NEWS
The Michigan Daily - Friday, December 2, 2005 - 3
ON CAMPUS
* Rude Mechanicals
to perform
'Macbeth' tonight
The Rude Mechanicals, a stu-
dent-run campus theater group, will
perform William Shakespeare's
"Macbeth" tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets
will cost $3 for students and $5 for
nonstudents.
Music School event
to feature student
compositions
Tonight at 8 p.m., the School of
Music will feature students' digital
music and mixed media composi-
tions in Britton Recital Hall. No
tickets are required.
" Group to audition
models for
fashion show
Minority Youth Striving to Incor-
porate Cohesiveness will hold try-
outs tonight for models in its Bronze
Elegance fashion show from 8 to 10
p.m. in the Wolverine Room of the
Michigan Union.
Male and females of all ethnici-
ties are encouraged to audition for
the fashion show.
Student performers
seek to promote
* HIV awareness
with poetry, music
To encourage communication on
HIV-related issues, students will
perform poetry and live music in
* the Michigan League tonight from
9 to 10 p.m.
CRIME
NOTES
Trespasser in
Fleming Admin
Building escapes
The Department of Public Safety
reported that there was a trespasser
in the Fleming Administration Build-
ing Tuesday afternoon at about 3:12
* p.m. Officers checked the building
but were unable to locate the alleged
trespasser.
Assault victim
* taken to ER at
University Hospital
Hospital security reported an
assault victim being treated at Uni-
versity Hospital at about 9:45 a.m.
on Wednesday, according to DPS.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff was
notified.
Roomie squabble
leads to DPS call
A problem between roommates
prompted a call to DPS Wednesday
at about 10:40 a.m. The incident took
place at Vera Baits Houses.
THIS DAY
In Daily History
Glitches plague
high-tech student
dating service
Dec. 2, 1965 - What happened to
the much-hyped "Search" computer-
ized dating service and its five great
dates?
To make a long story short, the date
cards for each student, which were
originally run through Search's IBM
computer, were damaged. On a second
try they were punched incorrectly.
They are now going through their third
punching to see whether Search can
supply those five great dates, David
State looks to reduce schools' health costs
LANSING (AP) - The Michigan Senate
pushed through legislation yesterday aimed at low-
ering the health insurance costs of K-12 schools
and community colleges, despite complaints from
Democrats who accused Republicans of moving
too quickly.
The House, meanwhile, tried to pass a bill that
would require pension plans for new teachers
to be defined contribution systems, similar to a
401(k), rather than pension plans that promise a
set amount based on years of service.
The Senate bills, approved mostly along party
lines, are designed to remove barriers for school
districts seeking to insure their employees them-
selves or self-insure with other districts, and
encourage regional pooling of health plans. Dis-
tricts also could voluntarily participate in a state-
wide fund to cover catastrophic claims under the
legislation.
"This option will create more dollars for the
classroom," said Sen. Wayne Kuipers, a Holland
Republican and chairman of the Senate Educa-
tion Committee. "The (health) benefits don't
need to change. Where you purchase those ben-
efits will."
The bills are supported by school administra-
tors, the Michigan AFL-CIO and the Michigan
branch of the American Federation of Teachers,
which estimates the changes could save $156 mil-
lion in the first year and up to $233 million by
the third year. The legislation is opposed by an
affiliate of the state's largest teachers union that
provides insurance plans for many K-12 school
districts and community colleges.
The Michigan Education Special Services
Association, or MESSA, and some Democrats
said the legislation is risky because it does not
require sufficient oversight or ensure that pools
have adequate reserves to pay claims, potentially
sticking school employees with huge medical bills
if the pools fail.
"Teachers and other school employees would be
the only workers in Michigan not covered by the
consumer protections afforded all other workers
in multiple-employer pools," said Gary Fralick, a
MESSA spokesman.
Republicans denied the charges and pointed to
a new self-insurance pool featuring several school
districts in and near Kent County. Participants say
it could save about 8 percent in health care costs
this year.
The House, meanwhile, spent much of the after-
noon voting on legislation that would change the
Michigan Public School Employees Retirement
System so new teachers would have a defined con-
tributions plan.
House Republican leaders are backing the bill,
but getting support for it has been tough.
GOP leaders ended a vote Thursday afternoon
when it appeared they didn't have enough votes in
the 109-member House for it to pass. GOP House
Speaker Craig DeRoche of Novi issued a rare Call
of the House to keep representatives in the House
chamber.
A second vote resumed a short time later and
was still going on more than 4 1/2 hours later.
DeRoche said the delay was because a half
dozen Democrats originally agreed to vote for
the bill in exchange for support on legislation or
help on other matters, but changed their mind on
Thursday when threatened with losing support of
the education unions who oppose the bill.
"This is the first time it happened on an impor-
tant enough issue to stick around in town and have
members digest what they're putting at risk," DeR-
oche said. "If the system breaks ... it's because
they caved to political contributions."
Rep. Paul Condino of Southfield was one of the
Democrats cited by DeRoche as going back on an
agreement to vote for the bill. Condino said he
only committed to work on reforming the retire-
ment system to come up with compromise that
could be supported by the education unions and
Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
FILE PHOTO
Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm did not offer her support to the Republican-led Legisla-
ture's effort to revamp school retirement and health plans.
U Richmond pres learns
hard lesson about alumni
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Insulting alumni and day, a day befor
donors probably isn't the best way to show that you committee of the
are trying to improve your university's national pro- full board will th
file, as the president of the University of Richmond man Randy Fitzg
has found. Cooper denied
During a "state of the university" speech in October University spo
at the private liberal arts college, William Cooper dis- major donors ha
cussed the school's efforts to become more academi- controversy, but"
cally competitive by attracting more talented students. Board of Trustee
"The entering quality of our student body needs to He said that si
be much higher if we are going to transform bright should "look at th
minds into great achievers instead of transforming Dr. Cooper has a
mush into mush, and I mean it," he said. remarks, the chap
He later apologized for his remarks and said they, supportive of."
were misinterpreted. Before coming
Some alumni remain supportive of Cooper's vision, town University's
but he has come under fire from many others, who are faculty at Tulane
calling for him to step down and are threatening to He started at R
withhold contributions until he is gone. At a recent school's national
home basketball game, some Richmond fans wore but- has undertaken a
tons proclaiming, "Mushheads Unite." Also, the schools
"It's time to send Cooper to the 'mush' pit and get onstrated financ
our beloved University back on a positive track," Keith employees' same
Stojka, a 1996 graduate, wrote on an online petition Cooper angere
calling for new leadership. "By the way, not a red cent raised tuition 31
from me until Cooper is sent packing." among the nati
The number of signatures approached 2,000 yester- endowment.
Granholm signs bill
to help vets' children
e he was to meet with the executive
e university's Board of Trustees. The
en take up his case, university spokes-
erald said.
a request for an interview.
kesman Dan Kalmanson said that no
ve suspended their pledges over the
"clearly the situation is something the
s, the university does take seriously."
tudents, faculty members and alumni
-he big picture, the positive things that
achieved, and weigh them against the
nges here that some people may not be
g to Richmond, Cooper was George-
s executive vice president and dean of
University.
kichmond in 1998 aiming to boost the
I profile, and to that end Richmond
$200 million fund-raising campaign.
started covering all of students' dem-
ial need and extending benefits to
-sex partners.
d some students when the university
percent this fall to nearly $35,000,
on's highest, despite a $1.1 billion
LANSING (AP)- Gov. Jennifer
Granholm yesterday signed legisla-
tion allowing Michigan taxpayers to
contribute to a state fund intended
to help the children of veterans pay
for college.
Starting in the 2006 tax year, peo-
ple can check off a box on their tax
forms and contribute a minimum of
$2 to help fund a program for the
children of Michigan veterans.
The state's Children of Veterans'
Tuition Program covers up to $2,800
a year for four years for children of
veterans who were killed in action
or permanently disabled due to an
illness or injury suffered during
their tour of duty.
But tuition payments from the
READ THE
DAILY'S BLOGS.
fund are scheduled to stop after the
current term.
The new program also will
provide up to $2,800 a year in
tuition.
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