udedfiyears tau ofe tadtefdeedom Jsnfityp )uderstadt bids Universit presidency farewell Wednesday S19, x1996 ennifer Harvey and Katie Wang News Editors "I am basically a builder," said James uderstadt of his years as president of e University. Since Duderstadt took office in 988, the University has undergone tst changes: cosmetic, financial, ructural and compositional. When eofficially steps down at the end of is month, he will walk away know- ig he has influenced great and sometimes con- trove rs i al change at the University. "This Univer- sity is better, stronger, more diverse, and more exciting than it's ever been in its history," he said yesterday in an interview with The Michigan Daily. Duderstadt will step down from from the presidency on June 30 and Vice President for Research Homer Neal will take over as interim president. Duderstadt announced last fall he would resign the presidency and return to teaching in the College of Engineering. "I'll miss the day-to-day interac- tion with some truly remarkable peo- ple, some of the most talented people in higher education," Duderstadt said. Duderstadt said he is proud of his role in shaping the University. "At the beginning we had a set of objec- tives we felt to be certainly challenging, almost impossible, and they have been achieved," he said. Duderstadt cited increased diversi- ty as one reason for the University's improvement during his presidency. Under Duderstadt's presidency, minority student enrollment as more than doubled to about 25 percent of the student body. He also praised Vice President for Student Affairs Maureen Hartford for improving relations between students and administrators. "There is open dialogue and a better understanding of the students;" he said, "There is an increased level of respect in the administration for student con- See DUDERSTADT, Page 2 )PS relations criticized n committee report y Jennifer Harvey aily Managing News Editor *fter three months of intense invests- stion, the University's Department of ublic Safety Oversight Committee leased a "preliminary" report on Monday detailing the findings of its vestigation into DPS. The report stated that two major roblems exist for DPS: a poor rela- onship with minority members of the ampus community and a "gap between DPS) and a large portion of the student in general." ccording to the report, the commit- e had been asked by University resident James Duderstadt and mem- ers of the Board of Regents to conduct n investigation of issues associated with the Feb. 17 arrest of Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives Director John Matlock at the Central Campus Recreation Building and a general investigation of DPS. The report also said Matlock's attorney, Dick Soble, requested the investigation. The request for an investigation came after the case was reviewed by the Michigan State Police. "The administration's decision can only be interpreted as an expression of distrust in the objectivity of that Department ... ," the report said. "We have received the report and are in the process of reviewing it," DPS Director Leo IHeatley said yesterday in an official statement. "The Department See REPORT, Page 7 student inmate Lujan W mmits suicide in jail cell ;y Laurie Mayk ~nd Katie Wang kilrv Editsrs The waiting in he case against .rystal Lujan is ver several nonths earlier han expected. an, an LSA Lujan ophomore, was ound dead Saturday night in her pri- ate cell at the Washtenaw County Jail. A preliminary investigation has report- d the cause of death to be suicide. Lujan had been in custody for almost aine months, awaiting pretrial and trial ssignments for murder and arson charges. She was accused of plotting and taking part i the September beatitg death of 47-year-old Daniel Rice and torching the Baits residence hall room of Lujan's former lover, who will be a junior in the School of Music this fail. Washtenaw County Lt. R.J. Smith said guards found Lujan dead, hanging by her bed sheets while they were mak- ing indiscriminatory rounds Saturday night. Smith said Lujan gave no indication that she was going to commit suicide. Both an internal and complete investi- gation will be made, Smith said. John Toomey, Lujan's attorney, said he was surprised to hear of the 24-year- old's suicide when lie called his secre- See Lujan, Page 2 Matt Wimsatt, a recent University graduate, paints the scene as people in the background wander through the Peony Garden in Nichols Arboretum on Sunday. A live jazz band added to the festive atmosphere. Peony Garden Party highlights Arb flower collection * Admirers gather to enjoy blooms, enter- tainment By Anita Chik Daly Staff Reporter The smell of flowers drifted through the Peony Garden in the Nichols Arboretum. Colors of red, pink, white and yellow, along with jazz music and the laughter of visitors, heightened the Peony Garden Party to a peak last Sunday. Many people brought their cam- eras to capture the peonies in full bloom, while some strolled along the 27 beds of peonies to learn their dif- ferent names and varieties. Those who wanted to know about the culti- vation and history of peonies gath- ered to question the volunteer gar- deners during the party. Anne Teitelman, a Nursing graduate student, said she enjoyed seeing the var- ious types of peonies. "It's nice to see the different vari- eties and how different the peoties can be," she said. "There are so many different kinds and I never know." Although this is the third year that the Friends of the Nichols Arboretum organized the Peony Garden Party, it was a new experience for many of the attendees. Virginia Palmer, of Alma, Mich., said she was really impressed by the garden. "It's so spectacular to see all dif- ferent kinds in one place. The fra- grance is so pronounced," she said. See PEONY, Page 2 THIS WEEK'S 3 NSIDE NEVUS 9(TS U administrators travel to 9 Richard Ford to read at South Africa. Borders. 16 SPORTS Yost1Ice Arena construction continues.