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June 02, 1993 - Image 3

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
Michigan Daily Summer Weekly, 1993-06-02

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Wednesday, June 2, 1993-- The Michigan Daly Summer Weey -3

SAFE House prese
for new residential

By STEVE HEGEDUS
FOR THE DALY
Survivorsofdomestic violence call
SAFE House for shelter. Although the
women are "safe,"from spousal abuse,
cramped facilities make livinguncom-
fortable.
Currently, SAFE House, a non-
profit organization, is capable ofhous-
ing 28 women and their children for as
long as a month. But the women are
frequently asked to double-up.
But since voters in the November
electionapprovedfunding,thatmay be
just a painful memory.
Members of Domestic Violence
Project, IncJSAFE House (Shelter
Available For Emergency) unveiled
plans at a May 26 meeting for an new
27,500 sq. ft. facility to be located on a
seven-acre parcel in Washtenaw
County.
Susan McGee, executive director
of SAFE House, said the proposed
forty-five bed facility on Clark Road
would replace the current state-owned
SAFE House which was built in the
early 1900s.
Thehouse, originally intended as a

single family dwelling, is frequently
overcrowded and is in need of exten-
sive repairs.
McGee said the statehas refused to
do any maintenance on the building,
which is located in a confidential area
in Washtenaw County. Among the
complaints are that the roof of the
house leaks and that the antiquated
plumbing often breaks, causing ceil-
ings to collapse.
The current shelter is also inacces-
sible by wheelchair,whichforcesSAFE
House to furnish hotel rooms to do-
mestic violence survivors who are
physically challenged.
"The amount we're paying in rent
andupkeepisridiculous,"saidMcGee.
"We'llbe much better off with the new
shelter in the long run."
The new building will actually be
owned by Washtenaw County, which
in tum will lease it to SAFE House at
the rate of a dollar a year for ninety-
nine years.Voters in the county passed
aresolution inNovembercalling for an
increase in their property taxes to fund
the project.
The two-year, quarter of a mill in-

nts plans
shelter
crease will generate the estimated $3
million needed to build the new SAFE
House facility.
The proposed design of the new
shelter calls foran"L"shaped building
with three different levels.
Residents will occupy the main
level,whichwillconsistofsuchameni-
ties as alibrary and aseparate play area
for children.
Jan BenDor, presidentof the SAFE
House board of directors, said that
careful planning has gone into the
project to ensure that residents feel at
ease.
"We wanted to have survivors feel
safe, but not like they were in an insti-
tution," BenDor said.
Residents living near the proposed
construction site have been consulted
also in order to insure a harmonious
atmosphere.
"We've had a lot of community
input," BenDor said.
Groundbreaking forthenew SAFE
House facility is scheduled to begin in
October of this year pending final ap-
proval of the plans.

PETER MATTHEWS/MDy
An operator In the nuclear reactor contol room monitors guages.
'U' to pay another
nuclear reactor fine

By KRISTINA GRAMMATICO
FOR THE DAILY
What many students don't know
still won't harm them.
The University's Ford Nuclear
Reactor recently operated above its
legal limit, but officals say it posed no
threat to the environment.
TheChicago-basedNuclearRegu-
latory Commission (NRC) recently
finedtheUniversity$3,750becauseits
nuclear reactor exceeded its licensed
power level by 15 percent for 10 min-
utes last March, NRC spokesperson
Jan Strasma said.
The standard fine for this type of
violation is $2,500. The University
was fined one-and-a-half times this
amount because it was the second vio-
lation in one year.
Thereactor, locatedin the Phoenix
Memorial Laboratory on North Cam-
pus, is legally licensed to operate up to
only 2 megawatts.
In March,theoperating crew oper-
ated the reactor at 2.3 megawatts un-
knowingly for 10 minutes.
No damage was done to the facility
or the environment, Phoenix Director
Ron Flemming said.
On the moming of March 24, the
operating crew measured the reactor's
power at 1.15 megawatts and then
doubled the power, bringing the reac-
tortoastateofsupercriticality-mean-
ing the number of neutron fissions
were doubled.
Power was then at 2.3 megawatts.
Hemming said the crew should
have lowered the wattage from 1.15
megawatts to 1 megawatt and then
doubled the power.
Flemming faulted the operator.
"Thatoperatorisnolongerlicensed
to operatethisreactor,"Flemmingsaid.
Flemming also stated that the
reactor's safety limit is registered at
4.68 megawatts.
The reactor can safely operate in-

definitely at 4.68 megawatts without
water boiling.
But, to prevent the reactor from
reaching its safety limit, a safety sys-
tem is designed to shut the reactor
down at 2.4 megawatts.
After March 24, the reactor was
shut down for two weeks,whileopera-
torsand directorswentoverNRCpro-
cedures, Flemming said.
Previously,theNRCfinedthePhoe-
nix Lab $1,250 for two June 1992
violations unrelated to the March 24
incident.
In June 1992, Flemming failed to
report to the NRC that operators re-
movedafuelelementfromthereactor's
corebeforerunning the reactor'ssafety
rod system.
Both procedures, removing fuel
elementsorrunning the safety rodsys-
tem, will shut the reactor down.
ButNRCregulationsstate thesafety
rod system must run first-thus shut-
ting down thereactor-before pulling
fuel elements out.
The reactor was never completely
shut down, but was in automatic con-
trolmode when the fuel elements were
pulled out, Phoenix tour guide Steve
Nowak said.
In this case, the operatorsreversed
procedures by removing the fuel ele-
ments and then running the safety rod
system.
"Becausetheyreversedprocedures
and the reactor shut itself down, I did
not think this was an officially report-
able incident," Flemming said.
Unfortunately,theNRCdisagreed.
Flemming said the NRC fined the
University becausehe failed to look at
the bigger context of the incident and
theoperatorsfailedtocorrectly follow
NRC procedures.
When these types of incidents oc-
cur, the reputations of the profession-
als and the Phoenix Memorial Lab
suffer, Flemming said.

SEEing is believing for high school girls
leaning toward engineering educations

By JULIE GARRETT
DALY STAFF REPORTEER
Becoming an engineer takes hard
work.
Because of stereotypes, it can be
even harder for a woman.
Thatis why the Society for Women
Engineers(SWE)is sponsoring asum-
mer program for high school sopho-
more and junior girls.
Startedin 1987,SummerEngineer-
ing Exploration (SEE) is a one-week
progmm that gives high school girls a
taste of what engineering is about.
"We want to encourage more high
school girls to pursue a career in engi-
neering," said Kris Korzecke, director
of the outreach committee for SEE and
Engineering senior.
The exploration program was cre-
ated to offer high school girls an intro-
duction to the field of engineering.
During the day the girls attend talks
given by faculty from various Engi-
neering departments. SWE members
give toursof the Engineering buildings
and research labs.
The girls also spend time in teams
working on a design project.
Because working in groups is a
vitalaspectofengineering,SEEstresses
this throughout the week. The girls are
responsible for working together to
meet certain specifications in a cre-

ative, unique way with very little su-
pervision.
"The program offers a chance for
high school girls to come and see and
experience engineering and meet
women engineers," said Beth Meder,
program chair for SEE and Engineer-
ing sophomore.
The program costs $225. This in-
cludes room and boardwhilestaying at
West Quad. SWE funds the program
completely, with no financial support

from the University.
Scholarships are available for those
in need. This year the scholarships are
provided by Whirlpool and General
Telephone and Electric. Supportfrom
corporationsisdownthis year,soschol-
arships are limited.
Only 40 of the 75 available posi-
tions have been filled.
Thereisstilltime tosignupforhigh
school sophomore or junior girls who
might be interested in this program.

is now forming a Focus Group to provide
a channel for student input
Ir What information would you like included in this
year's Student Directory?
17 Is the Directory easy to read?
Offer any suggestions to make a better Directory.
Cadl
# ....rlforr n t ..

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