with mixed emotions and confusion in the Greek commu-
nity because many members of the community have not been
adequately or correctly informed of the changes, said Dustin
Schmuldt, IFC vice president for social responsibility.
Under the new policy, any event taking place on chapter prop-
erty where more than 25 women are in attendance and where
alcohol is allowed must be registered with IFC. Depending on
the size of the party that is registered, a certain number of sober
monitors must be supplied by the fraternity, and one member of
the Social Responsibility Committee must be present to work the
door. Parties with fewer than 25 women are not considered par-
ties under the policy and are not required to be registered with
IFC. Unregistered parties do not face IFC's restrictions.
The policy changes, effective since Jan. 1 for all fraternity
and sorority chapters in IFC and Panhel, address problems that
resulted from previous policies, Schmuldt said.
One problem with the old policy, Schmuldt said, was the
restriction against cups, which interfered with certain drinking
games. Previously, IFC banned party hosts at registered events
from providing cups or serving liquor, which did not allow for
partygoers to play various games such as beer pong, flip-cup or
Beirut. Under the new "bring-your-own-alcohol" policy, cups
and liquor are allowed at registered events because fraternities
are no longer permitted to serve alcohol to guests. The policy
allows each partygoer to bring one 12-pack of beer or one plastic
pint of liquor, 80 proof or below.
"One problem was that there were many unregistered
events occurring, which is very unsafe because there is no
one to take responsibility." Schmuldt said. "There was a lot
of research involved of other Greek systems on other cam-
puses that implement and enforce a BYOA policy, and we
feel there will be a safer party atmosphere overall here at the
See GREEKS, Page 7
~SHLEY ntHnra. isiy
in front of North Hall, Patrick Franklin, left, an Engineering junior and ROTC cadet, joins other ROTC cadets Greg Prisllpsky, right,
and Alison Kinnin, center, in adjusting the U.S. flag to half mast. Gov. Jennifer Granholm ordered flags across the state to be
lowered yesterday in honor of Staff Sgt. Jason Lehto, a Marine from Harrison Township who died in Iraq last month.
ATTACKING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
MICHIGAN
MCRI battle to
center on public
0 0
0
opinon campaigns
By Aymar Jean
Daily Staff Reporter
The movement to eliminate race- and
gender-conscious programs in Michigan
advanced substantially last week when
a statewide campaign announced it had
collected hundreds of thousands of signa-
tures to put the issue on the 2006 ballot.
But even as the Michigan Civil Rights
Initiative basks in its achievement, its
opponents are already planning a spate
of attacks to thwart it.
Numerous challenges face those who
oppose MCRI's ban of policies based on
race, ethnicity and sex in public educa-
tion, employment and contracting. MCRI
has collected more than 500,000 signa-
tures, well above the roughly 320,000 it
needs to get the issue on the ballot and
the greatest number ever submitted for a
proposal to amend Michigan's constitu-
tion.
As of now, the initiative also has the
public's support. Public opinion polls,
including those conducted by The Detroit
Free Press and EPIC/MRA, a Lansing-
based polling firm, show that about 60
percent of Michiganders would ban race
preferences.
The opposition - consisting mostly of
BAMN and the coalition Citizens for a
United Michigan - has a little less than
two years to topple MCRI, in part by con-
vincing Michigan voters of the proposal's
potentially damaging effects.
Opponents of MCRI said they face an
uphill battle.
"Any time in American history when
See MCRI, Page 7
Students
fal for more
fraudulent
TCF e-mails
By Karl Stampfl
Daily Staff Reporter
The number of students and staff victim-
ized by e-mail scams that prompted them to
give out their TCF Bank account information
has grown by three, bringing the total to seven.
The Department of Public Safety received three
reports in December about University students
who lost money when people posed as bank
officials and requested personal information
that granted them illegal access to the students'
accounts. The other four reports surfaced in
November.
Altogether, five reports came from students
and two from University staff members con-
cerning the scam, which is known as phish-
ing. Phishers send out mass e-mails or pop-up
messages that claim to be from well-known
financial organizations in order to steal people's
identities.
The students and staff members responded to
e-mails that appeared to be sent by TCF Bank
officials. The victims later reported money was
illegally withdrawn from their accounts.
The seven recent reports prompted a mass
e-mail from DPS Director Bill Bess to all
University students, faculty and staff warning
about the frauds. A similar e-mail was sent in
November.
Both e-mails reminded people that financial
institutions will not renuest nervnnal informna..
Ward Connerly, left, and Jennifer Gratz talk about Michigan Civil Rights Initiative petition signatures
during a news conference Thursday at the state Capitol In Lansing.
V\IRGINIA
Federal officials investigate UVA policies
I
I