The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 30, 2001- 3
$antor sues national fraternity for daughter's death
By Maria Sprow
Daily News Editor
George Cantor, the father of former
University student Courtney Cantor, filed
a lawsuit in Washtenaw County Circuit
Court against the national Phi Delta Theta
ternity and several former local mem-
bers, alleging the organization played a
role in his daughter's death. Courtney
died Oct. 16, 1998, after falling from her
sixth floor Mary Markley Residence Hall
window. She attended a Phi Delta Theta
faterity paty the previous night.
The lawsuit charges the national fra-
ternity and former members for buying
and supplying alcohol to minors and
serving the illegal drug Gamma-
Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) to guests.
"The National Fraternity knew or
should have known that its agent and in-
house representative, Erik Peterson, pur-
posely left the Phi Delta Theta fraternity
house and did not enforce the National
Fraternity's alcohol-free policy when fra-
ternity sponsored social events were
being held," states Cantor in his brief.
Phi Delta Theta representatives could
not be reached. Cantor's attorney, Dale
Robinson, said Wednesday that the fra-
ternity had not responded to the lawsuit.
Courtney's autopsy revealed traces of
GHB in her blood, but her blood alcohol
level was below the legal limit for intox-
ication, leading her father to believe that
the drug, which intensifies the effects of
alcohol, caused her to fall out the win-
dow. Cantor said he believes the GHB
was obtained at the fraternity house.
An investigation by the Ann Arbor
Police Department could not determine
how the drink was given to Courtney.
"How it got there or where it came from
is something that will be determined dur-
ing the course of the trial, Robinson said.
Cantor said he filed the lawsuit in revoked for violating its no-alcohol poli-
order to "make it too expensive for fra- cy. Phi Delta Theta hopes to have its
ternities ... to break their promises" to charter reinstated in the near future.
the University and their national chap- Cantor said the purpose of the lawsuit
ters, referring to the alcohol-free policy was not to stop the fraternity from com-
the fraternity violated. ing back to campus. "I rely on the
Cantor said he was not satisfied with University to make the best judgment"
the actions of the fraternity following the he said. "They've been lied to once."
incident. "They continued to manufac- Cantor sued the University for negli-
ture phony credentials so they could buy gence last January, maintaining the
liquor after my daughter died" University did not provide a safe living
The Washtenaw County Prosecutor's environment and had not warned his
Office charged 10 of the fraternity mem- daughter about using alcohol and drugs.
bers with alcohol-related offenses. The Cantor received $100,000 after negotia-
fraternity's charter at the University was tions with the University.
Hopwood ceremony
honors 'U' writers
NAKED MILE:
Stopped cold
Increased police enforcement led to 12 arrests at the tradi-
tional running of the Naked Mile April 17, causing students to
protest in the middle of streets and create their own naked runs
in the following days.
"A couple dozen students actually ran" on April 17, said
Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown. Many
students were stopped by officers while disrobing.
Students who did not heed the advice of officers were arrest-
ed. Twelve people were arrested for various offenses the night
of the Naked Mile, and Brown said DPS officials are seeking
arrest warrants for six additional Individuals.
Students showed their disapproval of the police presence by
yelling obscenities at police officers. The crowd also organized an
Impromptu sit-down.
Attempts to hold
unofficial runs In sub-
sequent nights were
unsuccessful. At leash
five people streaked
the night of April 18,
Brown said, and offi-
cers intercepted a'
gathering of more s,
than 100 people April r
21 before they could
run.L
Traugott, officials discws
allots to avoid future e
By Uzoma Anyanetu partially-punch
For the Daily cials to test wh
as required in I
Following the five-week battle over the presidential elec- Another par
tion recount in Florida between then-Gov. George W Bush Multnomah C
and Vice President Al Gore, researchers and election officials seminar - het
convened at the Michigan League on April 20 to discuss be sent by mail
ways to prevent similar problems in the future. ers have twent
Department of Communications Chair and elections expert received on or
Michael Traugott, the sponsor of the "Election Administation in the election. Er
the United States" seminar, opened the discussion by empha- participation,
sizing that voting problems in scattered parts of the country can Craig Donsa
have a substantially negative impact on the results of major U.S. Departme
elections, as the situation last year demonstrated. would be elect
"Elections are the most administrative part of a democra- Emphasizing
cy," he said, adding that voting discrepancies in small parts of Donsanto caut
the country can shake people's faith in the system every- tronic voting s
where in the United States. Following th
Christopher Thomas, director of elections for the State of various antique
Michigan, said the problems that occurred in Florida would resident Dougl
likely not happen in Michigan because of voting reforms imple- was the infamo
mented after the 1950 gubernatorial election. Michigan, he said, Fla. that many E
had l"clear definition" of voting standards that does not accept number of vote
Photos by Abby Rosenbaum
By Michael Osinsid
For the Daly
Author Andrea Barrett compared
Arctic expeditions to an author's voyage
of creativity in her guest lecture at the
University's Hopwood Awards ceremony
on April 17 at Rackham Auditorium.
"The secret to writing," she revealed,
"is a lifelong process of exploration.'
Barrett detailed scientific ventures to
the poles that, while failing in some
areas, ended with success in other areas.
;She said the voyage itself is a learning
experience, so it is not necessary to know
where you are going. Her descriptions of
floating aimlessly in Arctic ice gave a
message of hope to aspiring writers who
might feel adrift intheirliteraryjourneys.
This encouragement followed the
F#s Jt. siomv, Uo oi presenotatin of the Hopwood Awards,
wwwmihgdiy~m monetary prizes given to University stu-
dents for their creative use of the English
language in fiction, screenplays, essays
and poetry. Dozens of students were rec-
i S u oognized for their writing, with individual
awards ranging from $700 to $6,000.
lection flasco s "It's great that the University can sup-
port the arts with such generosity," said
sed ballots and thus doesn't require election offi- Rackham student Patricia Akhimie, who
ether light can be seen through the indentations, was awarded a $2,000 Meader Family
Florida with dimpled-chad ballots. Award for her work.
ticipant, Vicki Ervin, director of elections for
ounty, Ore., brought a unique perspective to the
r state is the only one that requires all ballots to
. Under the vote-by-mail system in Oregon, vot-
y days to return the ballots. All ballots must be FOR WOMEN
before - not postmarked before - the date of RADIANCE, LOVE
vin said the method has greatly increased voter THURSDAY, MAY
especially among teens.
nto, director of the election crimes brnch of the FOR MEN ON
nt of Justice, said the perfect system of voting THE WAY OF THE
tronic but would also leave printed records. PRACTICING THE
"the public has to believe the process works FRIDAY, MAY 4,
ioned against states hastily implementing elec- BTH WOA
ystems, which he said invite fraud.
se presentations, audience members could view FOR MEN AN
ballots from the private collection of Ann Arbor - SPIRITUAL DYNA
as Kelly. One of the ballots that Kelly displayed SATURDAY, MAY
us "butterfly ballot" used in Palm Beach County,
Democratic voters blame for the disproportionate
s going to Reform Partycandida atBuchana.
"It's welcome appreciation, but also
it's just good money,' said RC senior
Daniel Kahn, a $4,000 winner in the
drama/screenplay category.
Prizes vary from year to year. The
Hopwood Awards Program gave out
$107,600 last academic year. "It's splen-
did to see people rewarded for their work
of words, said Prof. Nicholas Delbanco,
director of Hopwood Awards Program.
Program associate Andrea Beauchamp
said the awards are nationally known and
are a selling point for prospective writers.
Beauchamp pointed out that Arthur
Miller came to the University "because
he heard he could get paid for writing.'
The awards are an important part of the
University's efforts to encourage the arts,
as well as "one of the oldest and most
prestigious writing awards, she said.
The Hopwood Awards are bestowed in
honor of 1905 University graduate Avery
Hopwood, apopular dramatist of his day.
He donated one-fifth of his estate to the
University to encourage creative writing.
The competition is open to students at
all three of the University's campuses.
Students must also enroll in either of the
departments of English Language and
Literature or Communication, or in the
Residential College for one course in
English composition.