ilwlpD Muses disclose The Real Ramona. See ARTS Page 11. c E Yi TODAY Becoming sunny; High: 59, Low: 38. TOMORROW Mostly sunny, pleasant; High: 64, Low: 44. Since 1890 Vol. Cl, No. 140 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, April 24,1991 Thhaly Criticism of MSA fuels debate over mandatory fee a by Julie Foster Daily MSA Reporter Summer. The season of convertibles, beach parties, long sunny days, and of course, the determination of student allo- cations to the Michigan Student DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS Assembly. In July, the University's Board of SRegents will decide, with recommenda- tions from MSA President James Green, how much funding MSA will receive for the year, and the sessions are not likely to take place at a friendly backyard barbeque at University President James Duderstadt's house. Considering that an average of only 12 to 15 percent of students vote at each MSA election, many students could prob- ably care less how much money is allo- cated to a student government that they feel hasn't represented them properly. University Regent Philip Power (D- Ann Arbor) senses student animosity toward MSA. "I get the feeling a lot of people are not happy with the way MSA has-been acting in the past few years," Power said. This year, many people felt MSA was too involved with foreign policy issues and making political statements that didn't directly represent student inter- ests. In the past, when either the students or the administration were highly dissatis- fied with the student government, it was either disbanded and restructured, or the funding process was altered significantly. In 1975, the regents created the Commission to Study Student Governance (CSSG) to give a recommen- dation on how to improve the Student Government Council (SGC). The com- mission was formed partly because, ac- cording to the regents, the behavior of the SGC was no longer tolerable. In October of 1975, SGC was disbanded. Former Regent Thomas Roach said the circumstances surrounding the destruc- tion of SGC were unusual and that simi- lar action against MSA was unlikely. He said the former Council had embezzled funds and were extremely fiscally irre- sponsible. "In those days it appeared people were shoving money out the back door," Roach said. "They were very irresponsible with their money, and it really wasn't repre- sentative of the students. MSA came out See MSA, Page 2 Hnicapped permits: used and abused GEO, 'U' fail to agree on a new contract by Lari Barager Daily Staff Reporter Even the casual observer notices the symbolic blue handicapped parking space signs that dot every campus parking lot; they are in no short supply, say Parking Operations Officials. But few peo- ple know just how one applies for handicapped parking permits and how these privileges are abused ev- ery day. Parking Operations Admin- istrative Assistant Betty DeWolf says a student or staff member can obtain a permanent handicapped staff-paid perniit by showing their state handicapper permit to officials at Parking Operations. Or, if they only need a temporary permit because of an injury or operation, they can bring in a doctor's note and the permit is is- sued for a limited period of time. But possessing a handicapper permit does not always assure a person a parking place. "We have staff call us and say that they can't park their car be- cause someone is parking ille- gally," DeWolf said. There are 442 handicapped spots on campus for the 162 people who have handicapper permits, and that would seem like enough. But the system is both unknowingly and blatantly misused, DeWolf said. DeWolf said they have had inci- dents of staff members using other people's permits, and they have been investigated. "We ran into a case where the person (a University staff mem- ber) was using his wife's permit and his wife had died," DeWolf said. Parking Operations then noti- fied the Secretary of State's office and ticketed the man for parking with an invalid handicap permit. The office also investigated a case where a student was using her father's handicap sticker. DeWolf See PERMITS, Page 3 by Robert Patton Daily Staff Reporter Yesterday's negotiations be- tween the University and the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) failed to produce an agree- ment on TA contracts for the next two years. The inability of the two sides to produce a settlement means TAs are likely to work without a contract this summer, and could result in a TA strike next fall. GEO spokesperson Alan Zundel said there was little said at the meeting, and that little progress was made on any of the issues. University spokesperson Colleen Dolan-Greene also called the negotiations "a pretty quiet session." "We received (GEO's) proposal and agreed with the mediator that we would be back in touch when GEO wanted to meet again," she said. Dolan-Greene added the University had given the GEO team a re-wording of the language defin- ing the duties of a TA. Michael Kozura, a member of the bargaining team, agreed that progress had been made in that area. However, even there it was minor, he said. On the other major issues "there is a large space between their posi- tion and our position," he said. 'I don't foresee either side changing its position much over the summer' Chris Roberson - GEO President Kozura added while no agree- ment has been reached, the University did not resort to tactics such as threatening striking TAs with legal action. See GEO, Page 2 A car displaying a temporary handicapper permit is parked in a handicapped parking zone outside of Mason Hall. [ In S i Future of city by David Rheingold low-income housing uncertain Daily City Reporter Despite the Homeless Action Committee's (HAC) failure to gar- ner enough signatures on a recent pe- DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS tition drivelo put the Kline's park- ing structure on a referendum bal- lot, HAC members say there is a growing citizen dissatisfaction lTD to cut consulting hours at main sites by Andrew Levy Daily Staff Reporter The University agency responsi- ble for campus computing, the Information Technology Division (ITD), is making changes in the way it provides computer consulting services, an ITD official said yester- day. Starting with spring term, on- site consulting hours will be cut by an average of 32 percent, while tele- phone consulting through the 4- HELP line will be increased. The change is an attempt to provide a more "efficient" service, while off- setting the consequences of budget cuts that go into effect with the new fiscal year. "We're not cutting consulting services, but we are changing the way we do give services to make it more effective," said ITD consult- ing services director Cheryl Munn- Fremon. Munn-Fremon said that cur- with the proposed project. HAC member Leslie Mead said Monday that 90 percent of the peo- ple who signed it asked to do so on their own. It seems likely, then, that the issue of the Kline's structure will return to city hall in the near future. But whether HAC can continue to use it as a rallying point in its perennial fight for low-income housing remains to be seen. Although the city budget cur- rently allots no money toward low- income housing, HAC argues that there are funds available within a local outlet called the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) - which should be used on housing in- stead of the Kline's parking structure. The DDA, which will fund the $8.6 million structure, was estab- lished in 1982 primarily to maintain downtown business districts. This does not mean, however, that it cannot contribute some of its resources toward affordable hous- ing. Recently, for example, it built 63 affordable housing units at the Ann Arbor YMCA in conjunction with sidewalk repairs, said DDA coordinator Reuben Bergman. Bergman said getting the DDA to fund a project that is strictly low-income housing could be difficult. "We are not a housing authority. The housing authority is called the (Ann Arbor) Housing Commis- sion," Bergman said. The housing commission is cur- rently in the process of building 25 low-income units, said its interim director, Conrad Benson. Benson said the federal approval of the 25 units was a big step for the city, as government funding of new construction has been slashed 80 See HOUSING, Page 2 'U' students choose a variety of locales for final exam cram by Lad Barager Daily Staff Reporter They are a procrastinator's worst nightmare - they're final exams and they're here. And, for students whose coursepacks are still sitting unread at Kinko's, the time has come to forego those wild evenings at the bars and romantic strolls in the Arb. Cramming will demand a week of solitary confinement for many prospective exam takers. Of course, University students have different perspectives on the studying experience, from students who are idiosyncratic in their study habits and have a specific system to those who go to the libraries to re- lax and talk with their friends while doing what they describe as "light studying." The Daily reported in its Best of Ann Arbor survey that the Graduate library was students' favorite place to study. With its tomb-like reading room and labyrinth of secluded cu- bicles in the stacks, it satisfies the need for "serious studying." "They're (the cubicles) spacious and bland and it's dead quiet," LSA sophomore Perry Ganz said. "There's nothing there to distract me." But for Ganz, the Grad is actu- ally his second choice for optimum studying. "My favorite place to See CRAM, Page 9 Richard Kratt, a second-year space engineering student, studies in front of Hill Auditorium yesterday before the rain came. I Comprehensive drug and alcohol policy to be ready by fall by Sarah Schweitzer Daily Administration Reporter After more than two years of re- search and numerous revisions, a comprehensive University drug and ainnh l nni:- '1101hP r a.r - Federally-mandated code will address 'significant' alcohol, drag probkm at'U'; replaces interim policy "We will have more systematic policies. People and behavior are less likely to slip through the cracks." In addition to these general rec- ommendations, the task force specif- made by the Task Force on Alcohol -a ('ltl-nar..nrime fr inl-:,..nn ina . Yet, according to the task force, t n t n h.an..t.ial rnet.to t - abuse. If problems are found to ex- :s .uil the hm P i in o te unt, t