NEWS
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - The Michigan Daily - 3A
ON CAMPUS
You are invited
to Mary Sue's
house
University President Mary Sue
Coleman will hold an open house
for students today from 3 to 5 p.m.
at her house at 815 S. University
Ave. Students will be provided
with light refreshments.
Singing group to
hold auditions
Kopitonez, the University's
only Asian a cappella group, will
hold auditions today from 6 to 8
p.m. in the basement of the Mod-
ern Language Building. All stu-
dents are welcome.
Workshop to
help students
find time to
work, play
The Office of New Student Pro-
grams will host a time manage-
ment workshop today at 7 p.m.
in the Maize and Blue rooms of
the Student Activities Building.
Students will learn strategies for
effectively balancing their person-
al, academic and extracurricular
lives. Participants should bring a
day planner to the event.
Club to tackle
deep questions
over deep dish
The Undergraduate Philosophy
Club will hold a mass meeting
today at 9 p.m. in room 2271 of
Angell Hall. There will be a short
informational session, followed by
free pizza and philosophical dis-
cussion.
CRIME
NOTES
Campus police
nab slumbering
trespasser
A man found sleeping in the
exterior doorway of the School
of Social Work Building was
arrested for trespassing yesterday
at about 4 a.m., the Department of
Public Safety reported. The man
was released but will be taken
back into custody if police catch
him again.
Shirt stolen
from League
A shirt was stolen from the laun-
dry area in the Michigan League,
DPS reported. The theft occurred
sometime during the weekend.
Workers' dust
triggers alarm
The fire alarm went off in the
Walgreen Drama Center at about 11
a.m. on Monday, DPS reported. The
alarm was triggered by construction
workers sweeping up dust.
THIS DAY
In 'U' History
MSA reps
accused of
embezzlement
Sept. 13, 1989 - The Michi-
gan Student Assembly created a
special committee last night to
investigate a tip that one or more
of its representatives embezzled
assembly funds.
The assembly is not releasing
any details to avoid needlessly
defaming representatives who
may be involved in case the charg-
es prove to be false.
The new committee consists
of five members. Law School
Rep. Bruce Frank was selected as
chair.
Frank said the committee would
meet over the weekend and decide
how to proceed afterward.
MSA President Aaron Wil-
liams said he was informed of the
allegations last night only hours
before the meeting.
Harvard puts early admissions to rest
Experts say change
could shake up elite
college admissions
BOSTON (AP) - With a $26-billion
endowment and 370 years of history, Har-
vard University says it can afford a gamble
that could shake up the world of elite col-
lege admissions.
Harvard announced plans yesterday to
drop its "early action" admissions round
- and urged rivals to follow. Under early
action, applicants get word by late fall if
they've been accepted to a college, but can
still apply elsewhere in the spring. Some
other schools have "early decision," mean-
ing accepted applicants cannot apply else-
where.
Harvard said such early admissions
programs have two harmful effects: they
may hurt schools' diversity because poor
and minority students are less likely to
use them, and they create anxiety for the
typically more affluent applicants who take
advantage of them.
Nearly 23,000 people applied to Har-
vard last year - including about 4,000 in
the early round - but the move's broader
significance is that it could persuade other
elite universities to change their admissions
policies. Many other prestigious colleges
have acknowledged early admissions has
become a strategy tool for the well-con-
nected, and have tweaked their programs.
But none have dropped them.
If others follow Harvard's lead, it could
noticeably change the college application
experience of high-achieving students.
Applicants would face less pressure to
identify a first choice early in their senior
year of high school - but would also
lose the chance to put the process behind
them.
If other colleges don't follow Harvard,
the school's dean of admissions William
Fitzsimmons acknowledged it may soon
abandon the experiment.
Detroit teachers, district
reach tentative deal
Teachers' pay
would increase 1
percent in two years,
2.5 percent in three
DETROIT (AP) - A teachers
strike that extended summer vaca-
tion for 130,000 students moved
toward an end yesterday as a union
tentatively accepted a three-year
contract with school officials who
were seeking to close a $105 million
budget deficit.
The deal came shortly before
dawn after marathon bargaining
between Detroit Public Schools
Superintendent William Coleman
and Janna Garrison, president of the
9,500-member Detroit Federation
of Teachers, in the offices of Mayor
Kwame Kilpatrick.
Kilpatrick, Gov. Jennifer Gran-
holm and Detroit religious leaders
had been pushing both sides to come
to terms that could end the 16-day
strike.
"I want to thank you on behalf of
the kids;' Granholm told negotiators
at a news conference called to cele-
brate the deal. She called ita victory
for "all those kids out there and their
parents who have been waiting for
their classes to start"
"Our teachers love our students,"
Kilpatrick added. "Children - chil-
dren always remained the primary
goal for both sides" Kilpatrick said.
Both sides said the contract
involved painful sacrifices. The dis-
trict initially sought a 5.5 percent pay
cut over two years to help balance
the district's $1.36 billion budget.
The union sought a raise after years
without one.
In the end, they agreed on a one-
year pay freeze,followed by increases
of 1 percent the second and 2.5 per-
cent the third. Veteran teachers also
will start paying 10 percent of their
health insurance costs, something
that only those hired since 1992 did
formerly.
The union's "It's not
executive board
approved the deal contract
during a midday
meeting yester- a contra
day. The union
scheduled a mem- can live
bership meeting
for 9 a.m. this for - Vi
a vote on whether
to return to work Det
whilearatification
vote takes place.
A yes vote could return teach-
ers to their schools for preparation
Wednesday afternoon, with classes
starting Thursday, said union Presi-
dent Janna Garrison.
"Students, we'll see you in school,'
said Garrison.
"This is a great day for the city of
Detroit;' Coleman said. "We have a
great school year ahead of us."
The strike began Aug. 28 on
what was supposed to be the first
of three days of preparation for the
start of class, originally scheduled
for Sept. 5.
4c
t
The district originally said it
needed $88 million in concessions
from the union, which represents
7,000 teachers and 2,500 counselors,
social workers and other support per-
sonnel.
On Saturday, union bargainers
rejected the district's revised offer
with a 0.75 percent pay cut the first
year and increases of 1 percent and
2.5 percent the second and third
years. It also would have required
teachers to pay
a good part of their
health insurance
t, but it's costs.
The agreement
lct we followed Wayne
County Circuit
with." Judge Susan Bor-
man order Friday
that the strikers
return to work
troit teacher Monday, which
most teachers
ignored, and Gra-
nholm's decision to name a Michigan
Employment Relations Commission
fact-finder to aid the talks.
State law allows for fines or other
kinds of discipline for employees
who ignore a back-to-work order.
Teachers appeared unenthused
with the proposal but willing to live
with it.
"It's not a good contract, but it's
a contract we can live with;' said
teacher and union executive board
member Vince Consiglio. "It's better
than the alternative of people going
to court."
Bill requires girls
to get vaccine for
cervical cancer
Vaccine stops some
strains of sexually
transmitted illness
LANSING (AP) - Michigan
girls entering the sixth grade next
year would have to be vaccinated
against cervical cancer under bills
backed yesterday by a bipartisan
group of female lawmakers.
The legislation is the first of its
kind in the United States, said state
Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom, the
lead sponsor.
The vaccine was approved by
the Food and Drug Administration
in June for use in girls as young
as 9, up to age 26, and has been
hailed as a breakthrough in cancer
prevention. It prevents infections
from some strains of the sexually
transmitted human papilloma virus,
which can cause cervical cancer and
genital warts.
A government advisory panel
recommended that 11- and 12-year-
old girls be routinely vaccinated
against the virus but stopped short
of recommending the vaccine be
required by schools.
The American Cancer Society
estimates 9,700 women nationwide
will be diagnosed with cervical can-
cer in 2006, and 3,700 will die.
"We believe we can save the lives
of these girls" said Hammerstrom,
(R-Temperance) who was joined at
a news conference by many of the
Senate's female legislators, both
Republican and Democrat.
Sixth grade is a good time to
require the vaccine because students
already have to receive tetanus and
hepatitis immunizations by then,
Hammerstrom said.
Some conservatives around the
country have expressed concern
that schools would make the vac-
cine a requirement for enrollment.
They have argued that requiring
the vaccine would infringe on par-
ents' rights and send a message that
underage sex is OK.
But Hammerstrom said Michigan
groups have not come out against
the legislation for philosophical rea-
sons.
A bigger concern may be cost.
The three-shot vaccination costs
$360. Hammerstrom said most
employer health plans in Michi-
gan will cover the vaccine and said
uninsured girls could be covered
through the federal government's
Vaccines for Children program.
State legislators will urge Con-
gress to provide more money to
cover the vaccine for the uninsured,
but will look at boosting state appro-
priations if there is not extra federal
funding, Hammerstrom said.
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